Can anyone help us?

[kylesgranny]

Can anyone help us with a hairball problem? Mr. Boofuss is a 3 year old male. He's just a cat, but a cat with extremely long fur especially on his tummy, tail, and under his front legs. He's always cleaning himself, as most cats do. Unfortunately, he has some really bad hairballs. I feed him the Iams Hairball formula, and it seemed to be helping until the last couple of months. So I went to Wal-Mart and got some of that hairball stuff that comes in a tube. The cat licks it off your finger, and it's supposed to help eliminate the hairballs. But, it gave Mr. Boofuss diarrhea. Poor baby couldn't make it to his kitty box. I stopped giving it to him, but I guess it's not all out of his system yet, because every so often we have a problem. I'm sure it will clear up in time. But we still have the hairball problem. Does anyone have any suggestions? Anything would be greatly appreciated. :) Mr. Boofuss is a really good kitty. He's our constant companion, and full of playfulness. Thanks for any help.

Kylesgranny

[slick]

First of all let me welcome you to Pet Talk. Here you will not only find all kinds of information on pets but you also find this site to be a great source of strength and support.

I have a long-haired Persian named Max and unfortunately no medication in the world can completely eliminate hairballs. I tried that remedy in a tube and it gave Max the runs as well. Not nice on a long-haired white kitty....ewwwwwww:eek:

Anyway I have found that the only solution for me is to comb, comb, comb. Max does need regular brushing every day to keep the hairballs down, but since I'm out of the house for 12 hrs a day, he gets a complete makeover about 3-4 times a week. This time of year you could make a sweater out of all the hair. There have been many other thread on this subject so if you poke around some you may find some more information.

BTW, did I mention we love to see pictures? Mr. Boofuss sound lovely.

[carole]

im sorry i cannot offer any advice, just wanted to say i had the same problem with the stuff they lick off your fingers, 14 dollars later and it sits in the cupboard, there are many people on here whom i am sure can help you, good luck ,

[neko1]

I have shorthairs and they have hairball problems too. I just try to keep up with their brushing. The more fur I brush up, the less they barf up.

[AngelZoo]

Kyles: Yes, you MUST groom him, just groom him every day, use a slicker brush and a fine toothed comb like a flea comb afterwards, pending any mats that is of course.

Otherwise you can shave him down, get him the boot or the lion cut, and that can help.

Check your private messages, I'm about to send you one.

[jenluckenbach]

The stuff in a tube can give diahrrea. Maybe if you fed less of it along with thorough brushings. Your best tool is called a shedding comb. It is a metal comb with alternating long and short teeth. I use it on the cats I groom professionally and the owners actually think I thin the coat with shears (which I do not). An alternative that a lot of long haired cat owners take is to shave the cat during the shedding season or to just shave the undercarrage. You don't really notice it being shaved then except when they lay on their back.

[Cinder & Smoke]

Hi & WELCOME :) to Pet Talk, KylesGranny!

Being a Texas Kat, and not likely to get much of a chill for a few months; what would Mr. Boofuss think of a trip to the Kitty Barber for a Summer :cool: Clip & Trim?

A stylish summer Trim might make him feel a lil cooler -
And reduce the HairBall problem.

Several of the Pet Talk Kitty Humans do this for their Long Haired Kitties - possibly some of them will jump in here and offer Styling suggestions for Mr. Boofuss.

/s/ Phred

[moosmom]

Kylesgranny,

My vet told me to put a small amount of Vaseline on the cat's paw. Being natural groomers, they will lick it off and it'll help with the hairball problem.

I think Phred may have something there. How about a lioncut?? It'll definitely get rid of any mats and give you a fresh start at grooming him.

Good luck.

[carole]

Another natural remedy is MARMITE or VEGEMITE, do you have that in America? some cats like the taste others dont, but if its on their paws they will lick it off anyway, just do this every day, i have tried it, but i have not been consistent enough to know if it really works, i saw it on our television, it was recommended by a vet.
Its full of vitamins and so should do no harm to them at all, infact probably do them some good, and its quite cheap around 1.50 us for a jar, and last for ages.

