Cat Tips: Naturally Prevent Hairballs For Long-Haired Felines
Hairballs are the accumulation of hair that builds up when your cat grooms him or herself, but these things can also be dangerous should they occur excessively, especially for cats with long hair. The following guide may help you minimize the amount of times your cat is able to build up a hairball, which should protect him or her from things like constipation or even
Grooming Just A Little More
You know that your cat will shed, which is part of the reason that he or she may be afflicted with hairballs from time to time. But, you can minimize those hairballs by simply making it a habit to groom your cat more often. The following are a few suggestions you can consider when grooming your cat:
- You should try to start with your cat's legs, chest, and belly, as they are the most sensitive areas of your cat. Do your best to remove any tangles that you might find in these areas.
- The next thing you can do is use a bristle brush to comb your cat's fur upwards, which should remove any loose hair. Do not brush her or his tail during this step.
- The last thing you want to brush is your cat's tail by parting down the middle of the tail and using your bristle brush to comb out the fur on each side of your tail.
You can also have your pet grooming specialist deal with this part of his or her hairball-prevention step if you feel like this is too much for you to deal with.
Fur-Friendly Diet
The next thing you can do is make sure your kitty is eating foods that may decrease shedding like some of the of following:
- Try to feed your cat just a little bit of coconut oil because it contains antioxidants that should help your cat's skin stay moisturized, preventing shedding. You don't need to give your cat more than 1 spoonful of coconut oil a day, but you should start with about 1/8 of a spoonful and gradually go up.
- Another thing that you can try is feeding your cat a little melatonin, which is a hormone produced in your cat's brain mainly to help him or her sleep. This hormone also helps heal cells as she or he sleeps including skin cells, which should help protect your cat's coat. Just feed your cat about
. 75mg of melatonin a day for about 4 to 6 weeks.
You can talk to your veterinarian about these changes if you have questions; he or she may have other natural preventative measures to consider. To find out more, contact a business like Chester Valley Veterinary Hospital.
