Conference misery::feline_v1

    I would either be persistant with the Hairball medicine, by putting
    it right on their lips or paws- try another brand or use butter
    (I heard that that works also).
    
    I have had the same problem with my long haired Kitty- fortunately
    he loves the Hairball Remedy!

    My shorthairs shed differently than the long hairs.  The longhairs seem
    to shed in clumps that you can comb out.  The Shorthairs just shed,
    everywhere!!!  I have found that if you use a flea comb it gets out
    alot of the dead hair so they don't keep ingesting it. Also, bathing
    them really helps alot.  
    
    cin
    

    My cats LOVE to eat Vaseline which helps with furballs.  My vet says
    it's ok for them, so why not?  Also, mineral oil is another good
    suggestion.
    
    Mary
    
    PS - for some reason, the cats know the difference between Vaseline
    brand petroleum jelly and the cheap stuff.  They like Vaseline!
    

	What does a flea comb look like?  I have a two sided brush which
	I use.  One side is the plastic bristles really close together
	that I use on their faces and ears.  The other side is long wire
	bristles about 1/4 inch apart.  This side acts similar to a comb 
	and I use this on their bodies.  Is this close enough to a flea
	comb?

	I don't remember having this problem last summer and it was
	much hotter than this summer.  Perhaps this is because Bandit
	was not quite a year old yet and the hairballs become a problem
	when a cat grows up?

	Karen

    A flea comb is usually a metal comb that have tiny spaces between the
    teeth, so you can comb out fleas!!!  It also works for fleas, but I
    find it really good in getting the dead hair out.  Your local pet store
    should carry them, and they will usually be in a package that will say
    it's a flea comb.  Make sure you get a metal one, and not one with
    plastic teeth because they pull more.
    
    cin
    

    Karen, just take a big glob of the hairball medicine (Petromalt,
    Femalt or Laxatone) and rub it on the cat's lips.  They will have
    no choice but to lick it off.  Make sure you smear it on evenly
    so it doesn't drip.  Some people prefer to smear it on a paw but
    my cats just shake it off and then I end up cleaning the carpet,
    drapes, couch, etc. (sigh).
    
    My cats are brats.  They will not lick it right from the tube like
    some cats do.  Another alternative is to buy some Linatone and mix
    a teaspoon or two into their canned food if you feed canned.
    
    
    /Roberta
    

    Mocha would eat the whole tube of Femalt if I let him, but had
    a terrible time with Ming when we first got her. I called the
    breeder and asked her what she had done previously. Mary told me
    to put it on the rim of her dish and she will eat it off, sure 
    enough she did. Mary said cats associate their food dish with
    eating and there is no problem with the fur ball medicine that
    way. (We tried putting it on her little button nose and her paws
    and like Roberta ended cleaning up the walls, carpet, side of
    the kitchen cabinet etc.)
    
    My two hate any thing except Femalt.
    
    Yuck on those slimmy fur "logs."
    
    Barbara

    
    The FEMALT etc. does not prevent hairballs in my two longhairs.  It
    does stop the gagging and they are not constant.  We were up to about
    1 per week and many times didn't know who was doing what.  I also find
    that they throw up a couple times BEFORE the hairball arrives.  It just
    goes with owning a cat this time of year I guess.  I have one who I
    swear runs for under the grand piano when he feels it coming on!! 
    Otherwise we have been lucky - cellar and vinyl floor hits.  We brush
    about every other day (hit or miss sometimes) and femalt twice a week.
    
    "C"

    .. HMMM.. that is not always the case.. (right aunt Cin).. Her royal
    Highness has not been"feeling well" as of late.. and "we " have been
    experimenting with different things to see if we can "stimulate
    her appetite.. :*))..so Aunt Cin reccomended some some nutrical..
    we got some.. I brought it home.. put it on Pookies "nose area"..
    she ABSOLUTELY REFUSED TO LICK IT OFF.. in the meantime Happy
    came out.. and ME TOO Mummy.. I want what she has...NOW.. so I 
    gave her some too.. well HER ROYAL HIGHNESS.. IS STILL
    NOT GOING To lick, swallow etc.. Well Happy toddles on over
    to check Pookie out.. imagine her royal highness with "stuff"
    on her facial area.. heh-heh.. the next thing I know Happy
    in one swift move.. licks the nutrical off Pookies Nose!!!!..
     you had to see th look on Pookies face.. you also should
    have been aroind for the CHASE.. Pookie chsing Happy down the
    hall.HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS,,, growl mutter..
    and OL CHUBBS running for all she is worth.. yakking away..
    .. I am sure she was saying.. LOOK  you old *ITHCHY CAT..
    I was just trting to help.. you did not want it did you?..
    so there.. and Pookie replying.. PEASANT!!.. YUCKO ,she touched
    me..help mummy.. it was soooooo funny..  I went in.. and settled
    it.. of course her royal highness.. di have the last word..
    I am TOPCAT, HAPPY.. do not touch me..!!!! Happy
    wanders off.. yakkity yaskitty.,, Can I hace some more ,please
    mummy,, I'll also take her portion too.. that was very good , mummy.
    tee-hee
    regards
    kate

