A hairball formula cat food, as well as other supplements, help your cat to properly eliminate hairballs from his or her system. Hairball in your cat can be dangerous; an intestinal blockage can result if the hairball grows too big in your cat's stomach. Below is some helpful information regarding hairball formula food, other supplements you can choose from, and alternative ways to prevent hairballs from forming in your cat.
Cat Food Hairball Formula
Hairball formula cat food has an increased amount of fiber to help hair pass through your cat's digestive tract. Please not that your cat may defecate more often because of the larger amount of fiber. Here are some things to consider when choosing a hairball formula cat food:
Make sure the hairball formula food contains the appropriate nutrients. If your cat seems to be eating more of the hairball food than the original food you were providing, then this may be a sign that the hairball formula contains fewer nutrients.
Make sure the hairball formula food contains at least 8% fiber, or it won't be effective in helping your cat pass the hairballs.
Other Dietary Supplements
You don't necessarily need a hairball formula food to increase fiber in your cat's diet. Some owners see a reduction in hairballs after adding a teaspoon of canned pumpkin or canned squash to their cat's daily diet. This option is also cost effective as the canned goods are less expensive than an entire bag of the hairball formula food.
Alternative Ways to Control Hairballs
You may never eliminate hairballs completely, but with a multi-pronged approach you can make their occurrence less frequent. Regular feline grooming will prevent your cat from licking and causing hairballs to form. For long-haired cats, brush them daily while short-haired cats can be brushed weekly. Alternatively, you can feed your cat a spoonful of butter or margarine or a teaspoon of mineral oil every couple of weeks to help the hairballs pass as they occur. You can even dab some petroleum jelly on your cat's nose which will deter your cat from licking and forming hairballs.