Hairballs- No Greenies Please!

[CalliopeUno]

What do you guys use for hairballs? I thought this was a case of scarf and barf but he's been licking a lot more lately again and I noticed a lot of fur in his poops. I tried the Greenies hairball treats a few months ago but he got REALLY REALLY ILL- (like poisoned ill!) vomiting copiously, lethargic- called vet and she said she had had many cases of that and don't ever give it to him again, (tho apparently some cats have no probs with it.) Anyway she gave names of couple of other things to try but now of course I've forgotten them since he's had no probs since he recovered. If any of you have had problems with the Greenies but found something else that worked for your cat, please let me know. Thanks.

 

[Kieka]

A teaspoon of pumpkin puree (not pie filling,just pumpkin and water) can help with hairballs. They also sell a gelat most pet stores that many cats tend to love.

 

[Columbine]

Don't forget that regular grooming will help enormously with hairballs. If you're removing the dead fur yourself, it can't get swallowed

Cat grass can be helpful too, and it enriches kitty's environment too. My guys all love it when I get some (I'm just really bad with plants, so it never lasts long in this house ).
How To Treat - And Prevent - Hairballs In Cats
Cat Grass: How To Create The Purrfect Garden For Your Cat

 

[Notacrazycatlady]

Extra virgin olive oil worked for mine. Just a teaspoon--one teaspoon per day (mixed with wet food or just dribble it on the paw and they'll lick it off) and you do that for 2 to 3 days straight and then taper off to 3 times a week. One of the cats loved it so much he'd lap it up right out of the spoon. The other one I had to put on his fur so he'd clean it off/ingest it himself.

 

[CalliopeUno]

Thanks guys. Will do all of the above. I admit I've been lax on the grooming as he's a shorthaired Siamese who hates being brushed. But just now found something funny-( I've only had him a few months so we're still learning each other)- while drinking out of the bathroom faucet, which is his preference when I have time, I tried giving him a brushing and he let me, instead of trying to bite me! Yay, I've discovered a way to brush him! It's been very hot in So Cal; that's probably why he's shedding more.
Have no canned pumpkin on hand but do have olive oil and will drizzle a bit into his dinner. Would prefer a natural method over experimenting with another commercial product after the last disaster anyway.
Thanks again, you guys a great resource for new cat parents! Even tho I've had cats many times over the years,I haven't for the past 19 and this is the first time I've adopted an adult rather than raised from a kitten.

 

[CalliopeUno]

Thanks guys. Will do all of the above. I admit I've been lax on the grooming as he's a shorthaired Siamese who hates being brushed. But just now found something funny-( I've only had him a few months so we're still learning each other)- while drinking out of the bathroom faucet, which is his preference when I have time, I tried giving him a brushing and he let me, instead of trying to bite me! Yay, I've discovered a way to brush him! It's been very hot in So Cal; that's probably why he's shedding more.
Have no canned pumpkin on hand but do have olive oil and will drizzle a bit into his dinner. Would prefer a natural method over experimenting with another commercial product after the last disaster anyway.
Thanks again, you guys a great resource for new cat parents! Even tho I've had cats many times over the years,I haven't for the past 19 and this is the first time I've adopted an adult rather than raised from a kitten.

 

[CalliopeUno]

Well, actually that's not quite true... 37 years ago a beautiful Persian parked herself in my baby's carseat for us to find one morning and then gave birth a few days later. But she and my family were so busy with the kittens and she was so young herself that we never went thru these adoption adjustments. She just became part of the family immediately. Her name was Brindle and she was lovely in every way.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I use Temptations Hairball Control treats; don't know where you are located, but Walmart carries them here in FL. My original cat, Tawny, would actually lick Vaseline off of my finger, and it stopped him from having hairballs. My second cat turned her nose up at Vaseline, so I found her a flavored Vaseline type product. With Feeby, she wouldn't even do the flavored Vaseline product; so I found these Temptations treats. They seem to work over her 14+ years, she occasionally has a hairball-like cough for a second or two, but she hasn't never coughed one up.

 

[Furballsmom]

Her name was Brindle and she was lovely in every way.

 

[duckpond]

I brush, and brush, and brush. I did purchase a furminator not long ago, for cats. It has made a world of difference in the amount of hair mine lose. Some cat parents dont like them, but i have not see that it cuts hair, or causes any problems. But it sure has reduced the hair flying around my house, and the amount my cats ingest.

 

[CalliopeUno]

Well he really disliked the olive oil, very strong taste,and the only other oils i have a garlic sesame and chili sesame,neither of which would suit,so next time I'm at the market I'll pick up something much milder.I'd thought I could hide it by stirring into his dry nulo/i&love&you mixture with a teense of wet food stirred in but his nose is better than mine. No luck. Gave him another brushing while he was at the faucet. Will go to other forum to check out what those who are preparing their own food are doing, as it looks like shortly Galileo and I will be sharing meals. Thx again

 

[CalliopeUno]

I brush, and brush, and brush. I did purchase a furminator not long ago, for cats. It has made a world of difference in the amount of hair mine lose. Some cat parents dont like them, but i have not see that it cuts hair, or causes any problems. But it sure has reduced the hair flying around my house, and the amount my cats ingest.

I think that is what I have- got it at Ross when I first got him. I was surprised how much excess fur came with second brushing when he was drinking again earlier- that weird ferminator really works!

 

[Elphaba09]

Thankfully, the majority of our nine cats like to be brushed!

You could try fish oil. I put about 1/4 t in my adult cats' wet food every few days. Only three will eat pumpkin. None like olive oil. I have heard of using flaxseed oil, too. I just have not tried it.

 

[rob and minou]

What do you guys use for hairballs? I thought this was a case of scarf and barf but he's been licking a lot more lately again and I noticed a lot of fur in his poops. I tried the Greenies hairball treats a few months ago but he got REALLY REALLY ILL- (like poisoned ill!) vomiting copiously, lethargic- called vet and she said she had had many cases of that and don't ever give it to him again, (tho apparently some cats have no probs with it.) Anyway she gave names of couple of other things to try but now of course I've forgotten them since he's had no probs since he recovered. If any of you have had problems with the Greenies but found something else that worked for your cat, please let me know. Thanks.

My 4 year old, healthy big cat got into the bag of feline greenies hairball control tuna flavor (ate quite a few)and is now dead. Found laying in sun (like he always did) foaming at mouth. My advice is don't use these- why risk it, no proof but he was fine earlier in the day and no signs of trauma/wounds