6 Ways to Prevent Hairballs in Cats

Hairballs are a serious problem in cats. If you look at a cat’s movements for 24 hours, you will see that it cleans itself most often. It does this so often that whenever you come across it, you will see it licking itself. It has now become a routine like eating and drinking water. Doing this actually creates a situation that is beneficial for both their cleanliness and their health. But sometimes they feel the need to lick the same period persistently. This is a sign of stress. It is the job of the owners to observe the movements of each cat and to make sense of their behavior. Tiny creatures cannot express their troubles like we humans can. In fact, it is possible to immediately understand that something is wrong with cats. Because they show very sharp behavioral differences outside the daily routine. Not licking their feathers at all can be shown as an example of this, as well as excessive licking of an area. So what is a hairball in cats? What are the symptoms and treatment? We have prepared a great informative article.

What is a Hairball in Cats?

The hairball that appears in cats is also referred to as kıtak among the people. These creatures constantly lick their bodies with their tongues. Due to the sticky and serrated structure of their tongues, they can periodically swallow dense hair. If the hairs swallowed are in excessive amounts, this is called kıtak. In general, feathers pass easily through their digestive system. However, in some periods, they start to stay in the stomach and when they pile up on top of each other, a tangle is inevitable. What is a hairball in cats? This is the answer to the question. If the little paws have a hairball in their stomach, they try to expel it through vomiting. It has a thin tube shape when vomited. If you ask which cats are more common, we would definitely say long-haired cats. Because these paws are the breeds that shed the most. Short-haired breeds are much less likely to be seen.

Symptoms of Hairball in Cats

Every problem has a symptom in cats. In the case of hairballs, it is important that you, as the owners, understand the problem. Thus, you can take them to the vet and provide the necessary controls. Because we can say that there are some risks for cats that cannot expel the hairball with vomiting. But what are the symptoms of hairballs in cats? Here are the four main symptoms.

Constipation is a Symptom of Hairball

If there is nothing wrong with your cat’s digestive and excretory system and he suddenly becomes constipated, this could be a sign of a lump. Prolonged missed toilets are a particularly serious symptom. You are the one sifting the litter in the toilet. You can observe his stool without touching it. If you don’t see solid feces in the litter for a long time even though there is urine, go to the vet.

Hairy Hard Stool

The hard stools of tiny paws with hairball problems are slightly different than normal. Especially if you look at the stool with the naked eye, you will easily see white hairs. A stool with a large number of hairs is considered a serious sign of scours.

Retching After Eating Food

Because of excessive hairball formation in the stomach area, they may gag shortly after swallowing food. This is the most common symptom. His stomach will not accept food. This is because he has a much more serious problem – hairballs. Keep in mind that sometimes this gagging can turn into vomiting.

Hairball Increases Anorexia in Cats

Cats that swallow a lot of hair and have lumps in their stomachs suffer from severe loss of appetite. Observe them well. If you see a loss of appetite on top of symptoms such as constipation and retching, do not waste time and consult your veterinarian immediately. Because it is a problem that should be taken seriously.

How to Prevent Hairballs in Cats?

None of us want our feline friends to have hair problems. But for this, some sacrifices have to be made. Especially if there are families living with paws of long hair species in their homes, it is an essential detail to apply preventive applications. How to prevent hairballs in cats? we will give a detailed answer to the question.

Scan Regularly

Even though cats lick themselves, this is not for hair health, but for hygiene. In other words, they swallow every hair that you do not comb. For this reason, you need to comb your paw friend at least once every 2 days with special cat combs. Most cats love this session. They stand in front of you for minutes, ready for you to scratch them. Some breeds do not like to be combed. You can ask the vet for help for them too.

Use Quality Food

One of the main causes of hair loss in cats is poor quality food. Foods with low nutritional value can seriously damage their coat health. You can ask your vet for advice on the most suitable food brand for your pet. You can also find useful information on this subject in our article When Do Cats Shed Hair?

Keep Your Cat Away from Stress

In a home with a stressed cat, there is hair in every area. Depression and stress trigger excessive hair loss in these creatures. Naturally, this causes hairball disease in cats. If there are situations that bother him at home, you should eliminate them.

Exercise Regularly

When pets get used to inactivity, their digestive system slows down, and they will inevitably suffer from diarrhea. Spend at least half an hour with them on a daily routine and play their favorite games. It will be good for both their happiness and health.

Use Hairball Prevention Malt

Nowadays, there are special malts produced for the problem of excessive hair loss. When you give them to your cat on a regular basis, you will see that the shedding slows down considerably. They also taste great. Cats love these malts.

Make Sure You Drink Plenty of Water

Finally, we would like to talk about water. Cats that shed are usually low drinkers. To encourage this, we recommend constantly refreshing their water bowls. Because they are less interested in water that loses its freshness. Also, try to give them cold water on summer days.

How to Remove Hives in Cats?

Owners panic when they see a cat retching, constipated and vomiting at home. At such moments, we see the birth of the question of how to remove a cat’s stool. First of all, let us state that there is nothing you can provide a solution. In some diseases, it is absolutely necessary to go to a doctor’s control. Here, hairball in cats is also in this group. Because it can be treated with medication or it can be a surgical problem. Sometimes there is such a dense clump of hair in the stomach that surgery is the only solution. We should also note that in late cases, the life of the paws is put at risk. https://youtu.be/gC3Ld4PhVA8

Hairball Surgery in Cats

In this disease, surgery is not immediately indicated. There must be some symptoms. The most important one is the frequent regurgitation of hairballs. If your cat has vomited a hairball but still vomits new ones days later, this is considered a serious problem by doctors. This usually happens every one or two weeks and is a serious indication for surgery. As we always say, the health of these pets depends entirely on how well we observe them. Even if a cat is in the last stage of a disease, it cannot make an effort to show it to you. It’s not in their nature. The responsibility lies entirely on your shoulders.

 

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