How to Use Home Remedies for Cat Hairballs

Cats get hairballs,(the medical term is trichobezoars -- say trike-oh-bee-zohras) as a result of licking to clean themselves and, in doing so, swallowing fur. A cat may gag when a hairball becomes lodged in his throat or he may vomit. As unpleasant as it is for cat lovers, it's a fact of life for cats. Most of the fur passes harmlessly in the cat's stool. As a carnivore, her digestive tract was made for handling fur. Sometimes it's the fur of some critter that has been consumed, more often it's her own fur.

Things You'll Need

  • Petroleum jelly
  • Butter or margarine
  • High-fiber cat food
  • Over the counter hairball remedy
  • Cat grooming brush
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Instructions

    • 1
      All cats get hairballs at some time or another.

      Offer your cat a spoonful of softened butter to help lubricate the hairball, making it easier to vomit up. Other remedies that can be used in place of butter include petroleum jelly as well as some commercially prepared products such as Laxatone or Petromalt.

    • 2
      Hairballs can cause a serious stomach obstruction if they do not come out one end or the other.

      Brush your cat daily. This is especially important for the long-haired breeds. Brushing your cat's coat means more fur on the brush and less in his tummy.

    • 3

      Increase fiber in your cat's diet. Look for a "high fiber" label on canned or dry cat food. By feeding your cat more fiber, he may expel the hairball easier in his feces. You can also try adding a few tablespoons of pumpkin to his canned food, as that will add natural fiber. There are cat foods especially made for cats suffering from excessive hairballs available.

    • 4

      Be patient and treat your cat gently when he is coughing or gagging. It may be your natural impulse to grab your cat and put him outdoors but it could strain his stomach muscles and further restrict his breathing. Just let him cough up the hairball in his own time.