Home Remedies for Hairballs in Cats

It's a well known fact that the cat grooms himself with the tongue. Unfortunately, this common grooming technique means that many cats suffer from hairballs. However, there are several home remedies (not including commercial products) that can help out a feline with an ingested fur ball.

Home Remedies for Hairballs

Did you know that a quarter of a teaspoon (one-fourth) of petroleum jelly (such as name-brand Vaseline, but off-brands work just the same) can help a hairball pass through your cat's intestinal tract with less issues than if the cat were to hack up the hairball on his own? Some cats will even willingly eat the petroleum jelly, but for other cats, it may be necessary to put the petroleum jelly onto one of the front paws. This forces the cat to groom himself in order to get rid of the jelly, thus ingesting the jelly as necessary. This technique should be done once a day for three to four days, but no longer. Increasing the amount of jelly can cause sickness, as can increased, prolonged feeding of the jelly.

Of course, if you can't get your cat to eat the petroleum jelly, then it may be time to move onto another method. Using half a teaspoon of butter, given once a day for approximately one week, is often more appealing to some cats in comparison to the petroleum jelly. In short, butter acts like a mild laxative and helps to clear the digestive tract of things like hairballs.

Lastly, it should be noted that some cats will have more hairball issues than other cats. This can be due to over-grooming or obsessive grooming. While obsessive behaviors can require a trip to the veterinarian, there are a few tricks you can try prior to carting your cat off to the vet's office. Consider that your cat may in fact, be bored and may need more playtime. Playtime, even an additional ten minutes a day, can help take his mind off of his grooming, which in turn, reduces the amount of time spent grooming as well as reducing the amount of fur that's eaten.

Preventing Hairballs in Cats

The best home remedy for a hairball is prevention. Brushing your cat weekly, at a minimum, can help cutdown on the number of loose hairs that get lapped up. Brushing daily or even every other day is ideal, especially if your cat is an obsessive groomer or has long or fine fur.

Final Notes on Hairball Treatment and Prevention

Though many cats can benefit from home remedies, cats with hairballs that are persistent should be seen by a veterinarian. For example, if your cat spends more than 2 or 3 days trying to hack up a hairball, it may be time to see a veterinarian. Hairballs that can't be expelled can cause serious issues within the digestive tract.

Additional Tips and Tricks:

How to Get Rid of Hairballs

Home Remedies for Cats with Hairballs