Cats and Hairballs

In the case of cats shedding can actually be a bigger problem. One such problem is hairballs. Any cat lover knows that cats are very picky and fastidious about keeping themselves groomed and clean and they do this by continuously licking their fur. A cats tongue is rough and during its licking session it tongue starts to collect and hold on to the loose, dead fur that is on the cat's body. As this hair starts to accumulate, often times the cat ends up swallowing it and it forms into an accumulation that we more commonly know as a hairball. 

Swallowing hairballs is a very normal thing in cats, and especially so for those that have long hair. Usually cats are able to cough them back up or it will pass through their stomach. However, if the cat is not able to get rid of the hairball, it can cause problems to its stomach or small intestine. If this problem is not taken care of it can turn into something serious. There are different types of treatments that have been designed to break up those hairballs such as certain types of cat food that have components with mineral oil, or petroleum jelly lubricants and laxatives that can help you can put on your cats paw to help it lick it off. If your cat has a problem with a hairball you should get veterinarian assistance. Brushing your cat regularly will help to control this problem, especially in the case of cats that have a lot of fur. The more you brush your cat, the less hair it will swallow.