Aw, hairballs! You know you’re a cat person when you find yourself cleaning up after Fluffy’s latest hairy mess on the floor while she watches you with that smug grin. This is such a common occurrence that you may start thinking it just comes with the territory when you own a cat. However, a few minor changes will leave your cat with a luxurious, healthy coat; and that results in less hairballs!
Monitor your Cat’s Diet
The first place you should start when starting your mission for healthy skin and coat is your cat’s diet. This is not emphasized enough, and many cats are stuck eating only dry kibble, which can lead to kidney and renal problems as well as rough, dry fur.
Cats generally do not get enough moisture in their diets which can complicate things rather quickly if only fed dry kibble. In the wild, cats would get moisture from their prey; unless your cat catches mice or rodents on a frequent basis, it should be given moist food daily to help supplement water intake.
If you feed primarily dry kibble to your cat, check the ingredients. You want to make sure that there is very minimal grain (or no grain, as cats are obligate carnivores) as well as other fillers. Most inexpensive cat foods are priced that way because what’s in it is inexpensive, and ultimately useless to your cat. The skin and coat is the last place that receives the nutrition from the food – so, if the food is lacking in nutritional value, the skin and coat will end up dry, itchy and unhealthy…leading to more shedding, resulting in more hairballs! Your cat is a carnivore, and does best when you stick to her basic needs. Watch your ingredient panel; your local pet food store should be able to help you navigate you through questions you may have about ingredients.
Good Grooming Habits
You would throw up, too, if you had to use your tongue as a hairbrush! Help your feline friend minimize the amount of fur ingested by giving their coat a good brushing daily. This will pull out most loose hair, thus resulting in less hair consumed by your cat when they groom themselves. This will also help lessen the likelihood of hairball formations.
Feed Your Cat Supplements
Cats can only get so much nutrition from their food. Just like humans, they may need assistance in rounding out their diet with a good supplement. Proper supplementation can come in many forms, but natural products are the most effective form due to their ability to be absorbed quickly and efficiently by the body. Wapiti Labs’ Vital and ReVitalize products contain natural herbal extracts as well as Elk Velvet Antler that work together to support optimum health throughout the entire body.
Cats add so much to our lives, but it doesn’t have to include hairballs! Try these simple suggestions, and your cat (and your carpet) will thank you!
