# vaseline for hairball?



## spockally (Mar 7, 2011)

Hi!!! One of my kitties, Ally, throws up hairball almost everyday lately. I heard that giving vaseline will help, but is it true? Is it okay to give vaseline? It does not cause stomach upset? If it is okay, how much and how often do I need to do this? Is there any natural remedy for hairball control so she will not vomit? I am getting tired of cleaning up the floor these days and my morning starts with checking the floor with hairball vomit  Thanks in advance for your help!!!!


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## lyttleravyn (May 5, 2010)

Regular grooming appointments can cut down on the hair that is shedding out, which is causing the hairballs  By grooming I mean full bath, blow dry and comb out. Some people opt for lion cuts which last longer but also cut down on the hair. Hope that helps!


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## spockally (Mar 7, 2011)

She has VERY short hair, though.... does she still need grooming appo? just combing her hair is not good enough? Of course, I know I need to comb her hair more often....


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## lyttleravyn (May 5, 2010)

The hair in the hairballs is dead coat that isn't being removed other than her licking it out. Regular combing can cut down this hair a lot, IMO a full bath & blow dry will get much more hair out. I have 2 Siamese and their hairballs and shedding were cut down to almost nothing when I started regularly grooming them at work. All cats can benefit from regular grooming, even SH, and even Sphynx cats!


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

My guy is medium hair and I brush him daily during the shedding season and about weekly the rest of the time. There's no way I could afford to/would pay to have him groomed when I can just do it myself. 

I do give him a tablespoon of pureed pumpkin in the morning to help push hairballs through instead of throwing them up. If I skip more than a few days he starts throwing them up again.


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## spockally (Mar 7, 2011)

I see.... I did not know that even cats with short hair can benefit from grooming and full bath.... I thought these SPA treatments are meant for the ones with long hair. But, like MowMow said, I do not think I can afford  I should comb her more often  Also, thanks for the idea, pumpkin! It sounds better than vaseline.... does it affect the contribution to the litter box? no soft or loose stool?


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

spockally said:


> does it affect the contribution to the litter box? no soft or loose stool?


Well if you get too heavy handed with the pumpkin it can constipate them but I find a spare tablespoon to work just fine. I use a tablespoon to plop it onto a cookie sheet and freeze them firm, then toss them all in a freezer bag so I can use as needed. 

They do make his poo rather...... large  That's probably a combination of the fiber and the hair it's pulling through (I imagine)...but yeah... some days it looks like an elephant passed through there. No change in odor or consistency though.


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## catbrb (Jun 1, 2011)

My vet gave me laxatone for Shadow because he kept throwing up after eating and he found hair stuck to his throat. He has some bad hairballs. Do you guys suggest laxatone? I squeeze a little onto my index finger for him to lick off each week. Have to give it to Pumpkin too unless she gets jealous.


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## spockally (Mar 7, 2011)

MowMow: wonderful idea that you fleeze and then keep it in a bag and take it out when using... amazing!!! Last time I needed to use pumpkin on another kitty who had loose stool issue, I needed to make 4 pumpkin pies and kids and I were getting tired of eating the pie every day  This time I was already thinking about making pumpkin pies, bread, cookie..... what else? But, by doing the way you describe, I do not need to eat the pie every day!!! BTW, do you defrost 1TBSP portion and put it in wet food or give it to him by itself?

It was in Feb or March and I was having hard time to find canned pumpkin. The grocery store here says it is not season and it won't come in until Thanksgiving..... I need to search for it around here  Thanks for warning about elephant! Can't wait to see it


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## Robin1109 (May 8, 2011)

Invest in a furminator! It's worth the money!!

Hartz also has a hairball gel you can feed your cat. You can find it a pet stores I also was told I could give a little (1/4 tsp) of butter.


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## spockally (Mar 7, 2011)

Mary: Thank you so much for letting me know about light olive oil. I will try that!

catbrb: Thank you for letting me know about laxatone. Is laxatone medicine? 

I hope these will help her not to vomit ever again!!!


