Smudge is a Maine Coon too, and when he's got a major hairball he loses his appetite and gets scary sick-cat bad breath! And he won't eat petroleum-based anti-hairball treats. BUT he does enjoy Cat Lube - it's chicken flavored, petroleum-free, made of herbs and enzymes. I just break them up over his kibble. He still horks the occasional Hairball from Hell, but some of it comes out the other end too, and he's never blocked up for long. It also helps that I found a combination of brush and comb that he really enjoys. His fur is VERY thick and fluffy, so I use a shed-n-blade to loosen the shed fluff and a slicker brush to pick it up afterward.