Hints from Heloise

Dear readers: Cats and kittens are known to spend hours on end licking and grooming themselves. Of course, that means hairballs. In most cases, the hair passes right through the digestive tract and ends up in a litter box or the yard. However, if there is a larger hair buildup, it can irritate the stomach, and the cat will begin hacking and gagging to vomit.

Sometimes the hair mass gets too large for the cat to get rid of it. Here’s a simple yet effective remedy for aiding in the passing of a hairball: Put a bit of plain petroleum jelly (about 1/4 teaspoon) on the cat’s paws or under its nose (according to our vet source, do this treatment one time a day for about four days). The cat will lick its paws or nose, and the petroleum jelly will be ingested, where it will help the hair mass to be more easily eliminated.

To help keep the problem to a minimum, groom your pet often. – Heloise