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## spockally (Mar 7, 2011)

Robin: yes, I heard about furminator and I saw so much fur in a ziplock bag in Petsmart yesterday!!!! She is such a small girl and has very short hair. If I use it on her, she might go bald!!!! I might try it if regular combing does not work as well as other remidies. I heard about butter as well.... Now she has a lot to try! Thanks everyone


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## catbrb (Jun 1, 2011)

It's not exactly a prescription or anything.

Laxatone - 1800PetMeds

That's not the cheapest you can find it. But if you scroll down a little it will show you the description, etc. Shadow used to vomit every morning (fed them half a cup of food in the mornings). He was always okay for his 5 o'clock and bedtime meal because it was only a 1/4th cup. After I used Laxatone once he stopped. If I stop using it, he throws up again. My cats just love it! It's like a treat for them.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

I drop one of the frozen pumpkin blobs in a bowl early evening and by next morning it's thawed out. 

Im lucky, my local grocery store carries it year round. The last time I got my groceries, the deliveryman commented that I must *really* love pumpkin pies.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Laxatone is just favored vaseline. Both of those will be more effective than olive oil or butter....it coats the hair and helps it move along. Olive oil and butter are a much thinner consistency and and don't give the hair as much of a slippery surface. 

Just be sure not to give Vaseline, Laxatone or any other petroleum based hairball remedy (never by Hartz...their products are awful) near mealtime as it can interfere with nutrient absorption. I usually recommend giving it daily for 3 days to "prime" the system and then once a week for maintenance. 

Pumpkin can help, but you do get the increased stool volume and it can cause gas. It's also very filling and it may decrease the appetite...not an issue if your cat needs to lose weight anyway. If you can't find pumpkin in the grocery store you may be able to find Fruitables in a pet store. It's more expensive than pumpkin. It also includes ginger, which helps settle upset stomachs (and maybe something else...can't remember).


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## praline (Jun 3, 2011)

Ahhh the ever popular pumpkin fix =D

When my old lab was in her last months she had some serious issues with constipation. This was due to the meds she was on. I talked to her specialist a great deal about me not wanting to add more meds on top of the ones she was taking. He suggested canned pumpkin. He was clear about checking the label, you don't want the filling that has sugar in it... just the canned pumpkin.

Let me tell you ~ until her dying day she was never constipated again :wink
Pumpkin is a bulk fiber that helps things move along in the digestive track. It works great but you will have more stool due to the fiber. I am sure it works the same way with stuck hair balls.

Some other things to look into is her food. Is she on a corn based food with a lot of grains? This can cause cats to shed a great deal more and the more shedding the more hairballs. So I would start with her diet first.
It might take 6-8 weeks before you notice a difference.

Second, grooming! Cats spend 1/3 of their day grooming. It never hurts to give the critters a helping hand. Grooming your cat can be relaxing for both you and cat and a real bonding time. I like to groom Sasha in the evenings while I watch TV. The furminator is great but might be more then you need on short hair... I guess it depends on the undercoat. On the kittens, my daughter has been using one of those gloves and both her and the kittens LOVE it. Grooming should be a happy fun time and not full of tears and frustrations. If your cat likes the glove but hates the combs go with the glove.


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## Aleicia (Jun 9, 2011)

I give my cats Kittymalt Hairballs Remedy Paste once to twice a week. My cat's love the taste, they lick all of it off of the spoon. I also give them some boiled squash which I then blend in the blender, not much, about a tablespoon once a week, my vet told me years ago that it a naturally prevents hairballs, and he was right. Hope this helps.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

spockally said:


> I see.... I did not know that even cats with short hair can benefit from grooming and full bath.... I thought these SPA treatments are meant for the ones with long hair. But, like MowMow said, I do not think I can afford  I should comb her more often


No, there's no reason for the grooming and full bath. I've never even had my (long-haired) twins groomed. Like others have mentioned, they spend a lot of time grooming themselves. Regular brushing helps, though.