[Barbara]

Marmite for cats? You cannot even be sure it's good for humans :D :D (sorry for that, I have friends in NZ -so I know what you're talking about).
No but seriously I think there is too much salt in it -the rest is yeast and herbs which can do no damage. There is dry food with a hairball control formula. I agree with the others- brushing and thinking about a lion cut. I've seen Bunny's Fluffy last week in that cut -he looked so elegant and impressive.

[Randi]

Welcome to PT kylesgranny! :)

I don't have a longhaired cat, but he LOVES being brushed! Lately, he's been laying next to his brush calling us to come and brush him. There's all sorts of different brushes, the one Fister likes the best is made of rubber. :rolleyes:

Since it's summer now, I think the suggestions to get him a haircut is something you should consider also - if he's not too wild! :D

Good luck!

[AmberLee]

Welcome, KylesGranny,

I haven't had much luck with the tube stuff (or some of the problems noted already, thank heavens...). Lots of brushing, a dab of vaseline every other day or so seems to help here.

Good luck, and let us know what you decide to do.

[carole]

well i guess none of us can be sure anything we consume today is good for us, they are always changing their minds, i think marmite is ok, i let me kids have it, so i reckon the cats will be ok with it to be honest, it is a bit salty though i must agree with you on that. Anyways it was just something a vet said on the tv, that a small amt everyday on their paws can help with furballs, cant be any worse than the stuff in the tube, whatever is in that.

[lizbud]

I have two long haired & two short haired cats. Tried the stuff
in a tube for hairballs, but it was too hit & miss.Sometimes they
would lick it of my finger, sometimes not. I found that Purina's
Special Formula for hairball works better than anything else &
the kitties love it. I give them three different dry kibbles to choose
from, but the Purina seems to be their favorite.

[kylesgranny]

:) Thanks to everyone for your hairball suggestions. I really appreciate the help. Mr. Boofuss seems to be doing better. I think the worst of the shedding season is over. :D He gets brushed daily, and sometimes more than once if I'm off. I'll have to find one of those special grooming brushes. I really did think about getting him a haircut, but I don't know if he'd stand for it. We have some really good air conditioning, and he doesn't go outside. I quit giving him the stuff in the tube, so the diarrhea is gone. Thank goodness! Thanks again for all your help. I'll post a picture of him as soon as I can.

Kylesgranny & Mr. Boofuss

[BastetsMum]

I have found the best remedy for hairballs!

Bastet hasn't been well this week *which is why I wasn't on here* so off to the vet we went.

He said she was a little constipated and probably had a tummy full of hair balls. He suggested a couple of sardines in brine or spring water on her food that night.

Sure enough off she went! Didn't my little sweety feel better!

The vet said provided you don't feed them oily fish (twice a week is enough) too often that cats are ok in removing hairballs with the oil the sardines provide.

Interesting remedy which works a treat!

[Cinder & Smoke]

Originally posted by BastetsMum
... He suggested a couple of sardines,
in brine or spring water, on her food that night.

Sure enough, off she went!...

... cats are ok in removing hairballs with
the oil the sardines provide.


Dad is wunderin... :confused:

You used the phrase "Sure enough, off she went!..."
and then a lil later said -
"... cats are ok in removing hairballs with the oil the sardines provide."

Uhhhhh... Zaktly which "end" *went OFF*???
:eek:
Like - out da FRUNT End; or out da BACK end????

He'z also wunderin iffin "sardines" is az *bad* az :eek: anchoviez iz!? :p

Dad turnz a terribul shade a GREEN whenebber da Kat heavez a hairball -
an he'd like ta knowe iffin da Ded Phish Trick will fixzit so da deposit appears inna sandy box, stedda onna rug...?

Also not so sure he wuntz ta get Hed Bumpiez frumma Kat wiff Phish Breath! :p

[K & L]

Since we've been feeding our cats Nutro, this has cut down extremely on our hair ball problem.

[BastetsMum]

Um ...

She went to her litter tray and pooped lots! :eek: