Cats and Hairballs
by L Johnson
Hairballs (or trichobezoars),
according to animal hospital personnel, can be a common occurrence when you
have cats in the house. Cats ingest hair when they groom themselves. Usually
this is not a problem because the hair is excreted in the feces gradually
over time. However, in some cases, the hair may build up to a level where it
cannot be excreted and must be vomited up. Sometimes, there may be so much
hair that it cannot be excreted or vomited up, and can lead to an intestinal
blockage.
It is noted that hairballs are
generally more common in long-haired or older cats. If your cat is going to
vomit up a hairball, it is quite a performance! There will be lots of
retching and dry heaving before the hairball is finally spit out onto the
floor. (This can be a "weird experience" for owners watching their cats as
they are trying to cough up the balls. After the animal accomplishes this,
then you will be left with a lovely mat of wet, soggy hair on your floor!
Note, if your cat gets an
intestinal blockage due to a hairball this is a serious situation. You may
notice signs of dry heaving, attempts to vomit without production, and
constipation. If you suspect an intestinal blockage you should contact your
veterinarian because this may require medical intervention.
If your cat is prone to
hairballs, you can feed her a special "hairball-reduction" diet. This diet
is available from many of the major pet food manufacturers. These are
basically higher-fiber diets that will help your cat move the hairballs
along her digestive tract. There are also treats that work to help break up
the hairballs within the digestive system. The best way to reduce hairballs,
especially in a long-haired cat, if through frequent brushing. By reducing
the amount of loose hair on your cat for her to ingest, she will form fewer
hairballs in her digestive tract!"
Most cat owners are not aware
that cats may need special attention and brushing; and may need to make a
more conscious effort to brush their cats more often.
Do you want to know how to
train a dog? Get more information at:
https://paydotcom.com/r/9416/limoore/401261/
Also, a very informative guide
to healthcare for dogs can be seen at:
https://paydotcom.com/r/4603/limoore/399717/
(Note: Many of these important
points above were obtained from a animal hospital which is used to seeing
all kinds of pets and providing information to help pet owners.)
See more tidbits of information
regarding cats and dogs at: www.soulcast.com/limoore
About the Author
Author lives in Illinois; loves
animals, cats, dogs. See more tidbits of information regarding cats and dogs
at: www.soulcast.com/limoore
Do you want to know how to
train a dog? Get more information at:
https://paydotcom.com/r/9416/limoore/401261/
A very informative guide to
healthcare for dogs can be seen at:
https://paydotcom.com/r/4603/limoore/399717/