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## Aleicia (Jun 9, 2011)

I give my cats the kittymalt hairballs remedy paste, their a huge fan of the malt flavor. I also boil some squash and blend it in the blender and give them about a tablespoon once a week. Several years ago a vet told us that it was a natural way to prevent hairballs, he was eight. I guess it's kind of like the pumkin idea.


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## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

I used to be a bather in a grooming salon. After seeing how dogs react to a dryer, I would never ever try to use one on a cat!!!!


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## dweamgoil (Feb 3, 2010)

spockally said:


> Last time I needed to use pumpkin on another kitty who had loose stool issue, I needed to make 4 pumpkin pies and kids and I were getting tired of eating the pie every day  This time I was already thinking about making pumpkin pies, bread, cookie..... what else?


I just wanted you to know if you ever have these issues again, I am here to help and you can send those pies, breads and cookies my way 

Hehehe...but in all seriousness. I was giving Lacey Laxatone for hairballs and didn't do much so I began combing her with a fine tooth comb every other day and that has helped tremendously.

MowMow, can you recommend a brand of the pumkin. I know it's not supposed to be the stuff with sugar in it or something...I forget. I just don't want to buy the wrong stuff and give them more problems than I am solving.


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## spockally (Mar 7, 2011)

Thank you everyone for all the tips and info!!!! I started giving vaseline little by little to Ally to see how it works. If she cannot tolerate the taste, then I will buy the one with flavors, Laxatone, as somebody mentioned. Also, I started combing her. Not much hair coming out so far, but hope it helps. My kitties eat grain-free diet (mainly wet food), occasionally I give canned food which has a little grain like Blue Baffalo SPA chicken, so I do not think their diet is the cause of hairball. I was using canned pumpkin from Libby's, I think. It has no sugar and just pure pumpkin. During the winter close to Thanksgiving or Halloween, you will see a lot, but lately if I can find it, it was really big can! Yes, I will send some good pies to you, dweamgoil!!!!


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## dweamgoil (Feb 3, 2010)

spockally said:


> Yes, I will send some good pies to you, dweamgoil!!!!


woo hoo!!!


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

dweamgoil said:


> MowMow, can you recommend a brand of the pumkin. I know it's not supposed to be the stuff with sugar in it or something...I forget. I just don't want to buy the wrong stuff and give them more problems than I am solving.


Here is what Mowmow eats: Libbys 100% Pure Pumpkin - 12 Cans (29 oz ea) | Meijer.com

I find that MowMow sheds the most on his back end. The backs of his hind legs. I call it his culottes. When I brush there I *always* get a bundle of soft undercoat in his brush. Unfortunately it's the only part of himself he doesn't like brushed  Too bad for him.


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## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

That's what we buy for our pumpkin muffins (the unsweetened stuff works better) and it is good stuff!


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## lyttleravyn (May 5, 2010)

Sinatra-Butters said:


> I used to be a bather in a grooming salon. After seeing how dogs react to a dryer, I would never ever try to use one on a cat!!!!


Every animal is different, but very few of my dog and even cat clients react badly to a dryer. There are a number of techniques and equipment to use to minimize the stress from the grooming process. Most of my dogs lick my face while I dry them, most of my cats lie down and stretch out while being blown dry. Even the pets that don't like the dryer, if they come in on a regular basis (every 4-6 weeks) they become very comfortable and it usually isn't a problem.


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## praline (Jun 3, 2011)

NJgroomer said:


> Every animal is different, but very few of my dog and even cat clients react badly to a dryer. There are a number of techniques and equipment to use to minimize the stress from the grooming process. Most of my dogs lick my face while I dry them, most of my cats lie down and stretch out while being blown dry. Even the pets that don't like the dryer, if they come in on a regular basis (every 4-6 weeks) they become very comfortable and it usually isn't a problem.


