Hairball Awareness Day

Here at Animal Care Center, we like to honor the various pet-themed days. Some of these, such as Answer Your Cat’s Questions Day and If Pets Had Thumbs Day, are really cute and fun. And then we have Hairball Awareness Day, which is coming up on the 30th. Hairballs are definitely not cute! However, while they aren’t much fun to talk about, hairballs are something that people with cats should understand. A local Spring Hill, TN vet offers some suggestions on this below.

H  airball Basics

Kitties are very clean. This is just one of the many things we love about them. Fluffy will spend as much of a third of the time she’s awake grooming herself, and keeping that pretty fur in order. Cats inevitably end up swallowing some of their own fur during their beauty sessions. They can’t digest fur. You probably already know what happens next. It’s not the best part of having a cat.

Prevention

There are some ways to reduce or prevent hairballs. The biggest one is to brush your feline pal regularly. You’ll be capturing that dead fur with a brush before your kitty swallows it, which can help quite a bit. There will also be less fur stuck to your clothes and furniture. Brushing is especially important for longhaired cats. A proper diet is also crucial. Giving your pet high-quality, nourishing food will help keep her coat healthy and shiny, and will reduce the amount of dead fur she sheds. If Fluffy gets a lot of hairballs, your vet may also recommend a hairball remedy.

Placement

Have you ever wondered if Fluffy is deliberately leaving hairballs in spots where they’re most likely to get stepped on? The jury is still out on this one. Researchers probably aren’t particularly ardent or enthusiastic about conducting studies, so we may never know for sure. 

Concerns

Occasionally, cats are not able to expel their hairballs in the usual way. Sometimes hairballs get stuck in kitties’ digestive tracts. This is both very painful and dangerous for Fluffy. Keep an eye out for signs that something is amiss. Warning signs include reduced appetite, dry heaving, and frequent, excessive, or violent vomiting. Call your vet immediately if you notice these red flags in your feline friend.

Please reach out if ever we can be of assistance. As your local Spring Hill, TN veterinary clinic, we’re here for you.