| Imagine this wonderful scenario. There you are, | | | | problem that seems to have nothing to do with |
| happily petting your cat. The sun is warm and the | | | | regular grooming. One of the easiest ways to ensure |
| breeze is gentle. You are sitting on your lawn on the | | | | that your cat does not get hairballs is to do a regular |
| most picturesque of days. Your cat is happily purring | | | | brushing of your cat. This is especially helpful for a |
| in your lap as you sit there listening to the breeze | | | | cat that has long hair. The longer the hair, the more |
| and the low rumbling purr that your cat is making as | | | | easily the hair can become in tangled and create |
| you both enjoy this magnificent day. | | | | hairballs within your cat. |
| Then it happens. First it begins as a small convulsion. | | | | If you are unable to brush your cat, another helpful |
| Your cat seems to be coughing as if something has | | | | tip would be to use a small amount of Vaseline and |
| flown down its throat. Soon the picturesque moment | | | | place it on the paw of your cat. Instinctively, the cat |
| has changed to one of grave concern. Your cat | | | | will want to lick the Vaseline off of its paw and in |
| begins making very strange noises. He appears to be | | | | doing so will ingest the Vaseline. The Vaseline will act |
| heaving and seemingly about to go into a seizure. | | | | as a laxative and help your cat pass the hair more |
| Coughing and sneezing noises are then seen and | | | | readily through its intestinal system. This is not |
| heard. Moments later, your cat gives birth to | | | | something that should be regularly done because it |
| something that has been inside it for quite some | | | | may not be healthy for your cat to ingest Vaseline |
| time: a hairball. | | | | on a regular basis. |
| Hairballs are a common problem with most cats | | | | Another solution is to take your cat to a veterinarian |
| simply because it is part of their nature to keep | | | | to get specific laxatives that are designed to help |
| themselves clean. In fact there are very few animals | | | | your cat pass hair and hairballs through its digestive |
| that are so meticulous about keeping themselves | | | | tract more easily. You most certainly would want to |
| clean as a cat. | | | | take your cat to a veterinarian if the hairball problem |
| The cleaning process is a grooming process that is | | | | is occurring frequently. The reason is that it may not |
| designed to pull the loose hair from its shiny coat. A | | | | be a hairball problem at all but a stomach disorder |
| cat is able to do this because its tongue is not like | | | | that needs to be examined by the vet. A common |
| ours. It actually has many tiny barbs that enable it to | | | | cause for cats vomiting could be as simple as a food |
| pull the loose hair from its coat. This hair is ingested | | | | allergy. |
| by the cat in small quantities over time and normally | | | | Caring for your cat does not have to be a difficult |
| will pass through the cat's digestive system with | | | | and time-consuming event. Most cats can take care |
| absolutely no problems whatsoever. | | | | of themselves without the need for human |
| Unfortunately, if a cat is too meticulous with its | | | | intervention for anything other than food, water, and |
| cleaning, or if it has gotten into "hairy" situations that | | | | occasional attention. Taking just a few moments a |
| have created multiple knots in its coat, the amount | | | | week to make sure that your cat is properly brushed |
| of ingested hair will create a very easy situation that | | | | so that excess hair does not have to be ingested by |
| will allow the hairball to be born. | | | | your cat is one of the easiest ways to ensure the |
| Hairballs are not inherently bad for the cat, unless | | | | health and safety of your cat by preventing |
| they are excessively large or it is a reoccurring | | | | excessive hairball development. |