"People" Foods for Hairballs

[Wellspotted]

I have been giving my kittehs hairball treatments ever since we have been together. Products like CatLax and PetroMalt, because they will not eat Vaseline! First kitties I have ever had who will not eat Vaseline.

Are there any people foods that help with hairballs? I just can’t afford CatLax, etc., anymore these days, 'til my financial situation improves, and I thought if there were household food items that might work I might be able to afford them. Like butter. I can afford butter.

Just trying so hard to keep these kitties of mine in good health …

[cowboymom]

I know someone that is a highly-educated crazy cat lady and she gives all her cats a big spoonful of tuna packed in olive oil once a month to prevent hairballs. Seems to work, she never has a problem with them. I do the same thing as needed and while I see the occasional hairball we never have an on-going problem with them.

YMMV!

[HenryisBlaisin]

I like that idea. My cat is diabetic and can’t have any of the commercial products because of the high carb content. I’ve heard plain olive oil works as well.

Also, if they won’t eat the Vaseline, you can try putting a smear of it on their front paws–they should lick it off because they don’t want it on there.

[Wellspotted]

Both sound like good ideas to me. Thank y’all! They love tuna and actually prefer the kind in the oil to the water-packed kind I prefer. Just is so much fishier! Iwill put tuna-in-olive-oil and also plain olive oil on my grocery list.

[VaqueroToro]

Vaseline and mineral oil aren’t digestible, that’s what makes them great as hairball formulas – it coats the hair fibers and helps them pass through. Olive oil is digestible. Sure, some of it will pass through, but I don’t think it’ll be that great for helping to eliminate hairballs.

If your kitteh goes nuts for olive oil (mine mugs me whenever I wave my hand near the bottle of EVOO), I’d say see how much you have to blend into Vaseline to get your cat to eat it. The EVOO will make it taste decent but the Vaseline will do hairball duty.

With all the above being said, I do give my long haired girl about a teaspoon of olive oil three times a week as a vehicle for her Cosequin sprinkles. Her other favorite thing besides planning the demise of her “brother” is getting brushed. She also gets an inch long ribbon of Petromalt twice a month. She still gets hairballs, but this is also the cat that self-waxes (her belly and inner arms/legs are totally bare of hair) so she ingests more than just if grooming. Your mileage may vary.

[Wellspotted]

Oh, OK, THIS is the self-waxing kitteh! I remember reading about her before, at the beginning of the summer(?).

Is EVOO a brand of olive oil? I could try mineral oil but isn’t it horribly laxative? I mean, I know CatLax is … but I don’t want to give my kitties tummy cramps.

[VaqueroToro]

EVOO = Extra Virgin Olive Oil

I think it was a Rachel Ray thing…or at least she’s the one I remember as being the first I heard it from as “Eee vee oh oh”.

Yes, this is the kitty that gives herself full body (well, full belly anyway) Brazilians. Of course she never shows off her trim job when I have my cell handy for a photo op or I’d show off the sea of pink amongst the black fur.

Typical hairball “goop” you buy anywhere is either straight petrolatum (Vaseline really) with flavoring or a mix of petrolatum and mineral oil and flavoring. That’s why I suggested that if your kitty likes olive oil, the cheap means might be to mix the oil in with some Vaseline to give it some flavor, then feed the “spiked” Vaseline as the hairball preventative.

Though if you find that just straight olive oil keeps your crew free and clear of the barfballs, lucky you!

[cowboymom]

I have a self-waxing kitty too! :lol: She’s a tabby cat with a pink tum!

[Shiaway]

raw egg yolk about once a week. It’s the lecithin in the yolk. My cat who pukes if you look at her funny, pukes up the egg yolk so instead I order the yolk lecithin via the internet about $7 for a bottle I think. Then sprinkle it on the food once or twice a week.

[Wellspotted]

Shiaway, I remember from reading old cat care books (ca 1940s) that cats should be fed a raw egg once a week (once a month?) for their coat and general health.

I never see that in modern-day cat care books but IMO some of the old tried and true ways are better than all the modern “supplement” ways.

Thanks for the reminder! I occasionally let my kitties lick the bowl after I have poured out the beaten egg into the frying pan. I will start beating them their own egg and letting them each have a little (more than just bowl-lickings). If it stays down, and I don’t hear any more early morning hacking, hey–we’ve got a remedy!

Still have olive oil on my grocery list for this week; will see if I can afford a jar of store-brand Vaseline as well as a bag of kitty litter.

Thanks, all!

[Wellspotted]

[QUOTE=cowboymom;7166382]
I have a self-waxing kitty too! :lol: She’s a tabby cat with a pink tum![/QUOTE]

Pictures, please!

VaqueroToro, I wish you had been in the grocery store with me yesterday. I saw a bottle of EVOO on the shelf! It even said “EVOO” on the label.

Very high price, on a very high shelf. But I did buy another brand of evoo.