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A common medical condition affecting cats (and cat owners) is the dreaded hairball. Hairballs are matted or entwined balls of hair that form in a cat's stomach or intestines. Hairballs that can't be digested or coughed up account for a large percentage of cat digestive blockages and can make your cat sick or even worse, can be deadly.
How Do Cats Get Hairballs?
Cats get hairballs mainly as a result of grooming themselves. Although most cats (if not all) seem to have a strong dislike for getting wet, they do like keeping clean and will frequently clean themselves by licking their fur. Their serrated tongue makes it easy for them to snag their hair and swallow it as they groom.
While cats with long hair are more likely to suffer from hairballs, short haired cats may develop hairballs as well. Hairball symptoms include frequently attempting to vomit; changes in eating habits or digestion; and/or a swollen abdomen. If your cat is suffering from any of the above symptoms, it could very well be a cat hairball problem.
Getting Rid Of Hairballs
Although there is no "cure," there are several preventative measures that can be taken to minimize your cat's hairball problem.
Brushing and grooming your cat frequently is one solution that may help prevent hairballs by getting rid of dead hair. The more you brush and groom your cat, the less hair it will swallow when it grooms.
Another solution is growing cat grass for your cat. Sometimes referred to as catgrass or pet grass, cat grass can help eliminate hairballs by adding fiber and vitamins to your cat's diet. A high-fiber diet can help prevent the formation of hairballs.
Lucy's Cat Grass sells a variety of seed kits and seeds for growing cat grass for your pet including oat grass, wheat grass and our very own unique variety, Lucy's Special Buck Oat Grass, which greatly reduces the coughing up of hairballs.
Hairballs that can't be passed through your cat's digestive system or coughed up may require surgery or other treatment by a veterinarian. When in doubt about the health of your pet, you should consult a qualified veterinarian specifically trained to help keep your pet healthy and safe.
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