Hairball remedies
By jdeforge
@jdeforge (224)
United States
May 14, 2008 10:23am CST
Whats the best hairball remedy you've used?
My poor boy was squeekin last night and couldn't get anything up, then this morning he was hacking/coughing so loud it was terrible. I want to pick something up for him today so he feels better fast!
3 responses
@nova1945 (1612)
• United States
14 May 08
I use a gel that I get from the vet called Vet Solutions. It is a laxative/lubricant that you simply smear a dollop of on their paw and they lick it off. No prescription needed. But you can get any number of products at your local store that do the same thing. The key is to add a lubricant to their intestines so that hairballs are expelled from one end or the either. I am told a dollop of vaseline will work as well but have not tried that.
Also many cat food formulas are designed for hairball prevention. Cats get hairballs naturally when they groom themselves and there is no way to stop that from happening. So I always keep a tube of the stuff on hand for "emergencies" or just for regular use about once a month. They don't mind it and it does seem to help.
@jdeforge (224)
• United States
14 May 08
Thanks. Just whats odd is I've had both my boy for almost 3 years, and I've never seen them throw up a hairball. It's always food.
But recently he's just making the motions of throwing up, and coughing and nothing is coming out. I felt so bad this morning, but he went about his business like nothing happened, and I was a wreck!
I bought some gel type stuff at Petsmart today, hopefully that helps him.
@nova1945 (1612)
• United States
14 May 08
That should do it. It's shedding time now so the hair is looser on cats and easier to swallow when grooming.
Not surprising that you have not noticed him coughing one up before, mine is 5 years old and he just started doing it last spring.
Hope everything comes out ok for your kitty. lol
@redrobin347 (48)
• United States
15 May 08
Put some vasoline on his front paws.he will then lick it off and that may help.
@myragdollcat (20)
• United States
14 May 08
What you can do is just put Vasaline on the top of his front feet and he will lick it off and that will help to disolve it and make it easier to come up or you can pay from 4 to 6 dollars for hairball remidy. Hope this helps.
