Pet Grooming to Prevent Hairballs
Cat owners are all too familiar with hairballs. When
cats groom themselves orally it involves swallowing large
amounts of hair. Although most of the swallowed hair can
pass harmlessly through the digestive system, some does
not. That's when problems occur. The hair that remains
in the cat's digestive system can stick to other
undigested hair and form hairballs in the cats stomach.
Large hairballs pose greater risks to the cats health.
A lot of cats can rid themselves of a hairball by hacking
it up. Though higher pitched, they can sound like a
person with dry heaves. Most cats seem to deposit the
hairball in the places where their owners seem to walk
barefoot like the bathroom floor.
Cat owners don't like having balls of half digested hair
littering their home, but even worse is having hairballs
that remain in their cats stomach. Once the large
hairball enters the cats intestines it can create a
blockage that means a trip to the vet for emergency
surgery. This can be very costly.
Watch The Signs...
There are signs to look for if you think your cat has a
hairball. Loss of appetite, constipation, depression,
constant coughing and hacking or if your cat is ignoring
their personal grooming and letting their coat become
dirty and matted.
Grooming your pet is a wonderful way to prevent
hairballs. Brushing your cat once a day will remove dead
hair from the cats coat. Purchase a brush made for cats.
The bristles are specially designed for cat hair. This
time grooming your cat can strengthen the bond between
you and your cat.
Trimmimg your cat, whether the cat is a long haired or
short haired cat can help a great deal also.
There are also cat foods on the market that can help
prevent hairballs from forming in the digestive system.
Cat owners can also consult their veterinarian for other
methods of hairball control.
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