    My two get Hartz Hairball Remedy.  It works for them--Pumpkin has
    medium length hair, Ninja has long-hair.  Pumpkin LOVES the
    hairball stuff and licks it right from the tube.  Ninja HATES
    hairball stuff, but he is a glutton, so.... I, too, put it on
    the rim of the food dish.  He will only eat it if there is not
    one crumb of food left in the dish (what a desperado!).
    
    Whenever I get lax in giving their hairball remover to them,
    Ninja ALWAYS demonstrates their need for some.  
    
        ^-^
       /o o\
       \ # /   /|
        |  \  //
        | ( \//
       c|_c|__|
          
    Cathy

    Vacuuming does matter.  As a busy slob, I used to let vacuuming
    go to long, until I realized there was a direct correlation
    between infrequent vacuuming and sweetie upchucking.
    

    The difference in shedding between your shorthair and your longhair
    may be due to the type of coat.  Most shorthairs have a double coat,
    made up of guard hairs and undercoat.  Undercoat builds up in winter
    and the sheds out in summer.  Most guard hairs stays put until it
    dies and then falls out.  Alot of longhairs have a single coat
    (Birmans, some Maine Coons, Turkish Angora, [I think]) made up of
    only guard hairs.  They do still shed, but not the same as a coat
    that is molting out undercoat.  Monroe, my shorthair, has more problems
    with hairballs than any of my longhair cats.
    
    I have also had good luck with a little rubber comb on Monroe. 
    It grabs and holds the loose hair, even though it really doesn't
    have much in the way of teeth.  I can't describe them, but alot
    of shorthair breeders use them at the shows.  
    
    Just keep the stomach well lubricated, keep up the brushing and
    combing, and vacumming, and the problem will be lessened.
    
    Good Luck
    
    Jo

    This is our first year with Jasper shedding.  So he pucked, we worried,
    and eventually worked out a routine.  Now he gets Petromalt (and
    loves it!!!!!!!)  Not to rub it in, but he licks it right of our
    finger.  Mr. Grouch would be much disturbed if we ever put it on
    his clean, clean fur.  As it is, he must bathe after we hold him
    or kiss him too much.  Makes us feel really good!!!!!!!  Now we
    brush regularly (that he DOESN'T LOVE), and give Petromalt and
    the hairball gifts have minimized.  
    
    One question, though, does anyone know what to do about dandruff?
    Since we started brushing him, he now has dry skin on his back.
    
    Karen
    

    Nippa also shed like crazy and has hairball something fierce!  I found
    that a bath once in a while along with the flea comb and Laxatone
    help a lot.
    
    I have found out something else.....for those with weak stomachs
    don't read!
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    I was told that a cat will eat the entire rodent, then 1-2 hours later
    barf up what can not be digested.....which resembles a hair ball.
    
    Nippa does go out and brings home a kill almost daily....almost....so I
    know where the others are going....so if your cat goes out, it might be
    a good thing that they are barfing up these 'little nasties'.

    I have 2 shorthairs (Bailey and Amelia) that shed like crazy and are 
    quite happy licking Laxatone or Kat-A-Lax right out of the tube.  Then
    there is Carrie, my recently acquired longhair that sheds in clumps
    and who won't touch Laxatone or Kat-A-Lax with a 5 ft. flea comb.  I
    have a special method for getting it down her.  I put it on my finger, 
    then use my other hand to lift on each side of her mouth till it
    opens, then I use her upper teach to scrape the stuff off my finger
    and onto the roof of her mouth.  Not much she can do about it then but 
    use her tongue to clean off the roof of her mouth and swallow the
    stuff.  Like others have mentioned here, putting the stuff on the
    paw only succeeds in spreading it around the house rather than getting
    much of it in the cat in Carrie's case. 
    
    I also have to flea comb her regularly (can't use the little rubber brush
    like I do on the short hairs); I swear I comb several whole kittens
    worth off of her every other day and there's still tons of fur hanging
    on.
                                            
    Jan

    
    I guess I have been lucky.  In three years I have never seen a
    hairball.   But then it might be due to a sense of self preservation.
    I am VERY allergic to cats, but love them.  I had accepted I could not
    have a cat and then ended up with two rescuees.
    
