Hair Balls

Hair Balls

by Nancy Korman

Many cats and even some long haired dogs eventually get hairballs. Normally, it’s nothing to worry about and is completely normal. How can you tell if your pet has one? Well, the most obvious sign is if your pet vomits up a cylindrical mass of hair. This is actually good news! It means that the cat is ridding itself naturally of the accumulated fur in its digestive tract. Other symptoms to look for include gagging, vomiting up foam with bits of hair in it or even without hair.

Cats in particular are susceptible to hair accumulation inside due to their tongues being barbed so that they can’t spit out the hair that gets in their mouths when grooming. They must swallow the fur. It then must go through the digestive system or accumulate in the gut and then needs to be vomited out.

Accumulations of fur can occur in the intestinal tract of the animal causing a blockage which will require a veterinary visit to resolve. If your cat has diarrhea followed by constipation and becomes lethargic and won’t eat, you should take her to the vet.

The best thing to do about hairballs is to prevent them from forming in the first place. A regular program of grooming will remove all the extra hair that is shed and prevent the animal from ingesting it. Once your animals are used to a daily combing or brushing, they will come to look forward to the time you spend with them doing this.

Another important issue in preventing hairballs is the diet of the animal. A good natural diet including digestive enzymes and supplemental oils will go a long way towards preventing an accumulation of fur in the digestive tract.

If you suspect your animal friend is having trouble passing a hairball there are several things you can do to help:

Adding aloe vera juice to the cat’s diet will help eliminate constipation and remove toxins along the way. Adding fiber to the food also helps. Small amounts of bran can be added to keep things moving as well. Psyllium seed can also be used as a gentle laxative. Don’t use mineral oil as a laxative as it leaches vitamins out of the cat. Butter is a favorite of many cats and can be fed every day for a few days to lubricate the digestive tract.

Homeopathically, Nux Vomica can be used to rid the animal of ingested fur. It can be used twice a day for a few days to aid the cat in vomiting out the accumulated fur.

Remember, it’s normal for cats to ingest bits of fur while grooming and as long as they continue eating and show no other signs of stress, vomiting up the fur is nothing to worry about and is quite natural.