Thread: Hairballs

Yeah starting to have the problem with Neevie too - also after we left her for a couple of weeks... she likes the brush though, thank God...

First of all, and I know this is obvious, but I really recommend cutting the cats claws BEFORE FURMINATING!!!!!! Not after.....

Anyway, we now have half a cat. He lost a cat-sized ball of fluff, it was okay at first but degenerated into pinning him to the floor by the scruff as he did not particularly enjoy the experience. He was quite vocal, and I bled quite a bit, but we did it.
His coat does feel a bit harsher today,but he has got his mackerel tabby markings back which was unexpected. Most importantly he did not sick up a hair-rat for the first time today in a week and he is clearly much happier about life. He is even talking to me again now!

I would not use the furminator regularly - it is pretty brutal - but, assuming he goes back to not shedding until next summer, then it is worth the hour of pain (mine) to just get rid of it all in one go at the start of the moult. I think he has lost a bit of weight with not eating as much through being so sick, so I'm glad we did it - NB he is not a show cat so it doesn't matter to us right now that he has a "normal cats tail" instead of a glorious plume. It will grow back...

I just looked at Neevie's picture - what is her bloodline? She and Sidney look really similar!

Just for information - over the last 2 weeks Sidney has suddenly grown back his undercoat, the black and grey mackerel markings have disappeared again and he has a feather duster tail. The new coat is as silky as before and he isn't shedding at all. For him, Furminating is wonderful - but next year we are both wearing gloves!
(Have you seen the bootees you can get in Pets at Home? So cute, but SO useless!)

oh Sorry Weasel I only just saw your question now - Neevie is from Katemaz - her dam stopped breeding after her and was retired - since I see that Sidney is younger than her they definitely don't share a dam - I'll have to find her papers again, I can't remember the names any more (bad Mum!)
Is Sidney a pirate like Neevie? may be they're auntie and nephew? :-D

I know that this thread is incredibly dead, but I do have some advice for hairballs.

Background:

Before now I've never really had a problem with hairballs in cats and they have tended to make their own way up once every now and then. My old boy MC who lives with my parents since I left for Uni and then moved (didn't want to move him as he is very happy where he is and has fields to roam) used to bring up the most disgusting hairballs and only in old age did he start to have issues.

I have however had a ferret who loved to over groom and ferrets can't get rid of hairballs out their mouths which can make it tricky if there is a build up and it's not passing. To sort this we would scruff him and push petroleum jelly into his mouth, not recommended for cats. Another thing that helped was cod liver oil.
I have just looked up cod liver oil for cats and there are mixed reviews and ideas. I would use the oil itself in very small quantities and only on rare occasions, not in capsule form.

Advice:

A small amount of cod liver oil (couple of drops) in with some plain mushed up petroleum jelly (1/2 level teaspoon). The cod liver oil should tempt the cat to consume the jelly.
This will allow hairballs to pass easily and the cod liver oil would quicken the BM.
If your cat isn't keen on cod liver oil skip it and try hiding petroleum jelly in or on their favourite treats and watch them to make sure it goes down (favourite treats always go down)

(I think I write waay too much in my posts! 0.0)

Olive oil actually doesn't help at all as it is absorbed into the system the only "oil" that does any good is the old fashioned liquid paraffin,that passes right through & lines as it goes...... It can be hard to get hold of because people have used it to help scour through their systems when they diet & so over here for health reasons you can only get small bottles from behind the shelf,at work though we do still use it for any cats that come in & are really bunged up.
I use RC hairball biscuit & when it is a really bad time of year I add Healthy Bites hairball remedy treats to their food too , you did use to be able to get a product called Katalax which was a big help too & that contains a heavier greased base.....x

Hi jckkerrison,

I was talking about Cod liver, not olive. Cod liver can speed up the BMs but even if it doesn't I find it helps things go down a treat, most cats like the fish oil smells and taste.

I to did not like the furminator. Kitty did not either. I just brush daily and that has really helped with the furballs.