How to Control Cat Hairballs

Your cat spends many hours a day grooming herself, and normally ingests quantities of her own fur, which usually exits your cat by way of her feces. Residual hair that is still in the stomach can irritate the stomach lining--long-haired cats, who have more hair, are more vulnerable, but short-haired cats can have sensitive stomachs too. This residual hair ends up being vomited up as a trichobezoar, commonly known as a hairball.

Hairballs are usually harmless--to your cat, not your carpets---but, occasionally, they can cause a serious intestinal blockage. If your cat is vomiting and hacking persistently, with no accompanying hairball, she should be seen by a vet immediately. However, if your cat is occasionally coughing up ordinary hairballs, you may be able to reduce the frequency.

Things You'll Need

  • Fine-toothed flea comb or de-shedding tool
  • White petroleum jelly
  • Commercial hairball remedy
  • Olive, flaxseed, or fish oil
  • Canned pumpkin
  • Rice bran (optional)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Comb your cat's fur daily with a fine-tooth flea comb or de-shedding tool. You can brush your cat, too, if she likes it. However, brushing does little to remove the excess hair that can contribute to hairball formation, and is no substitute for regular combing.

    • 2

      Put a dab of white petroleum jelly on your cat's leg, below the elbow. Your fastidious cat will have no choice but to groom herself and ingest it in the process, lubricating any hair in her stomach to slide on through her system. According to the Dog and Cat Shelter website, it is safe to use petroleum jelly for this purpose. Give it to your cat every day for a week or two, then once a week for maintenance.

    • 3

      Offer a commercial hairball remedy as an alternative to petroleum jelly. Most of these are made with mineral oil, which have the same lubricating properties as petroleum jelly. Because these remedies are formulated as treats, your cat may find them more palatable than petroleum jelly. Don't be surprised if your cat likes the petroleum jelly, however, as some felines seem to develop a taste for it.

    • 4

      Add edible oils, such as olive, flaxseed or fish oil, to your cat's food. These oils are beneficial for your cat's health in general, too. But, they may not work to prevent hairballs as effectively as the petroleum jelly or mineral oil, because some of these edible oils will be absorbed by the intestines.

    • 5

      Mix a tablespoon of canned pumpkin into your cat's food twice a day. The dietary fiber provided by the pumpkin helps to bind the hair and stimulates the intestines to keep the mass moving. If your cat turns up her nose at the pumpkin, you can try adding some rice bran to her food. Both the rice brain and the pumpkin can have a laxative effect, so monitor your cat for diarrhea and cut back on the amount if she is affected in this way.