Every cat owner knows that hairballs are awful things to deal with. Hairballs are due to the owner not brushing the pet’s fur enough. Cats end up swallowing furballs and this is where the problem starts. Hairballs can easily get stuck in the cat’s throat and this can cause choking. This is an unpleasant thing to have to stand by and watch.

Basic cat health care knowledge can help to prevent problems. Keep your eyes peeled for hairballs and matted fur. The best thing to do is to schedule in regular grooming sessions each day to keep the fur smooth and hairball free. Grooming is great and it helps seal the bond between owner and pet. Make sure you do it gently so the animal becomes more relaxed and it will sit in your lap all day as you groom it!

Since some cats out there have very long and thick fur, it is important that you check with the vet if anything specific needs to be done to look after it. Take Persian cats as an example – they have beautiful long fur but if it ends up forming hairballs, this could be very risky for them. No-one can stop a cat from licking, which is why hairballs are a problem. Luckily, dogs don’t suffer with this hairball problem, as they don’t clean themselves by licking the fur. Cats have to lick their fur to keep clean which is why they end up with copious amounts of hair in their throats!

Once the hairball gets into the cat’s throat, the immediate reaction is to cough it up. This is when you will hear choking sounds and it can make pet owners quite nervous when they hear this, as they don’t know how to deal with it. The best cat health care advice is to just let the cat cough it up, but keep a watchful eye. Check the cat is okay after getting rid of the offending hairball. There are also plenty of treatments out there for help with preventing hairballs, so speak with a vet to get the best advice.