It’s no surprise that many cats and cat owners struggle with hairballs and vomiting. Hairballs give a lot of concerns about your cat’s health. When a cat ingests more hair than it can expel in poop, that hair can begin to tangle around any other small, stray item present in the stomach.
The good news is that you can manage a hairball problem with a simple food change. To help you in selecting the best cat foods for hairballs and vomiting, we have narrowed it down to the top 3 best cat foods for hairballs and vomiting. All of the cat foods we mention in this article are available for purchase on amazon today.
Best Cat Food For Hairballs And Vomiting
The three best cat foods for hairballs and vomiting are Purina Hairball formula, Hill’s Science Diet Hairball food, and Royal Canin Hairball Care.
All three of these foods will help your cat pass through a hairball. Since vomiting is usually a secondary system of hairballs, these 3 specialty foods will also help prevent your cat from vomiting.
Purina Hairball Adult Formula Cat Food
Purina ONE Hairball Adult Formula Dry Cat Food is a natural fiber-rich diet for your feline friend. It includes chicken as the number one ingredient. The cat food is made with high-quality ingredients with no fillers in a delicious chicken flavor.
The most important ingredient in this cat food is the fiber. The fiber not only helps break down the hairballs once they are in your cats stomach, but it also helps your cat pass the hairball through the digestive system quicker. Your cat will likely start pooping a lot when they first eat this food.
Aside from the food that you give them, you can also help reduce hairballs by regularly combing your cat with a hairball remover tool. My favorite is this self cleaning brush.
Hill’s Science Diet Hairball Dry Cat Food
Hill’s Science Diet Hairball Control Dry Cat Food is designed to prevent hairball formation for cats. Along with preventing hairballs, this food also has omega 3 and 6 fatty acids which help promote a shiny coat and healthy skin. Moreover, the recipe is also rich in vitamin E.
The high-quality protein also helps support the maintenance of lean muscles in cats. The natural fibers are easy to digest, and work to comfortably reduce your adult cat’s hairball issues. The Hill’s Science Diet Hairball Control cat food is the perfect blend of high-quality and tasty ingredients for a healthy cat.
Royal Canin Hairball Care
Royal Canin Hairball Care dry cat food supports your cat’s digestion to help reduce hairball formation. The special kibble pieces contain essential nutrients for cats in need of a little extra help with hairball management. It is formulated with a specific blend of dietary fibers to help naturally stimulate intestinal transit.
Royal Canin Hairball Care dry cat food keeps your adult cat healthy and supports immune system. It contains a single meat protein, chicken, as the first ingredient. The cat food is the perfect blend of high-quality and tasty ingredients for a healthy adult cat.
This high-protein cat food helps build and maintain lean muscle mass. The unique kibble shape and texture promotes a brushing effect that helps reduce plaque formation.
Why hairballs are dangerous for cats
Hairball formation in felines has a sort of snowball effect. Once a hairball begins to form, the more hair a cat ingests, the larger the hairball becomes. If your cat has large enough hairballs that cause physical discomfort, it will probably try to vomit it all back up. Otherwise, the hairball may get lodged in the digestive system. In some cases, this can lead to constipation.
How to prevent hairball problems in cats
Hairballs are developed by healthy grooming routines by your feline buddy. Your cat can ingest a lot of hair through by grooming themselves. You can adopt a few lifestyle changes that will help prevent any issues caused by hairballs.
- Pay attention to feeding a healthy diet to your cat. A high-nutrient and balanced diet is essential for your cats. Never feed your cat any food that does not meet international standards.
- Brush your cat regularly. It will help to remove excess hair and prevent the formation of hairballs. It is very important that you frequently remove matted cat hair.
- Cats usually groom more when they are bored. Regular exercise and a few toys can help prevent your cat from boredom. You can learn more in my article about the best toys for cats home alone.
- You can try giving your cat a hairball laxative after consulting your vet.
- If your cat eats something toxic, you should check out my article on how to make a cat gag.
Final Thoughts
Almost all cats will eat hair at some point in their life and poop it out. Common signs of a hairball in cats are coughing, vomiting, loss of appetite, and sometimes gastrointestinal distress including diarrhea. If a serious blockage develops due to hairballs, your kitty may require veterinary care.
Hope you enjoyed reading this article! Did you find this article helpful? Feel free to share your thoughts and questions.