NJ ~ you know I pick your brain about grooming and I really think your on the ball and extremely helpful BUT... as I glance at my doe eyed angel sitting on my computer desk I only have this to say:

bahahahhahahahahahahhaahahahhahahahaahah comfortable? bahahahahahahahah in by comfortable do you mean they don't try and rip your face off? bahahahaha
ok ... done laughing. We have had Sasha for 11 years and she has a love/hate relationship with my blow dryer. I love it, she hates it :? she has tried to kill it, torture it ..you name it. The past few years I towel dry her as she is so old I am afraid blowing her out may give her a stroke :?


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## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

The dogs were terrified of the dryer. I did it exactly how the groomers (also the owners) instructed. If I so much as turn on a human dryer (not the industrial ones they use in grooming salons) my cats run for the hills. I wouldn't bring them near it expecting to have a face later on. I'm sure you are great at your job but I never had a dog lick my face while drying.


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## praline (Jun 3, 2011)

Becky ~ my Bentley gets "excited" (and he is fixed!) whenever I pull the blow dryer out. He loves being primped and groomed. He will lay there for HOURS letting you blow him out and brush him. 

Hubby says he is an embarrassment to men all over the world how much he loves being groomed hehe

If I leave the hair dryer out, he will grab it and carry it to me. Its the retriever in him but also how much he loves his hair dryer hehe


So I have seen animals enjoy it but in the case of Sasha I think she would rather be tortured by a litter of Slobbery ST Bernard puppies then look at a hair dryer lol


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## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

Awww cute! I'm not saying all animals hate it, just most I encountered.


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## praline (Jun 3, 2011)

Sinatra-Butters said:


> Awww cute! I'm not saying all animals hate it, just most I encountered.


It just so happened that my middle son wanted to give Bentley a bath. I just took some photos of him blowing Bentley out. They aren't edited and cool looking, just some snap shots to show how much he loves being groomed. 

Note ~ there is no leash, harness, table or anything restricting Bentley. He lays there on his own :love2






I am not sure which is strangers ~ a dog who loves manicures or a 14 year old boy who loves giving them :?







My son begging Bentley to eat his new bone <sigh> Bentley won't touch a carrot to save his life... this diet will be so much fun :?


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Nice to see Bentley enjoying the grooming. Try soaking that carrot in beef broth for a bit. He might just wind up licking the flavor off but I bet he'll gnaw on it a little. Once he's used to eating them you can stop soaking them. That's what I did for my Vizsla. 

I was lucky with the Malamute, from the time she a puppy she'd go horseback riding with us so she was always getting bits of carrot and starlight mints that I'd feed the horses and she learned if SHE didn't eat them the horses certainly would....dog slobber and all.


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## lyttleravyn (May 5, 2010)

Sinatra-Butters said:


> The dogs were terrified of the dryer. I did it exactly how the groomers (also the owners) instructed. If I so much as turn on a human dryer (not the industrial ones they use in grooming salons) my cats run for the hills. I wouldn't bring them near it expecting to have a face later on. I'm sure you are great at your job but I never had a dog lick my face while drying.


I think I get too many! haha. I use dryers with either variable or 2-speeds, and I turn down the power when I get to their heads. I also love love LOVE my Happy Hoodies (they go over the pet's head to muffle the noise and it helps wick moisture out of ears so they dry much faster). There is also a little bit of putting my foot down if they start to throw a tantrum. I show them that no, it doesn't hurt and no, they aren't going to die if the dryer blows on them haha. Most of the time they settle down and stand or sit nicely  

Here's two of my dogs from today, my camera died or I would have showed the others. Gabbie the Golden gave me lots of kisses during drying and even laid in my lap for some of it. Joey the Toy Poodle gave a little lick to my nose while drying, but for the most part just sat watching out the window haha.

ps. it is hard taking pics of me and my clients like this! haha they come out pretty badly, but here goes:

#1: Me and Gabbie  - she is wearing a Happy Hoodie
#2: Kisses! (yes the dryer is on during this photo)
#3: Smiling as I dry her chest/neck
#4: All done!
#5: Joey sits patiently as I finish drying him

There's also a picture of me drying a cat under my "Dryer for Kitties" thread.


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