Eww….hairball!

This topic has 15 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 16 years, 5 months ago by mayra.

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19 November, 2007 at 6:29 pm #12583

mayra
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I find myself saying this to April way too often. She has a chronic hairball problem. I brush her hair and regularly give her hairball remedies (I’ve tried all the brands in the grocery store. None seem to help.)

Does anybody here know of any good natural remedies? These incidents are extremely unpleasant for her but I don’t know what else to try. Thanks in advance for any advice.

19 November, 2007 at 6:38 pm #102226

Kitten Whisperer in Oregon (8/27)
Participant

I am not knowledgable about hairball remedies, but I highly recommend the Furminator as a tool for brushing as much loose fur off April as possible. It is a bit expensive, but worth the cost. My long-haired cat, Furl, loves it. She even presents her belly to me to have it brushed with the Furminator. I got mine from http://www.entirelypets.com

Good luck with this unpleasant problem!

19 November, 2007 at 6:56 pm #102227

CSBM
Participant

try butter or vaseline on her front paws…also add some grease to her diet if possible…

19 November, 2007 at 6:59 pm #102228

mayra
Participant

Thanks, Kitten Whisperer. Sounds like this should work better than her regular kitty comb..

19 November, 2007 at 7:12 pm #102229

mayra
Participant

Thanks Cheri, I’ll try the vaseline too. I remember once trying the butter remedy on Chloe and she reacted as if I’d set her paws on fire. I was laughing out loud, but needless to say, she was not amused. I expect April won’t be as neurotic about it.

19 November, 2007 at 7:20 pm #102230

KYKAT 12 23
Participant

The furminator is the bomb! the first time I brused Emma with ours, I got enough furr off of her to knit a kitten. By the time I had done all three cats, I had enough for two kittens!

19 November, 2007 at 7:22 pm #102231

HuddysMama
Participant

I switched cat food for my Sebastian because he’s the king of the hairballs. He has beautiful long hair and is a fastidious bather. It’s made a HUGE difference. I give him Purina One Hairball and Weight Control (weight control for Huddy).

19 November, 2007 at 7:24 pm #102232

JerseyJoan
Moderator

I don’t know how much this has helped, but about a month ago I started putting cod liver oil on kitties’ food. There’s still plenty of upchucking, since they insist on running around and drinking a lot of water after dinner, but I have noticed a decrease in hairballs.

19 November, 2007 at 7:30 pm #102233

miu
Participant

Try Hairball dry food and a good brush.

19 November, 2007 at 8:27 pm #102234

MerD
Participant

yes, the furminator! a must have!!!!

19 November, 2007 at 8:31 pm #102235

anncetera2
Participant

You’re going to think I’m nuts, but bathing your cat every other week cuts down on hairballs; it dramatically cuts down shedding, in general. Works best in a kitchen sink with sprayer attachment, a very diluted, warmed shampoo (a plain people shampoo is fine, just not baby shampoo), and rinse the bejeebus out of your kitty.

Bonus: very little shedding around the house.

19 November, 2007 at 8:38 pm #102236

GreatDane
Participant

Anncetera is right! I bathe the Bob every few weeks and as far as I know, he’s never had a hairball. Kitty will hate you for maybe an hour or two until dry, but it’ll be well worth it.

19 November, 2007 at 8:50 pm #102237

HuddysMama
Participant

My cats would kill me if I tried to bathe them. Well, Huddy probably wouldn’t, but he doesn’t have hairballs anyway. He likes for mama to wash the grease of his paws and face after a bit of rib or porkchop. He actually flexes his front paws while I clean them. Purring the whole time, of course.

19 November, 2007 at 9:03 pm #102238

mayra
Participant

Bathing helps some, but bathing April should qualify me for hazard pay. Picture Cujo, feline version. Oh yeah, she’ll hate me! 🙂

19 November, 2007 at 9:22 pm #102239

anncetera2
Participant

I understand, Mayra! Trust me. I’ve bathed a lot of cats, but I consider myself fortunate – there’s only ever been one that truly panicked and became completely unglued.

(Even for him, that was only the first time; when he got bathed again a week or so later, he was pretty calm about the whole thing. He realized I wasn’t trying to kill him!)

19 November, 2007 at 10:02 pm #102240

mayra
Participant

April was born unglued. 🙂 But she will be getting a bath this week, which could result in a YouTube-worthy video. Thanks for the advice.
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