Hair Balls

[Gizmo27]

Please help ....

I have a long hair cat who has constant hairballs. I have tried all kinds of products but nothing helps. Any suggestions?

[Erica]

How often do you brush your cat? A good brushing once an evening should help control the hairballs. If it's really that bothersome, speak with your vet. I know they have some kind of product, it's like a gel in a tube that helps eliminate hairballs. Not sure how it works though. I would take the cat to a groomers to get most of the hair out and then continue with a quick brush each night. See how that helps.

[jason]

A good brushing once an evening should help control the hairballs.

agreed, has helped for me.

I know they have some kind of product, it's like a gel in a tube that helps eliminate hairballs. Not sure how it works though.

works like a charm...follow the instructions completely. it's called laxatone :

http://www.petsmart.com/products/product_20139.shtml

[Susan and the girls]

My cats don't have long hair, and yet Daisy still has problems with that very issue. (My two younger girls groom the older one, who sheds much worse than they do, and so THEY suffer the consequences!)

I've been using the stuff in a tube you're referring to, so I'm hoping it will work - I'll let you know!

A friend used to give her kitty a tiny bit of olive oil occasionally, and she swore it made her kitty's coat shinier, and that it made her shed less. I don't think I'd recommend that simply because of the fat in the oil, but if someone else on here thinks it's ok, maybe they'll post. Traci? Davet? MA? Auntie D? Tina B? D~? .....anyone?

[Traci]

Nope, no oil........I'm with Jason on this...

Laxatone is readily available in pet stores, vet office, even online. It works better for most cats than generic hairball remedies.

[davet]

the felines eatng the grass, etc contents of the stomach of their prey..thusly if you add some bran,, all bran , or some bran cereal chopped up and mixed with the food usually will control the hair balls...you know......lets go nature like>>>

[jason]

the food usually will control the hair balls...you know......lets go nature like>>>

ahhh, that's a pile of crap

[davet]

all bran idea i stopped selling the hairball junk...brushing and all bran may produce a pile of crap but it, the subject, is not a pile of crap.......now, now, be good davet.

[Mona]

I have a short haired orange and white girl, and she gets hairballs too. I brush and brush and use Laxatone (the best) and canned plain pumpkin in her canned food. These work the best for me. Mona

[jason]

now, now, be good davet.

your being good....i was making a pun on words...think about it i thought my smilie usage was proper...oh well...guess i will take my crap elsewhere (another pun).

the bran plan sounds like a more permanent solution, glad you mentioned it....especially for those of us who have been running to the tube for a while already...natural is good.