The Cat's Meow Rescue
Stay in touch!
  • Home
  • Available for Adoption
  • ADOPTED!
  • Special Needs Cats
  • Blog: Feline Friends
  • Contact
  • More Information
    • FAQ
    • Barn Cats
    • Finding your kitty a new home
    • Caring for Abandoned Kittens
    • Important to Spay & Neuter
    • Introducing a new cat to your home
    • Declawing - If you care, be AWARE
    • Litter Box Issues
    • What is Feline Leukemia?
    • What is FIV?
    • Kitty-Proof Your Home
    • Help Us Help Them
    • Become a Foster
    • LINKS
    • Media Kit
    • EVENTS
    • Special-Needs Posters Story

Hairballs: Fiction and Fact

5/31/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
by Nomi Berger
 
It seems to be one of nature’s more peculiar rules: where there’s a cat, there’s a hairball.
 
Although most cat owners are all too familiar with this feline phenomenon, there ARE ways to keep it to a minimum.
 
Contrary to popular myth, however, hairballs are NOT “balls” of hair, nor are they “coughed up.” The technical term for a hairball is a trichobezoar, from tricho (hair) and bezoar (a clumping of material virtually cemented together in the gastrointestinal tract). Simply put, hairballs are thickened wads of ingested hair that can’t pass through a cat’s intestinal tract as they normally should, but are vomited (not coughed) up instead.
 
Since all cats groom themselves, swallowing hair in the process is a normal occurrence, one their digestive systems handle by allowing the hair to pass through the intestinal tract and out in the feces. But all conscientious cats owners should groom their cats as well. Why? Because regular brushing and/or combing removes much of a cat’s loose hair BEFORE it’s swallowed, thereby limiting the amount of hair the cat swallows. The less hair ingested means the fewer hairballs formed.
 
While shorthaired cats also develop hairballs, longhaired cats are particularly prone to them, making their grooming – often daily -- even more important. The added benefits to this consistent grooming? It keeps their coats free of tangles and mats and keeps their skin healthy.
 
Besides a regular routine of brushing and/or combing, there are various hairball products purported to help control hairballs. Most are petroleum based and work by trying to lubricate the hairball, making it easier to pass normally through the intestinal tract. Although effective for some cats, they’re not effective for all, and many veterinarians believe they can actually be harmful. There are also numerous commercial cat foods that feature a high volume of fiber designed to keep the gastrointestinal tract moving normally. Once again, they may be effective for some cats, but not all.
 
The most recent trend is towards keeping cats who vomit frequently on a grain-free diet based on the theory that cats haven’t evolved to eat grains. Being obligate carnivores, their “natural” diet would have high protein but low carbohydrate levels. Grain-based foods are higher in carbohydrates, leading to changes in the bacteria of a cat’s intestinal tract that may alter its motility, contributing to the inability of hair to pass through it normally.
 
It’s vital, therefore, for all concerned cats owners to consult their own vets before using any of these products or starting any of these diets.
 
Hairballs can cause problems other than vomiting, as when one such mass becomes lodged in the intestinal tract, thereby obstructing it. Frequent vomiting, with or without hairballs, is abnormal for any cat, and demands an immediate visit to the vet – for advice, treatment or both. 


0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author
    Blog articles for TCMR are written by Nomi Berger, an established author and journalist of 40 years, living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, who graciously volunteers her time and talent to help further our rescue efforts.


    AWARDS

    Picture

    Picture
    Cat Rescue Blogs

    Picture

    Picture
    Animal Rescue Blogs

    Picture
    Awarded by Best1x.com
    Best for Pets

    Picture

    Picture
    2017 Top 35 Cat Blogs awarded by "We're All About the Cats"

    Picture
    Awarded by "Feedspot.com"

    Picture
    Awarded by "10Greatest.com"

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015

    Categories

    All
    Cat Facts
    Cat Safety
    Community Awareness
    Fun Facts
    Health And Behavior
    How You Can Help

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly