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Preventing Hairballs in Cats
If you are loved by a cat and this curious companion has stolen your heart, you have certainly noticed that this animal is amazingly clean.
You have seen your cat grooming by licking the entire body. You’ve seen glimpses of that rough tongue. That rough feeling tongue is perfectly designed to grab loose hair from the cat’s body. So, while cat’s were designed to groom themselves and even swallow the hair, they can use a little help from us to make their pampered lives a bit better. We don’t like hearing or seeing them endure a hairball. Generally the hair makes it way into the cat’s digestive system and occasionally they clump together and cause hairballs. An occasional hairball isn’t really a problem, however we can still jump in and do our best to keep them from getting hairballs on a regular basis.
We can attempt to give our feline friend a break by helping him groom with a cat brush. If you use a brush designed especially for cats, it can remove the loose hairs for him before he gets to lick and digest them. Grooming your cat can be a great bonding experience for you and your cat especially if you start it when he is a kitten or young adult cat. If your cat is a bit older and you’ve never done it, try offering rewards and make grooming a fun experience. There’s also the Kong Zoom Groom which is perfect for a cat that is reluctant to being brushed. This grooming tool might entice your cat to accept being brushed as it massages as it grooms and can appear less intimidating than a traditional cat brush.
As you do your best to care for your cat and if your furry companion won’t let you help with cat grooming, there are many other remedies to try such as a favorite new toy to distract him, hairball control treats, a fish oil supplement and even a specially formulated hairball control cat food to help your cat’s digestive tract.
Grooming your cat will also help prevent mats and alert you to any skin conditions or problems that need attention. Remember to always use proper cat grooming tools as you care for your cat.
