Additionally, a small amount of dietary fiber can help keep the digestive system functioning smoothly, correcting hairball problems at their roots. Fiber-Based Hairball Remedies Typically, this would mean giving your cat a high-protein food made primarily from meat and animal fat. You want as little plant matter as possible. A moisture-rich diet is ideal. It might take some trial and error to find out which hairball remedy works best for your cat. Harper says it's possible to overdo it with hairball remedies and recommends trying one remedy at a time. "It could turn into a situation where the cat is not vomiting up hairballs, but it's vomiting up everything else," he says. "One thing at a time would be sufficient to see what works best, otherwise you won't know." If you see your cat retching or coughing then it is nothing to worry about; fur balls are natural. Most are passed through just like their food, but occasionally it will build up. Pros:Plant-based ingredients support digestion and prevent hairballs, carries the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) quality seal

Egg yolks have interesting properties for hairball control. They contain choline and lecithin, which work together to, respectively, encourage GI contractions and emulsify the fat that binds hairballs together. Nutri-Vet Hairball Paw Gel contains natural non-petroleum ingredients to lubricate your cat's digestive tract and it supports healthy skin and coat. If you determine that your cat’s hairballs are caused by a digestive issue, you may want to consider treating the hairballs the same way you’d treat any chronic digestive problem.

It's important to treat and prevent hairballs so they don't cause a dangerous intestinal obstruction. While small amounts of hair usually pass harmlessly through a cat's digestive tract, too much hair can ball up and become trapped inside the stomach. At that point, the hairball may be "coughed up." While daily brushing reduces the amount of fur your cat swallows when they groom themselves, your vet might also recommend using one of the best hairball remedies for cats.

All that cleaning and removing fur you see your cat constantly do, leads to them swallowing a lot of hair, which can collect into balls in their stomachs. Here is what cat hairballs are and how you can help a cat with hairballs. The key is not to get too distressed and just keep an eye on your cat to ensure they bring up the hairball and then stop gagging. You can buy a specialist cat hairball treatment paste that contains a laxative and lubricant to help them pass through the digestive system. But this is not generally needed. If you do use it, follow the instructions to the letter. Cats are very good at keeping themselves clean. They naturally know how to self-groom, and rarely need bathing. However, during the self-grooming process, they can swallow loose hair – and this leads to a cat hairball. Most cats get hairballs from time to time and it’s usually nothing to worry about. But if you are wondering what is causing them, what are the symptoms you should look out for and how to help a cat with hairballs, here is everything you need to know.The supplement contains five strains of probiotic bacteria along with bromelain, a natural enzyme derived from pineapple which may offer digestive, anti-inflammatory, and immune-supporting benefits. There are many ways in which a vet may diagnose cat hairballs. This may an x-ray or a physical examination. In extreme cases, surgery may be needed to remove the hairball if it has grown particularly large; this can be expensive in terms of vet bills. Though Cat Lax doesn’t mention hairballs in its name, this product is just as popular as a hairball preventive as it is a laxative. Administration of this supplement is easy. Simply sprinkle one scoop of the powder over your cat’s dry food or stir it directly into wet food. Some cat owners have also had success soaking the powder in water or broth and using it as a liquid food topper. Pros Since cats cannot digest hair, it must pass through the digestive system and come out in the cat's stool. However, sometimes hair becomes trapped in the stomach, creating a hairball. Is it normal for cats to throw up hairballs?

It also contains white petrolatum, which coats the hairs and helps them to pass through the digestive system. Finally, the gel contains lecithin, a natural emulsifier that helps to loosen hairballs in the body. This is a good answer if your cat has regularly struggled to remove furballs, and you need a constant way to monitor this. They are high in fibre, which reduces the likelihood of them settling in the stomach, and also keeps the coat shiny and healthy Treats If your cat is already eating a diet with a little bit of fiber, the best dietary change is finding a food that reduces inflammation. Hairballs often indicate digestive problems and should be approached the same way you’d approach any other symptom of gut inflammation, like diarrhea or vomiting. Lubricant-based gels are among the most effective remedies to treat and prevent hairballs. Hairball gels use ingredients like white petroleum, mineral oil, or other oils to gently help hair pass through your cat's digestive tract so it can be eliminated through their stool. The tablets contain a blend of digestive enzymes and probiotics thought to improve digestive health, along with papaya extract, which may be able to reduce inflammation and support digestive health.Cats often vomit up hairballs — what some people call "coughing up" hairballs — but if hair becomes lodged in the small intestine, it can cause a life-threatening obstruction, which could require surgery. Cat hairballs are a normal by-product of cat grooming. A cat hairball is a collection of dead hair and digestive juices that have formed in your cat’s stomach. Cats develop hairballs by grooming themselves and swallowing the hairs, which build into hairballs in their stomachs.

The following are sources of fiber that, when integrated into your cat’s diet, may help hair move smoothly through the body. When a cat is trying to bring up a hairball, they may start retching, gagging or acting like they are dry heaving and trying to vomit. Sometimes the sound they make is called a ‘cough-gag-retch’. This is because your cat can appear to be coughing from the lungs, gagging with their throat and retching from the stomach.Mineral oil had previously been recommended for hairballs, but it carries the risk of aspiration (going down into the lungs) since it doesn’t trigger a cough reflex. Other Hairball Remedies An increase in fiber intake can help your cat pass ingested hair but a healthy digestive tract is key. Not only does this powdered supplement provide two types of fiber for your cat, but it’s infused with probiotic strains of bacteria to restore and protect your their gut microbiome. Cats often take real pride in their appearance, keeping themselves clean and looking ready and primed for their next outing. But the downside? They can suffer from the odd hairball.