Flippin cats!

[slinkycat]

Was just about to go to bed when i heard the dreaded "huk,huk huk" sound coming from under the coffee table!
didn't get there in time, hairball like a dead slug on the rug:-(
any advice on what you use to combat this appreciated, btw he gets a regular combing.

[tamborine]

lock it in a room that has a washable floor

[slinkycat]

you meanie tambo! i love my mog, even tho (or especially because) he's getting a bit old and decrepit!

[dizmouk2009]

"Prevention, as they say, is worth a pound of cure. Frequent combing is often all it takes to resolve the problem. But brushing won't do. Brushes tend to slide over the surface of the fur and don't get all the dead hair out. For shorthaired cats, a fine-toothed flea comb is best. Longer hair may require a wide-toothed comb, or one with revolving teeth to prevent tearing out the hair.

Many hairball-plagued cats will try to self-medicate by eating grass or plants. The coarse plant fibers will cause the cat to vomit, and hopefully, the irritating hair will come up as well. Not all grass-loving cats have hairballs, however. You need to carefully observe your cat so you can accurately report the situation to your veterinarian."

Source: http://www.catsofaust...om/hairballs-cats.htm

[slinkycat]

Ta diz, but as i said, i use a comb on him,just wondering if anyone has found the hairball solution stuff in certain petshops helpful?

[tamborine]

well stop moaning slinky and clean up after the moggy.....it'll thank you by being sick in your bed.

[dizmouk2009]

Well the website suggest of other way apart from using a comb though. I've never used products on a cat so I suppose that's me out of the conversation. Good luck with it!

[wolf63]

The sound that they make when they are barfing up a hairball is unique and disgusting. I have a long-haired lady cat and a short-haired tom cat.

I couldn't sleep so came down to play with the computer. My little tom cat Frankie is driving me nuts - he is trying to open the door at the front of the central heating boiler, he just loves opening doors. His sister is lying in the box that I keep my handbags in - she doesn't 'do' mornings.

I'm off back to bed for some peace!

[dizmouk2009]

Strange post wolf, although somewhat entertaining, thank you :)

[S_C]

the fur ball is caused by the cats wshing system . " it licks its fur clean"
there will ALWAYS be loose hair that the cat will swollow and it bcomes lodged , creates a ball until it irretates enough for the body to expell.
there is no way to stop this , the hair will not pass through the body to stop the ball being created and the cat needs its fur and likes to be clean.

in plain english there is no cure !

[seekeerz]

think you might be between a rock and a hard place with that one, slinkycat - it goes with the territory

[lankeela]

You can buy paste in a tube from the pet shop, and you can get dry cat food such as Purina Pro Plan One which has a furball preventative (I think they both actually just help them pass through rather than stop them).

[lankeela]

From the Purina One website:

High levels of indigestible fibre to help lower calorie content, as well as helping to ease swallowed hair along the digestive system rather than forming hair balls.

[slinkycat]

Thanks for all the answers, will look out for the food with the hairball stuff in, or possibly try some of the paste.
Its more for the cats sake than mine, I'm quite used to clearing up all manner of bodily ejections, from both ends! Now he's getting on in years though i want to do my best to prevent any discomfort for him, i know its normal for cats, but it can't be very nice bringing up hairballs!

[pastafreak]

This is interesting reading. Caspar is semi-longhaired...and his fur is VERY fine and gets everywhere........I am usually covered in it. BUT-touch wood...he has never had a hairball problem. He is an indoor cat-so I know if he has any hiccups!

Maybe all his fur is on the furniture...and not in his tummy.

[Mr Veritas]

Hi there slinky,
Well, we had this problem with one of our own (old) cats.
We solved it by buying cod liver oil on the advice of our Vet (from Boots) and putting a teaspoon in each feed.
The oil enables the hair to be swallowed,and not retched up on the carpet.
It worked for ours,it might for yours?
Also it's not expensive,like something from the vet.

[slinkycat]

Yes hopefully pasta, either that or one of these days caspar will bring up the mother of all hairballs!