Natural Ways to Reduce Hairballs in Cats

While hairballs look disgusting, they are formed because a cat is constantly grooming itself. During the grooming process, loose and dead hairs are caught by the tongue, ingested and may eventually turn into part of a hairball. Hairballs will appear long and cigar-shaped once vomited out by your cat, and are easy to identify because they are made from a mass of hair. There are natural remedies available to pet owners that should help prevent hairballs from occurring.

  1. Brushing

    • The easiest way to prevent hairballs is to brush your cat weekly. Brushing will remove loose and dead hair, which will limit the amount of hair that is swallowed, greatly reducing hairballs. You can purchase a cat brush at pet stores, online or at big-box stores. Start at the head and work toward the tail, gently brushing at you go. Remove the hair caught in the brush and do it again until a minimal amount of hair is being pulled out by the brush. Cats generally enjoy being brushed and brushing can act as a bonding time for cats and their owners.

    Food Supplements

    • Adding certain supplements to your cat̵7;s food will aid with digestion, making it easier for a cat to pass hair instead of having it build up to a hairball. Adding a teaspoon of fish oil to your cat̵7;s food one time a week should help digestion. Instead of fish oil, you can add a teaspoon of bran or canned pumpkin to each meal for the same results. Another home remedy is feeding your cat a tablespoon of olive oil each week, broken up into three or four smaller dosages. To get your cat to eat olive oil, put some tuna or another fish treat into it.

    Cat Grass

    • Purchase cat grass for indoor cats to ensure a proper diet. Cat grass can be bought online or at pet stores, and is basically potted grass. Cat grass will provide vitamins and minerals to an indoor cat̵7;s diet, and it also provides natural roughage. The natural roughage should help cats digest excess fur instead of having it build up. Outdoor cats already have access to plants and do not need indoor cat grass.

    Non-Petroleum Jelly

    • Placing a small amount, basically just enough to cover the nose, of non-petroleum jelly on the nose or front paws of your cat will help reduce hairballs. The cat will eventually lick the jelly off and it should help get rid of the extra hair sitting in your cat̵7;s stomach. Do not use an excessive amount of non-petroleum jelly, because it can cause diarrhea in cats.