Hairball Prevention In Long-Haired Cats

Hairball prevention is best for long-haired cats, as they often refuse to consume hairball treatment gels, but can get intestinal blockage from those hairballs, as a result of self-grooming. Getting long-haired cats a "lion's cut" at the professional, pet grooming salon three to four times per year helps with preventing those hairballs. In the Spring, they tend to shed more, from warmer weather, leading to more hairball issues.

Beyond a lion's cut, the Furminator slicker brush for cats is also effective, especially if done three times per week. Brushing the cat's fur the wrong way first (to cause their fur to stick up), and then rebrushing their fur the right way (to smooth it down), is also excellent for hairball prevention.

Gradually adjusting their formula to an organic one without corn, wheat, gluten, hormones, pesticides, insecticides, or soy is also important. Organic lamb and rice-based cat formula is easier for them to digest usually. It should also be low in ash content (to prevent urinary tract infections), and have a separate, refrigerated, supplement of wild-caught, salmon oil, rich in omega 3 fatty acids added to it, to prevent shedding. Organic, natural vitamin E oil should be the food preservative in the cat food. Dry (not wet/moist) cat food is usually healthier for their teeth (removing tartar buildup) also. Blue Buffalo Wilderness (Grain Free) is an excellent brand of cat food. Wet/moist food can spoil after 15 minutes, causing illness.

Since grooming is unpleasant for some cats, try using Feliway room air diffusers, and spray Feliway onto the cat's slicker brush. It's a calming, synthetic pheromone, that mimics the scent of a nursing mother cat. Add Feliway spray and a TBL of organic, food-grade, chia seed oil, to a kitten dry shampoo, on a soft washcloth, to make dry bathing or detangling easier for them.

Choose the sensitive skin, dry shampoo for kittens, with the least amount of ingredients in it. They shouldn't need to be dry shampooed more than four times per year, unless there's someone in the household with asthma, or allergies triggered/worsened by cat dander. If that's the case, try to sponsor them for one year, at a cats-only, humane shelter, like the Cat Care Society in Lakewood, Colorado.

It's best to groom the cat after you've played or exercised them, as they'll be more relaxed. Unless they have a medical condition, they normally need to have daily exercise, at least thirty minutes per day that includes jumping, running and wrestling. There are toys designed that can help them stay fit, even if you're not available. Cats need stimulating, rolling, or self-engaging toys, not just passive, mouse-shaped, catnip ones. A variety of scratching posts/surfaces will help them to relieve stress.

To prevent cats from scratching leather sofas, apply double-sided pet tape to the sofa's back and underseat areas. Then, reward the cat with treats for using the catnip-sprayed scratching posts/cat towers to relieve their stress. They shouldn't be declawed, as it takes away a natural outlet for them to de-stress (by scratching, or using their claws to climb vertically), and can even affect their litterbox scratching/digging/covering instinct.

Their nails/claws have a pink line, that is visible in bright light. Using a kitten, or cat nail clipper, don't clip too close to that pink line, as they can bleed, be in pain, and even get infected. Trimming their nails once per week and using a cat-safe, bitter apple pet repellent spray also helps with preventing them from scratching leather furniture. They need positive reinforcement (treats, toys, attention) along with their scratching posts/climbing towers though.