Hairballs: The Bane of Cat Keepers

This morning, much to my chagrin, I received an email from one of my cat loving friends challenging me to a fight in the popular, delightful Hairball Battle game presently being featured on Facebook.

The game was created by one of the leading pet food manufacturers to remind folks that, April 29 has been set aside to commemorate National Hairball Awareness Day.  Of course, I hung my head in shame for neglecting to write about this auspicious occasion, but I comforted myself with the expression, “better late than never.”

So while this common feline issue can often be a source of humor among cat people, who frequently make fun of the not so pleasant experience of encountering one squishing between your toes, on the bedroom floor, in the middle of the night, to be purrfectly clear about this subject, if cats could talk, they would undoubtedly tell you about the dark side of trichobezoars, the medical word hairballs.

From my many years of observing kitty behavior, I gotta tell you that cats simply find nothing amusing about hairballs, with the troublesome and annoying hack-hacking sounds they make as they attempt to get rid of them. Not only is it unpleasant for us, it has to be stressful for them.

Hairballs are formed when cats ingest fur while grooming themselves, or their feline companions. The hair, which is not easily digested it can combine with undigested food in the stomach and gastrointestinal tract.  If the hairball cannot be eliminated easily, constipation can result, causing kitty great discomfort. One of the more serious conditions that hairballs may lead to is an intestinal impaction which may require surgery to remove the blockage.  So hairballs are a serious business!

What are the symptoms of hairballs?

Deposits of cigar-shaped masses, often felt-like in appearance, on the floor or furniture; frequent dry, hacking cough, especially after consuming a meal; constipation, dry stool, often accompanied by hair which is visible; lack of interest in food; depression and lethargy; dry, matted coat.

Can hairballs be prevented?

Of course an ounce of prevention is worth the proverbial pound of cure! Most cats enjoy having their coats brushed and combed.  When our Oriental Shorthairs see me with our Furminator in hand, they eagerly follow me into the bathroom, where they are thoroughly groomed. Sometimes it can be hard to believe the amount of fur that two shorthaired cats can produce, especially during shedding season. I end the session rubbing them down with a chamois cloth which picks up any loose hair, and leave the coat silky and shiny.

Some folks give their cats ½ a tsp. of butter a couple of times a week to aid in hairball elimination. Our cats love this treat. Additionally there are commercial products, such as Laxatone which are quite effective in “smoothing” the passage of noxious fur.

But be cautious with commercial products containing mineral oil, since if given frequently, it can deplete the body of vitamin A.

For a more “natural” supplement, try adding a ½ tsp of unflavored canned pumpkin or baby squash to canned cat food. Feed cats that are prone to constipation with a moist diet, in preference to dry food.

How do you handle hairball problems? Share your preferences in a comment.