# cat hairball medicines

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-hairball-medicines/589813>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 21, 2011, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-hairball-medicines/589813 "2011-07-21T05:06:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-hairball-medicines/589813/1 "2011-07-21T05:06:32Z")

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Do any of the things they make to keep cats from getting hairballs work - anyone have any experience? My 12 year old cat (required [photo](http://www.charwinccrs.com/photos/kittybed.jpg)) has recently started barfing up hairballs almost once a week, despite daily brushings. Hubby is, er, less than pleased…:smack:

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**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-hairball-medicines/589813/2 "2011-07-21T05:23:19Z")

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They can be helpful, but I would stick with the products that come in a tube like toothpaste, such as [Petromalt](http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=3570) rather than the chewy treat form. The key to success seems to be administering the product regularly. Most of my cats have liked the flavor, but if yours does not you can easily rub the paste on the tops of the cat’s front paws.

One of the down sides of products like this is the cost, and you might ask your vet if just adding some oil into your cat’s diet will be helpful. I don’t know if they still can tuna packed in oil, but that always worked well for the cats I had when I was a child.

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**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-hairball-medicines/589813/3 "2011-07-21T07:07:07Z")

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We put a little petroleum jelly on their paws.

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**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-hairball-medicines/589813/4 "2011-07-21T13:56:51Z")

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You might want to consult your vet anyway. If your cat went from not-barfing to barfing, it might be a symptom of something.

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**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\
**Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-hairball-medicines/589813/5 "2011-07-23T03:32:30Z")

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> [@picunurse](#):
>
> We put a little petroleum jelly on their paws.

Wow, that’s even something I have in the house! 🆒 I’ll give it a try

> [@panache45](#):
>
> You might want to consult your vet anyway. If your cat went from not-barfing to barfing, it might be a symptom of something.

She’s always barfed up hairballs, it’s just worse this year because we had something approaching winter last year so she has more fur to shed. And the hubby is getting testy about it, so I figured I’d better do something…