Hairballs in cats happen, sometimes more often than we would like. If your cat suffers from quite a few hairballs, you might want to try some of these home remedies below. They might bring relief to you and your cat, and save you from cleaning up a mess, and your poor cat working at getting the hairball up.
I have never owned a cat that seemed to struggle with hairballs. I guess in a way I assumed it was a cat myth because I had never seen a cat cough one up. Well, that all changed one day when my sister got a cat and I was over visiting. Her cat coughed one up, and it was such a horrible sight. I felt bad for the cat and being a person who hates any form of throwing up, I was a bit of a hot mess from seeing it. I researched and shared with her ways to help her cat reduce the number of hairballs he was coughing up. She tried a few methods and found success. If you struggle with hairballs in cats as well, you might get relief with these methods.
At Home Remedies For Reducing Hairballs in Cats
Pumpkin Puree
Pumpkin puree (canned pumpkin) is a great at home treatment for hairballs in cats. Just make sure you buy pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie mix. Then simply mix one tablespoon of pumpkin in with their cat food 2-3 times a week to help reduce their hairballs. Pumpkin is high in fiber so it keeps your cat regular, and they can get rid of the hair that way, instead of hairballs.
Grooming Regularly
This method is easy. Invest in a cat brush and make sure to brush their coats a few times a week. You will get rid of shedding hair, so they have less of a chance of ingesting so much hair. Sounds simple, because it really is. You can even wipe your cat with a damp warm washcloth after brushing to pick up even more hair.
Olive Oil
Olive oil mixed in with their cat food is another alternative to try. Mix in 1 tablespoon of olive oil with the cat food for a meal. Do this twice a week to help lubricate your cat’s digestive tract and reduce the hairballs that will develop. Once you feel it is helping a lot, you can even attempt to drop it down to once a week of oil in food, and see if you can maintain the balance.
Food and Treats
If none of these at home remedies above helped, they make specialized foods and treats to help reduce hairballs in cats. You can also make a trip to your vet and get advice from an expert to see if they offer any other insights of what to do.
What are your cat hairball tricks and tips?
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