Proper Cat Health Care Reduces The Risk Of Furballs

By U Learn It | January 2, 2010

Every cat owner knows that hairballs are awful things to deal with. An accumulation of fur occurs when the owner does not brush the cat frequently enough, and this is what causes the hairballs. Cats end up swallowing furballs and this is where the problem starts. Once these lodge in the cat’s throat, choking can ensue. This is an unpleasant thing to have to stand by and watch.

Basic cat health care knowledge can help to prevent problems. That means watching out for hairballs and matted fur accumulating. The best thing to do is to schedule in regular grooming sessions each day to keep the fur smooth and hairball free. Owners and pets get pleasure from grooming, so persevere with it. Make sure you do it gently so the animal becomes more relaxed and it will sit in your lap all day as you groom it!

Some cats with longer fur (and more of it) are prone to hairballs, and this is something that the vet should remind you of when you take it for check-ups. Persian cats, for example, have very long fur and when hairballs form, they easily end up in the cat’s throat and this causes problems. Since a cat’s licking can’t be stopped, it is important that you take extra care to prevent hairballs forming. In contrast, dogs don’t get hairballs but this is because they have finer and shorter hair, and they don’t like their fur like cats do. As cat owners know, cats keep clean by licking their fur and thus hairballs occur.

The process is simple – as soon as the hairball gets into the stomach, the cat tries to cough it up. When the choking starts, the cat’s owner will get a bit nervous about how they are supposed to handle the situation. There’s not much you can do at this stage, and it’s a case of letting the cat cough the hairball up, but be sure to keep an eye on the cat. Look out for any worrying signs and just make sure the cat is okay after coughing the fur up. There are also plenty of treatments out there for help with preventing hairballs, so speak with a vet to get the best advice.