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We love our precious little felines and they love us so much that they sometimes enjoy leaving little presents like dead lizards -- or even a mouse still twitching in its death throes -- they have hunted and killed on our doorsteps. And of course most cat owners have experienced the wonderful treat of watching and/or listening to their cat’s hacking and retching, resulting in a hairball.
Literally balls of hair, hairballs are called trichobezoars by veterinarians. What goes in, must come out. Since hair is not digestible, a cat's hair will either pass through their digestive systems or build up in their bodies causing them to retch and heave to rid themselves of it. It’s a very disconcerting sight and sound when you witness for the first time a cat upchucking a hairball.
You may ask why cats ingest so much hair in the first place. It's just good grooming. They lick and lick with that serrated like tongue, which easily captures any loose, dead fur. Because of that rough tongue, cat can't spit out the offending fur. So, the only thing a cat can do is swallow it.
For the most part, the hair just passes right on through their bodies, being digested then excreted through normal elimination. However, if too much hair accumulates and builds up into a matted wad inside their tummy, it is almost impossible to pass through the digestive system, hence the hacking and retching to try to vomit the hairball out.
Cats with long fur are more likely to develop hairballs. Not that short haired cats don’t also get hairballs, but it's a matter of quantity -- the more you have, the greater the accumulation.
If your cat cannot rid itself of a hairball through vomiting or through the digestive system, they could suffer from a blockage in the intestine or stomach. Left untreated for too long, it can be life-threatening. Without surgery, that blockage caused by a hairball could kill your kitty.
Some warning signs of a possible hairball blockage are:
- continued retching that does not produce anything
- loss of appetite
- lack of defecation.
If your cat is constipated, a hairball could be the cause. To avoid the loss of a beloved cat, there are some steps you can take to lessen the chance of hairballs.
Hairball Preventative #1 -- Brush Your Cat
Brushing your cat’s hair helps it get rid of the dead hair, reducing the chance of too much ingestion of hair. Another good way to capture stray dead hairs is to wipe your cat with a moist towel on a regular basis.
Hairball Preventative #2 -- Special Hairball Treats
On the market today are selections of edible treats with special ingredients that help break up hairballs. Many of them contain mineral oil. Some cat food companies make special lines of food specifically for these hairball-prone kitties.
Hairball Preventative #3 -- Facilitate A Hairball
If a hairball is a continuous presence in your cat’s life, a lubricant is needed to help your cat digest and pass the offending hairball through the stomach and intestines. Products with petroleum are the best at facilitating this process and are available in a variety of flavors that cats love.
There is no cure for the common cat hairball, but as you can see from the preventatives listed above, there are specific measures to try before surgery is considered. If your cat is a compulsive groomer, they are more likely to develop hairballs. If you can determine the cause of the excessive grooming, take steps to eradicate the problem.
Sometimes, cats could just be bored or nervous and the process of grooming not only gives them something to do, but it also soothes them. You, as the cat’s owner, can create a game to play with your cat. In other words, redirect the cat’s energies into an activity to avoid the excessive licking that causes hairballs.
See The Vet
Remember, get your cat to a veterinarian as soon as possible if he displays any unusual behavior like retching or lack of body elimination. After a thorough exam, the vet will provide you with the best course of treatment for your feline’s dreaded hairball. |