Cat owners in general have become very familiar with the undesirable hairballs in their cats coat. As an instinctive habit, cat groom themselves, and as part of this process they lick and swallow the excess hair off their coat. Surprisingly enough, almost all of this hair goes through the feline’s digestive system without any problems. This only becomes an issue when the hair doesn’t go through an remains in the digestive tract. This hair accumulates over time, as more and more hair join together to form a hair ball. The larger the size of the hair ball, the greater the threat becomes of this becoming a health issue.
Many felines are able to remove this excess hair simply by scratching it off. However, swallowing the hair complements this process. When they have accumulated a hair ball in their stomach they usually get ready to get rid of it some way or another. The sound they make when making an effort to expulse the hair ball out is most annoying, similar to a person with something stuck in their throat. Many cat owners agree that the worse time for their cat to get rid of a hairball is in the middle of the night, when they can keep everyone in the house awake. To make things even worse, the hairball is left in either the bathroom floor or living room rug where the pet owner is sure to step on it.
As undesirable these hairballs may be laying around your home, there are less desirable when they remain in your cat’s digestive system. If the cat fails to extract the hairball from his stomach, it could make its way into the intestine, where it would create an obstacle that could only be removed through expensive surgery.
The signs of a hairball gone bad, and into the intestine are usually loss of appetite, depression, continuous coughing and a general lack of interest to groom himself anymore. Pet owners of long haired cats, such as the Persian breed, should be extra careful with hairballs affecting their pet than any others. Their long hair gets tangled easier and is likely to make a large hairball much faster.
Grooming your pet will always be the most effective action against the forming of hairballs. Scheduled brushing of the cat’s coat at least once a day will ensure that the excess hair don’t end up in the pet’s tongue and stomach. As an extra measure for owners of long haired cats, you might want to consider keeping the length of the hair under control. Extra long hair is liable to become a hairball much faster.
Cat owners may also want to consider purchasing special cat food that contains ingredients which are especially made to combat hair in the digestive system. However, this type of food can be expensive. If your budget is limited, consider anti hair remedies you administer your cat to prevent the hairballs from forming. In any case, responsible pet owners should consult their veterinarian first before submitting their cat to any substances they are not familiar with.
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