The most common cause of vomiting in cats is due to hairballs. hairballs are created when a cat grooms him or herself and ingests a large quantity of hair. This hair does not pass easily through the gastrointestinal tract, and stomach and pancreatic enzymes cannot digest it. As hair builds up, it can create a partial blockage of the stomach or intestines and, in an effort to expel the obstriction, a reflex causes the cat to vomit the hairball.
Hairballs are a normal phenomenon in cats and there are many ways to manage them. The three most common remedies to help decrease the frequency or size of hairballs are hairball lubricants, fibre supplements and improved grooming. The most important thing to remember about any hairball remedy is that it is not a cure. Any steps that you take merely help to control a normal process.
Lubricants
Numerous lubricants are available, also called laxatives, which essentially are flavoured petroleum pastes. Some cats love these products and readily lick them from your finger. Others refuse them or try to shake the lubricant off of their paws. These products can be used two to threee times a week to affect. Mineral oil is not recommended as a treatment because of the associated risk of aspiration pneumonia.
Food
There are several new diets on the market that claim to be effective in reducing hairballs. These diets contain fibre, which helps promote normal bowel contractions thus assits the passage of food and swallowed hair through the gastrointestinal tract. Fibre helps with water reabsorption during digestion and helps by means of a mildly abrasive action to cleanse the lining of the intestines. Grooming increasing the frequancy of brushing, combing, and bathing reduces the amount of hair that your cat will shed daily, thus decreasing the amount he or she will ingest during self grooming. Some owners of long-haired cats have their cat’s hair shaved in an attempt to reduce hairballs. Large hairballs can even become impacted and require surgical removal. They can also be asssociated with other gastrointestinal disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease.
