Hairballs
Cats have some interesting habits and the chucking up of hairballs has to be one of the most disconcerting to the new cat owner. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of witnessing the violent retching and hacking that ensues before your cat very delicately deposits a soggy hairball on your carpet you’ll know exactly what I mean. The first time Tikka treated me to a hairball retching display I was rooted to the spot in horror! These days I am immune to the many horrors that Tikka can subject me to and take hairballs in my stride.
You may be wondering how a cat manages to ingest so much hair. Well, cats are consummate groomers and lick their coats methodically and religiously everyday. As their tongues are intriguingly serrated they swallow a mass of hair that is either passed out when they go to the toilet or is vomited back up.
You can help your cat minimise these hairball attacks in a number of ways. There are various hairball treatments available in treat form that are designed to break up the hairballs in the stomach and make them easier to pass out of the back end. There are also lubricants, again in treat form, that facilitate the smooth passage of hair through the intestines. However the best way is to keep you cat well brushed!