How to remove hairballs from Your cat

 If you have a cat at home, you know how important it is for him to groom himself and especially his coat, an activity in which cats invest a lot of time throughout the day. The results are obvious: your cat is probably always clean, and his coat is soft to the touch.

There are short-haired cats and long-haired cats, and for both types of cats, grooming is extremely important. However, the difference in coats makes it more difficult for some than others. Long-haired breeds, such as Persian or Himalayan, sometimes need a little human help to undo the knots that form in the coat.

That's why, on The Pretty Pets we want to teach you how to remove hairballs from a cat, so that you have the knowledge to help your feline in his grooming.

Why remove hairballs from a cat's coat?

Where do hairballs form?

How to prevent hairballs from forming?

How to remove hairballs from a cat's coat?

Why remove hairballs from a cat's coat?

It is likely that you are already used to brushing your cat to avoid excess hair on furniture and other areas of the house. Removing hairballs from a cat's coat will therefore not be a difficult task for you!

You may wonder why you should remove or prevent hairballs from forming in your cat's coat. Not only are they unsightly, but they can also cause skin injuries when the cat pulls on its hair to try to undo the knot itself. This is why it is very important to keep an eye on the cat's coat to be able to identify any changes in its appearance.

Where do hairballs form?

A cat without short hair can have knots all over its body, although certain areas that are difficult for the animal to access when grooming are more likely to become tangled. These areas include the following:

Underarms

Behind the ears

Behind the thighs

How to prevent the formation of hairballs?

Before having to resort to the elimination of hairballs formed in a cat's coat, it is best to learn how to prevent them. Sometimes hairballs form even in a cat with a medium-length coat, so your cat's hygiene routine becomes insufficient. However, if you want to prevent the fur from becoming tangled, try the following:

If your cat is long-haired, you will need to brush him every day for 5 minutes. Don't worry, it's very easy to do and it will become a routine for both of you. Use a metal toothbrush and then a metal comb with a rounded tip.

If your cat has medium long or short bristles, brush him 1 to 3 times a week with a rubber comb.

Whether long or short, when brushing your cat's hair, you should brush through the thickness of the hair to avoid internal knots. Lift the upper hair and brush the lower hair, taking care not to injure the cat's skin. At the end, give the cat a reward for good behaviour. It is important to establish this grooming routine at a young age so that the cat gets used to it. 

How do you remove hairballs from a cat?

If the knots have already formed, you will have to work hard to undo them to prevent the cat from injuring itself.

Follow these steps:

Try to open the knot with your fingers, taking care not to injure the cat, to separate it as much as possible. You can soften the knot with a detangler. Apply it and wait for it to dry before you start untangling it.

Try to untangle the knot with a comb with the teeth very close together, without pulling the fur. Start at the ends and work your way up.

Carefully insert blunt scissors between the knot and the skin to cut it.

Cut as many knots as possible, always with the tip of the scissors outward. If there are too many knots, remove them in several times.

Brush all the fur properly.

While performing this routine, you must remember :

Never pull on the hair, this will only hurt the cat and will not allow you to comb it again.

Do not force the situation. If after a few knots, the animal gets tired, let it go and continue the next day.

Be very careful when using scissors, you don't want accidents.

Prevention and elimination routines are best performed on dry fur.

In extreme cases, it may be necessary to shave the animal's hair due to the large number of knots. Leave this job to the grooming professionals.