Keeping your kitten’s furballs clean can be a tedious task, but it is essential for their overall wellbeing. Preventing and treating hairballs before they cause obstruction in your cat’s digestive tract helps ensure that these small parasites never become larger than what’s necessary to ensure a smooth transition for everyone involved.
Brushing your kitten regularly can help reduce the amount of loose fur they ingest. Furthermore, changing their diet may address existing hairballs and keep them at bay.
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Brush Your Kitten Regularly
Brushing your kitten regularly can reduce the number of hairballs they produce and loose fur that gets lodged in their intestines. Furthermore, it serves as a great bonding activity between you and your feline friend.
Begin by selecting a time when your kitten is calm and relaxed. For many cats, after eating is the ideal time for this.
Start by massaging your kitten’s fur with a soft-bristled brush or comb in the direction of its hair growth, then thoroughly combing it out, paying special attention to any knots or tangles.
If your kitten has a lot of fur, brushing may be necessary more frequently than once a week. On the contrary, if the feline is short-haired, weekly brushing should suffice.
Regular grooming on your cat’s skin can help you detect ticks, small wounds, bumps and color changes early on. This gives you the chance to treat these problems before they become more serious.
Change Their Diet
If your cat’s hairball problem is getting worse, changing their diet could help. They may need to be put on a diet with more fibre which helps move hair through their digestive system and out in feces.
Your vet should prescribe a food specifically tailored to meet your cat’s individual needs and provide them with an optimal balance of nutrients. Once prescribed, slowly transition them over to the new food by offering small amounts each day until they become accustomed to it.
During this transition period, be on the lookout for any signs of gastrointestinal upset such as diarrhoea or vomiting. These should be mild symptoms that will eventually subside once your cat gets used to their new diet.
Give Them Water
Cats often ingest loose hair when grooming themselves. While some of it will pass through their digestive tract and into feces without any issues, others may remain in the stomach and form hairballs.
These balls can cause great discomfort and even harm to cats if they become large enough to block their digestive tract. In extreme cases, your veterinarian may suggest surgery to remove them.
One way to help reduce your cat’s hairballs is to ensure they get enough water, as this is essential for their body’s normal operation.
In addition to fresh water, you can also provide your cat with a small amount of olive oil or other oils which will aid in passing hairballs through their system. Add one teaspoon of oil per week or so into their food for maximum benefit.
Fiber from foods such as sweet potatoes, cellulose, pumpkin, pea fibre, chicory root and butternut squash may bind to hair in your cat’s digestive tract. You can add this fiber directly into their food or mix it into water or dry kibble for easier absorption.
Add Oil to Their Food
Oil is an invaluable tool in hairball treatment, and adding some to their food is one of the best ways to help them along. Olive oil provides excellent lubrication, so a teaspoon sprinkled onto their food a few times each week can make moving hairballs along much smoother.
By adding fiber to their food, your cat may avoid vomiting up their hairballs – which can be very distressing! This treatment is especially useful if they’re having trouble passing their balls due to constipation or another issue.
If your cat is experiencing an unusually frequent problem with hairballs, it could be indicative of a health issue or condition that needs medical attention. Your vet may order tests like blood work and abdominal X-rays to diagnose what’s ailing them.