Home remedies for hairballs?

[Fuzzybuns]

Some might remember that Dixie had to go to the vet a while back??

Anyway, Dixie had to be taken to the vet a while back with bloody vomit and diarrhea and they put her on Amox and Laxotone. They said it was due to hairballs and that she might have IBD, also because of the hairballs.

The bloody mess has stopped but she still has plenty of hairballs because she's longhaired. I've tried the Laxotone and I've tried Petromalt and neither seem to help. They both are so thick that it gets stuck in her fur and makes a painful clump...she's not one to have scissors near either (she tries to bite and grab them). They both say "pleasant flavor" but you wouldn't know it by her reaction. She does not like it and there's no changing her mind! I put it on her front foot but she manages to get it all over her while she fights and hides under the bed.

My mom said to try Vaseline but it didn't go down any better, though she had an easier time getting it out of her hair, and I tried veggie oil in her food and it sat so long it got soft on the outside. I brush her daily, sometimes more than once and it helps but not enough.

Is there anything else I can do? I don't want her getting the bloodies back, I felt so bad for her and she was miserable!

Thanks

[columbine]

It's not a home remedy, but Cat Lube doesn't contain petroleum (my Smudge won't eat petroleum-based hairball remedies either, even Temptations treats!) and my N=1 says that the chickeny flavor is quite enjoyable. It's helped him a lot, and he's an extremely fluffy Maine Coon. I just break it up over his kibble - it's kind of the kitty version of marshmallows in his cereal (almost literally, as marsh mallow is one of the demulcent herbs it contains!)

Love, Columbine

[Fuzzybuns]

Thank you, I love these kinds of "been through it" recommendations! I'll certainly try it. It'd be great if it worked at only $7.00 a bottle! She loves treats, especially chicken, no fish though!

[Catty1]

Does she eat any wet food? As a preventive, maybe a bit of warm water on her wet food and several drops of Canola or Olive oil will help too.

Hope the Cat Lube helps! Get well soon Dixie!

[Freedom]

I have changed foods, as a result of reading and being more educated from my time here on PT. An unexpected benefit: the more the dry kibble is close to a "raw" diet, the less hairballs!

I used Petromalt for years. I never had any success putting it on the paw and letting them lick it off. I always put in IN the mouth, like a pill, and held the head, nose up, ad stroked the throat to get the cat to swallow. I haven't used Petromalt since January of this year, when I switched foods.

The food I used for 13 years: Science Diet Dry Kibble (regular, and lite)

The food I switched to in January 2007: Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul, dry kibble. Here is the site:
http://www.chickensoupforthepetlover...products/cats/

The food I am using just now is quite expensive: Nature's Variety Raw Instinct. No grains in it at all. Here is the site:
http://www.naturesvariety.com/conten...71D6wNPv98B8C1

I do not know enough to tell you WHY or which ingredients are helping. But both of these foods have my cats just about hairball free. (With 8 cats, one hariball per month and I don't know which cat is GREAT in my book!)

FYI both these brands have a dog food line as well. Each time I changed the whole house, to keep everyone consistent.

[Emeraldgreen]

Freedom, are you mixing the grain free food with the Chicken Soup food or are your cats just on the grain free now. Do you think the grainfree is better than the CHicken Soup? I"m always on the lookout for good food for my cats. My cat George is on a grain free blueberry and potato dry food by First Mate (a B.C. company) and the others are back onto the Wellness Healthy wise kibbles.

[Freedom]

No, I am not mixing them.

I was quite happy with Chicken Soup for all the pets. I used it for almost 9 months.

My cat Bobby has LOT of food allergies. When I was doing the food trials to find something he can eat, I came across the Raw Instinct. I just changed the whole house to make feeding times easier for me. Didn't work. Bobby is allergic to all grains, fish and chicken.

He is now on a prescription food, Royal Canin Green Pea and Venison. It works, he has finally stopped itching! It is expensive and I didn't switch the whole house. I have to put him in one bedroom, close the door, get his food for him. Then feed all the others, cats and dogs. After 10 to 15 minutes, I pick up all the dishes, let the dogs snuffle up any cat food remains, then let Bobby out. Even one piece of kibble makes him break out in the itchies, poor boy!

I will probably go back to the Chicken Soup as it costs less than the Raw Instinct, is at a store I can get to more easily, and everyone was fine on it. But it is nice to know it is out there. Oh, the Raw Instinct is coming out with a rabbit meal dry kibble formual after January 1st; it is up on the web site already.