    Each day I comb my two cts with a flea comb as mentioned before.  Both
    are, I guess, regular shorthair, but they shed differently.  If you
    could use the hair for knitting, Bandit would keep me supplied.  She
    has no bald spots or anything, but there is an INCREDIBLE amount of
    hair each day.  Smokey shed a lot less although he is twice the size.
    
    I use the dust buster in the area where I comb and use a linit brush
    over the furniture each day and then dash for the sink to wash all 
    exposed areas of skin where any hair might have landed.  After both
    cats have been combed, I give them a few bonkers.
    
    The flea comb seems to get both the top hair and the fine underhair
    that is especially bandit's color.  It only takes a few minutes, but
    I get to keep the cats and they don't have problems with hairballs.
    
    Long haired cts are probably a different story as they seem to be
    mostly hair, but short haired cats can be controlled.
    
    Cathy (Bandit and Smokey)
    
    
    

    I believe the "little rubber brush" is called a curry brush.  Its
    also great for cleaning cat hair off upholstry and stairs :-)
      Nancy DC
    

    when princess or bob has that problem, i give them tuna packed in
    oil. they love the tuna treat and the oil acts as a good lubricant.
    
                          karan
    

    I must have a little angel.  Smokey just LOVES Laxatone, Vaseline,
    Linatone, and is favorite - BRUSHING!!!  I have a brush that looks
    like a curry comb I used to see used on horses, and it has hundreds
    of tiny metal bristles that catch an amazing amount of hair.  This
    is the only brush he will allow me to use, and when he sees it in
    my hand, he runs up and starts to rub himself on it.  The brushing
    begins - he walks around and around to be sure I don't miss a spot.
    He turns over on his stomach, and if I don't get the itchy spot
    - he'll grab the brush with his paws and put it where he wants it.
    All this time, he's drooling like crazy, and I have to keep a towel
    handy or I'm a real mess when I'm finished - hair and drool - yuk!!
    
    Anyway, this brush is a real life saver - unless you count my 
    arm about to fall off by the time he lets me stop brushing!!
    
    Oh, Smokes also likes a bath.  Angel????  I think so.
    
    Sharon and Smokey

  I have a long haired cat who loves to shed and coughs up a hairball 
  about once a week!  I feel so bad for her because the hairballs are
  huge and must hurt coming out.  Well, I tried the different prescribed
  medications but Boufetta would have nothing to do with any of them.  If
  I put it anywhere on her body she would find a way to rub it off without
  having to lick it.  The vet suggested that I try mineral oil and it works
  like a charm - now I only find the hairballs about once a month.  I use
  a medicine eye dropper (used for babies) and just stick it in her mouth
  and squeeze.  She doesn't complain at all since there is no taste and no
  odor.

  Of course, this method is pretty easy for me since Boufetta demands to
  be picked up and held like a baby (on her back cradled in my arm) whenever
  I come from work!

    
    
    Well, I talked to the vet this week because Benjamin has thrown
    up about 4 times in the past two weeks, always directly after 
    eating.  I've never heard him hacking as though he has something
    he's trying to toss up, but the vet still says it's probably a 
    hairball.  SOOOoooo.....
    
    I tried some vaseline, and I've never seen anything so funny...
    Ben refused to lick the stuff, so I put it on his paws, very 
    careful to spread it thinly so he couldn't shake it off (I've 
    read plenty of horror/humor stories here in this file!).  Well,
    he tried like crazy...prancing around the apartment, shaking his
    legs, and finally retreating to under the bed so that he could 
    lick himself clean.  "Great" I think to myself...it works!
    
    Well, I went to bed and in typical post-throwup mode Benjamin 
    lets out a yowl and flies into the room... so I think, man the 
    cat threw up again...go to find it, can't find it anywhere.  I 
    try to pat him, but he's darting around the apartment like crazy!
    I go back to bed, he gets on the bed, jumps off the bed runs around
    some more, pounces on things (including my head and back) runs around
    some more.  
    
    My question is, does vaseline do this to anyone else's cat?  Should
    I try something different?  Maybe he just feels alot better now
    that he's had the vaseline so he's being more playful than usual?
    I did notice that he drank ALOT of water last night.  
    
    Thanks!
    
    dm

    Sounds to this novice like Benjamin just freaked out at having stuff
    smeared on him.  I probably would, too.  Tiffany acts differently
    after I grease her nose with Vaseline, too, only she just acts insulted
    and avoids me for awhile.
    
    						-- Ed

    
    Well,  Ben did that too!
    
    This was like an hour or two later that he started acting up.  
    The two things may be totally unrelated, but I am too much of 
    a novice to know...
    
    dm

   I get this type of behavior in my four all the time,
   after they've just let loose in the litterbox.
    
    Mary-Michael