It’s a sound that you dread hearing from your cat: That deep-throated hacking with your cat’s head bent low as eventually a big wad of wet fur lands on the rug. Hairballs are disgusting, and can cause many health problems for your cat if not treated properly. Unfortunately, many cat owners don’t do anything to prevent hairballs from happening, believing it’s just a part of nature for a cat.

What Causes Hairballs A cat is a very meticulous creature when it comes to personal grooming. You may watch your cat take over an hour licking its fur to get rid of dirt and burrs as it straightens out each hair to its designated place. When a cat licks itself in this manner, sometimes hairs loosen as the cat swallows the fur.

A cat’s digestive tract isn’t suited to break down fur into natural proteins and minerals the cat’s body needs. So most hair passes through the cat’s intestine and ends up in its feces. Unfortunately, some hair wads up in the stomach. This may happen when a cat has very long hair or grooms itself excessively. It can also happen more often in the spring when a cat is shedding its thick winter coat used to keep warm from the cold.

When the hair wads up, the stomach naturally tries to eject it. The cat coughs up the hair as you get to see a large ball of hair covered in digestive fluids.

Getting Rid Of Hairballs Naturally To lessen the number of hairballs your cat swallows, which can cause diarrhea and other health issues if the cat doesn’t retch up the hair from the stomach, you should brush your cat’s fur on a regular basis. By removing the loose hair, your cat won’t swallow as much as it can pass natural through their stomach and intestines.

Another remedy is petroleum jelly that is an intestinal lubrication, although many cat owners dislike having their pets swallow such a product. Instead, change your cat’s diet to a high-fiber regimen. This will allow more objects to pass through their system. Also give your cat plenty of exercise. This is just sound advice for your cat’s overall health.

You may also introduce probiotics and enzymes designed for animals into the cat’s food. It will help with the cat’s digestive system. There are also many homeopathic anti-constipation products designed for cats to help lessen the amount of hair sitting in the cat’s stomach that can accumulate into a hairball.

Before adopting any type of home remedy, make sure you take your cat to the veterinarian. With a full check-up, you can ensure that you cat isn’t suffering from any other type of medical condition that is contributing to your cat’s digestive problems and the number of hairballs in their stomach.