Trichobezoars
or Hairballs in Cats
That hacking cough from your cat
could be a hairball
MetPet.com Staff Writer
They sound like something from the era of
the dinosaurs or aliens from outer space but they are simply hairballs.
Animals that lick their fur or their neighbor's, invariably ingest some
of the hair. If enough hair is ingested, it can compact itself,
along with food into balls or mats inside the
digestive system.
If you ever see your cat retching, often while making an incredible
wailing sound, drooling or spitting up liquid laced with hair, this
could be a sign of a hairball about to be vomited. If a
hairball is not regurgitated, then it should pass through the digestive
system.
Hairballs are often shaped like fat
cigars and can include bits of food, grass and liquid.
In rare cases, the hairballs become large enough to cause
obstructions in the digestive system and must be removed through
surgery.
These matted balls or discs can end up anywhere along the digestive tract
and, if not removed, will cause serious problems and can sometimes even be fatal.
To reduce the amount of hair that your cat ingests, here are some ideas:
- Groom your cat daily. This is especially
important for long-haired cats and helps prevent matting as well.
The hair that you remove through brushing will be less hair for your cat
to ingest.
- Using a damp sponge or packing tape, remove hair from furniture, your
cat's bedding and from around the scratching post.
- Give your cat a hairball lubricator 2-3 times a week or per the
manufacturer's recommendation. 1/2 teaspoon of vegetable oil,
petroleum jelly or a commercial hairball lubricator can help ease the
passage of small clumps of hair.
You can add some to your cat's wet food or place
some on his haunches. He will ingest it as he grooms himself.
If you place the hairball lubricator on his paws, he may shake it off
(and onto your walls) instead of licking it off.
Related information:
Bathing the Cat: Dry
Baths
Bathing the Cat: Wet
Baths
Grooming in cats
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