Hairball relief?

[Dan Buchan]

My cats hate the Vaseline/over the counter malt preparations for the
relief of hairballs.

I once saw a post (a long time ago) about mixing in plain Metamucil into
the cats' canned food, and that this would help them pass the hair. Has
anyone tried this? Does it work?

And before you say "Well, why don't you just brush your cats?" I *do*
brush them, but the still barf up hairballs. Thanks.

Dan

[Becky]

In article <7gls1q$4...@enews1.newsguy.com> "Dan Buchan" <dbu...@pa.net> writes:
>From: "Dan Buchan" <dbu...@pa.net>
>Subject: Hairball relief?
>Date: Tue, 04 May 1999 00:12:45 -0400

>Dan

Hi, Dan:

I know that Metamucil is prescribed for constipation, but I haven't had any
experience with it for my cats. I'm lucky, because my cat Zelmo, who sheds
handfuls of hair every day, likes plain old petroleum jelly (he'd lick the
entire jar clean in one sitting, if I'd let him).

Anyway, another constipation reliever is plain canned pumpkin, but I have no
idea whether cats like it.

Have you spoken with your vet about using Metamucil for hairballs?

Are constipation relievers and hairball remedies the same thing?

Good luck.

Becky
rst...@indiana.edu

[J. Martin]

Dan Buchan wrote:

> My cats hate the Vaseline/over the counter malt preparations for the
> relief of hairballs.
>
> I once saw a post (a long time ago) about mixing in plain Metamucil into
> the cats' canned food, and that this would help them pass the hair. Has
> anyone tried this? Does it work?

Metamucil may help. Try 1/8-1/4 tsp twice daily.
J. Martin DVM

[Christopher J. McLoughlin]

Just put the Vaseline on the cats nose. The cat will lick it off.

[Becky]

But could he put enough Vaseline on the nose to make the dosage worthwhile?
My vet told me to give my cat 1/2 a tsp. of petroleum jelly 3-4 times a week.
Now, 1/2 a tsp. might not sound like a lot, but it would be on a cat's nose.

(Also, given the incredible stickiness of this stuff, and the unlikelihood of
the cat licking it all off, he'll end up with cat litter all over his nose the
next time he goes to the box -- at least, if clumping litter is used.)

Becky

In article <Pine.GSO.3.96.99050...@hamlet.uncg.edu>
"Christopher J. McLoughlin" <cjmc...@uncg.edu> writes:>From: "Christopher J.
McLoughlin" <cjmc...@uncg.edu>>Subject: Re: Hairball relief?
>Date: Tue, 4 May 1999 11:16:21 -0400

[raggedy]

Hi. I have used the Hartz stuff on the cats' paws. They licked that off
but didn't like the taste, but since I found the Pounce Hairball Remedy
Treats they go crazy for them. There is nothing they like better!
Expensive but it is nice to know I am giving them something they like.
Raggedy

[Ivory Fair]

On Tue, 4 May 1999 11:16:21 -0400, "Christopher J. McLoughlin"
<cjmc...@uncg.edu> wrote:

>Just put the Vaseline on the cats nose. The cat will lick it off.

But I thought too much vaseline was bad for their livers. I can't find
which book I read that in, but I did read it somewhere.

[konengro]

Vaseline isn't specifically bad for livers. The stuff is indigestible,
so it pretty much moves on through without much effect, gathering hair
masses on the way.
What is harmful about it is that it absorbs fat-soluble nutrients (like
vitamin E) in the colon, and being insoluble, doesn't release it again.
Using too much of the stuff can cause deficiency diseases. I think
something like once a day, three times a week, limited to shedding
season, is typical. Using it daily for any length of time offers some
risk.
Regards,
--
Paul F. Hoff Milton, WA kone...@worldnet.att.net
*Stutsbear and the Bionic Busboy* Lithodendron, 1996
http://home.att.net/~konengro/stories.htm

[paghat]

A Short Poem About Hairball Relief
By Paghat the Ratgirl

Shave 'em bald.
Problem solved.

[helen s]

ROTFLOL!!

However, Sicko might just take you seriously:-)

Regards, helen S

-- Love me, love my cats --

[Ann]

Anyone had a bad reaction to Fabreze from their cat? Info please.
Thanks
Annie

<*)))>< ><(((*>

[madlyn]

As might any ignorant person who wants to alter their cats for selfish
reasons.

:) Madlyn

"Until there are none~adopt one"...HSUS
<-------------------------------------->
Luvcatz....A Voice for the Animals
http://www.geocities.com/~luvcatz/neuter2.html

Love should never hurt, please don't declaw
http://www.geocities.com/~luvcatz/declaw-index.html

[Cathy Friedmann]

Funny!!! ;-D Actually, one of my next-door-neighbors had to get one of her
cats, a long-hair, shaved last summer - he was matting to the point where
she couldn't keep up with the mats, even if she worked on them every day!
Poor Harry then looked like a cross between a tiny lion & a badly groomed
poodle for a couple of months! His head & neck weren't shaved, and he had a
tuft left at the end of his tail. Also a bit like Puss-in-Boots, since the
lower parts of his front legs still had long hair, too. He actually
appeared to be embarrassed about his appearance for the first couple of
weeks - a little quieter than usual. But at least he didn't have those
mats/ knots of hair any longer - must've have felt like The Princess & the
Pea, whenever he laid down. Cathy

paghat wrote in message ...

[Lee Schwartzberg]

In article <Pine.GSO.3.96.990507...@suma3.reading.ac.uk>,
Ann <vbs...@reading.ac.uk> wrote:

I can't link you to a specific site, but if you do a search on Alta Vista
or something, there's been lots of reports, refuting claims that it's
dangerous to cats or dogs (if you really want, I'll do the research
(again) and get you specific links - but it really wasn't hard to find
stuff). This whole Febreze scare has been just another in a long list of
"urban legends" - nasty rumors that put everyone into a panic. If you
think about it, if the product really did present such a risk to animals,
do you really think the stores and Proctor and Gamble would elave it on
the shelves, and risk countless lawsuits?

So, worry not. Your animals are safe. And, no...I don't work for P&G.

Lee