Posts Tagged ‘hairballs’
How To Cope With Cats And Their Hairballs
Hairballs can be a nightmare, not least for the pet owner, but also for the pet. An accumulation of fur occurs when the owner does not brush the cat frequently enough, and this is what causes the hairballs. Since cat fur is thick, a hairball can be problematic if the cat ends up swallowing it. Once these lodge in the cat’s throat, choking can ensue. This is not a nice thing to witness and it can end up being quite risky.
If you want to know how to minimise the risk of hairballs, you need to make sure you know your cat health care. Look out for a build up of fur. Great advice is to make sure grooming your cat forms a part of your daily routine. This is a great activity as you are helping the cat’s health and also your pet will love being stroked. Just be sure to be gentle to make the cat as relaxed as possible.
Some cats with longer fur (and more of it) are prone to hairballs, and this is something that the vet should remind you of when you take it for check-ups. Persian cats, for example, have very long fur and when hairballs form, they easily end up in the cat’s throat and this causes problems. No-one can stop a cat from licking, which is why hairballs are a problem. People often ask how come dogs don’t have the same problem, but you may notice that dogs don’t lick their fur, thus hairballs aren’t an issue. As cat owners know, cats keep clean by licking their fur and thus hairballs occur.
Once the hairball gets into the digestive system, the cat will start trying to cough it up. Choking sounds are made and owners sometimes panic because they don’t know what to do about it. There’s not much you can do at this stage, and it’s a case of letting the cat cough the hairball up, but be sure to keep an eye on the cat. Check your cat is feeling okay after getting rid of the big clump of fur. There are also plenty of treatments out there for help with preventing hairballs, so speak with a vet to get the best advice.
Best Way To Keep Your Cat Clean And Healthy?
No cat wants to be dirty, and it’s up to you to ensure that your cat stays clean. Grooming is very important, as it helps your cat remain clean and healthy. Grooming starts with brushing, as brushing helps to keep the cats hair from becoming hairballs. Brushing will remove loose hair, and help prevent the risk of hairballs. A lot of cats have trouble dislodging hairballs. If the cat isn’t able to get a hairball out, it could result in a blockage of the intestines. Blockages are very serious, and can quickly become life threatening for your pet.
Cats that have long hair need to be brushed and combed on a daily basis, while cats with short hair need to be groomed on a weekly basis.Whenever brushing is done to your cat, you should be watchful for lumps in the coat or any marks of irritation on the cat’s skin. You should start brushing along the cat’s back, going from his head to his tail. Do this a few times on one side, and then switch to the other. Each area should be brushed a few times in the direction of the way your cat’s hair is growing.
When you brush your cat, you should always avoid brushing his face and paws. If a cat doesn’t like to be brushed, you can still groom him using another tool.The grooming glove is an excellent alternative to the brush, as most cats don’t mind it at all. Starting out young is the key to grooming, as it will get your cat used to brushing and grooming. Some cats that have started grooming when they were kittens grow to love it, many of which often look forward to their grooming time.
When brushing your cat, make sure that you check his ears, eyes, teeth, and claws. His eyes should be bright and clear with nothing residing in the corners.The ears of the cat should be clean, with no sign of ear mites and the color of the ears should be pink. Ear mites result from dirt built up in a cat’s ears, and can result in the ears shriveling up and your cat losing his hearing. Ear mites are very annoying for the cat, and hard for you as an owner to get rid of. The best way to get rid of them – is to ensure that your cat’s ears stay clean and healthy.
Each time you groom your cat, you should always aim to go a bit further with your examinations. When your cat remains still, you should always praise him and give him a treat. If your cat doesn’t cooperate and starts to struggle, you shouldn’t fight with him, but instead let him go and try the next day. Once your cat gets used to grooming he will look forward to it each and every day.