Persian Cats And Hairballs - How To Treat Them

For the most part, if you own a cat, you will have hairballs. This is especially true for long haired cats such as the Persian. However, there are steps that you can take to reduce the number of hairballs that you and your Persian have to suffer. The first step is to realize that something must be done about the hairballs, because they are more than a nuisance, they also pose a danger to your cat!

Hairballs have the potential to block the intestines, which in turn blocks the digestion of food. This can cause the cat to become impacted – at the worst – and to not be getting the proper nutrition – at the least.

Hairballs occur when cats groom themselves. They often swallow the hair that is coming loose. We seldom think about the fact that hair cannot really be broken down and properly digested. Your cat is having to deal with hairballs when you hear them hacking and they throw up cigar shaped looking objects on the floor. It’s pretty easy to realize what you are looking at when you see one.

The first step to cutting down on hairballs is to brush your cat daily! This helps to keep loose hair removed – before your Persian gets the opportunity to swallow all of that loose hair. This is the number one way to prevent hairballs, although all it really does is cut down on the number of hairballs that your cat has to deal with.

You can use hairball products that are available in most stores as well. These products include hairball reduction food and hairball supplements. These don’t prevent the cat from swallowing loose hair. Instead, they give the fur more oils, which makes it easier for the hair to pass through the digestive tract.

If you do some basic research on hairballs, you will also find many home solutions that cat owners swear by. One such home remedy includes feeding the cat about half a teaspoon of butter several times a week. Another is giving the cat pureed squash or canned pumpkin. There is a good chance that you won’t be able to force your Persian to eat any of these things.

Again, the best remedy for hairballs is to keep the Persian well brushed. Occasional bathing isn’t out of the question either – but daily brushing is a must. Not only is this required to keep Persians beautiful and tangle free, but as you can see, it’s also the most effective way to cut down on the number of hairballs that you and your precious Persian have to deal with.