In the grooming process, cat will ingest loose hair into the digestive system. Normally, this is not a problem, because cat is carnivorous. Its digestive system is designed to handle fur.
Hair is made up of keratin which is a protein that is difficult to digest. That’s why loose hair can lump together in cat’s digestive system. When there is too much hair inside the cat’s digestive system, it will irritate the stomach lining. The cat will then cough the hairball.
You should not be alarmed for an occasional hairball. However, if your cat coughs up hairballs more than twice a month, you should make an appointment with your veterinarian. Especially, if your cat makes awful coughing sound or coughs without hairball, it is not a good sign. Make sure that the cough is not something more serious. It is important to know that coughing without hairball may be a sign of feline asthma. Check with your veterinarian for details.
Prevention and Treatment for Hairball in Cats:
There are a few things that you do to treat hairballs. First of all, you can start by combing your cat frequently. Flea comb works best with shorthaired feline, and a wide-toothed comb works best for longhaired cat. When you comb you cat, make sure that you apply lubricant like petroleum jelly such as Katalax, Petromalt, and Laxatone.
Changing your cat’s diet can also improve hairballs in cats. High fiber diet can help hair go through gastrointestinal tract easier. For instance, you can add canned pumpkin into the diet. However, don’t overdo the fiber, because your cat may have diarrhea.
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