what for hairballs prevention?

[anie]

my Josie gets hairballs - she actually never vomited a hairball, but more less every two weeks she hacks and sometimes after meal she vomits clear liquid with little undigested food and hairs.

fer fur is quite thick, much thicker than her brother Blackberry's and she likes to groom.

I would like to give her something on regular basis to prevent problems with hairballs. I am going to get greenies hairballs. what do you give your cats to prevent hairballs? if anything?

[spirite]

I've been giving Margaux Vet's Best Hairball Relief Diestive Aid. They're big, flat, tablets that you break into a few pieces (very easy - the tablets are chewable). They have slippery elm and psyllium seed.

She loves them, and they seem to be helping.

[3gatos]

I use NatureVet's hairball + catnip treats. I prefer treats as they are easier to feed in my opinion than the gel. Just drop in one treat per day. They have psyllium fiber as well so no petroleum, the 2 cats I give them to love them and it seems to be helping as well.

[doodlebug]

Greenies ingredients are awful....the only decent thing is the chicken meal.

ACTIVE INGREDIENT: Each treat contains 25 mg of Petrolatum
OTHER INGREDIENTS: Chicken Meal, Brewers Rice, Whole Wheat, Animal Plasma, Animal Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols), Wheat Flour, Natural Flavor, Cellulose Fiber, Brewers Dried Yeast, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Minerals....

The other products mentioned are significantly better.

[anie]

aaaah, indeed awful! thanks all of you for info.

Will check if our store has any of the other products.

[snowy]

I have been using psyllium husk for hairball prevention. At one time, I stopped psyllium husk for some 2weeks, he threw up hairball twice in 2 weeks. Started psyllium husk again, no more vomitting hairball.

[Antigone]

Some people here use a paste called Defurr-Um. I have never used a product for hairballs. I know that grass helps a lot. You can plant something for her to nibble on.

[anie]

Originally Posted by Antigone

I know that grass helps a lot. You can plant something for her to nibble on.

yes, I am actually thinking of planting some grass for my cats. I like planting, so there you go! thanks!

[anie]

Originally Posted by snowy

I have been using psyllium husk for hairball prevention. At one time, I stopped psyllium husk for some 2weeks, he threw up hairball twice in 2 weeks. Started psyllium husk again, no more vomitting hairball.

snowy, how much of psyllium husk you give ET? and you just buy plain psyllium husk? does it have smell or taste? (my cats are picky...)

[snowy]

I am giving organic psyllium husk, its odorless and tasteless and not really expensive. 1 250gm pack would probably last you a very very long time. I'm currently giving him 1/8 tsp soak in approx 10-20ml warm water until it gels up before adding into wet food. I'm giving it 3X daily. For a start, I remembered adding something like 1/4 tsp to 20ml warm water for 2 days, once a day, when I saw large amount of hair in the poop, I reduced to 1/8tsp once a day, now I have worked out a good dosage for maintenance, that is 1/8tsp 3X daily. There are others who use psyllium husk too, let's see what dosage they use, what is important is to let it gel up before adding to food. Over dosage can cause constipation in human, I believe it does the same to cats.