Being a pet owner, you know how good cats can take care of themselves. Most of the time, you would notice them licking themselves for a meticulous grooming. However, do you notice hairballs on your floor or in the corners of your rooms? While you might be thinking that cats releasing hairballs are normal, there might be some potential problem affecting your feline friend. Once you consult the vet, the expert would recommend the best food for hairball control for your cat.

Now, you must be wondering what causes hairballs in cats, and what would the right meal be for your pet, right? This post will answer all these questions for pet lovers.

What causes hairball problems in cats?

Here are some of the common reasons leading to hairball problems in cats.

  • Anxiety and stress: Your cat is likely to obsessively scratch or lick its body under stress or anxiety. Particularly, they desperately scratch their legs, sides, and belly, turning them pink.
  • Allergies: Just like humans, cats can also be allergic to certain foods, medicines, insect bites, or dust. They are likely to lick their bodies to comfort themselves. This leads to bald spots on their coats.
  • Parasites: Ticks, lice, mites, and fleas can cause discomfiture in cats. As they continue licking and scratching their bodies, the bald spots become sore.
  • Infections: Sometimes, ringworms cause infections in cats, and you would notice a scaly patch on their coat. Normally, vets recommend antifungal ointments and creams to address these issues. Oral medicines and medicated baths can also help your pet.

What is the ideal cat food to control hairball issues?

Experts recommend high-fiber diets to cats to deal with hairball problems. You must be knowing that different kinds of fibers aid the digestive process in their own ways.

  • Insoluble fiber is indigestible and can help in eliminating hair through your cat’s intestinal tract. Particularly, lignins, hemicelluloses, cellulose, and similar fiber sources are recommended for cats.
  • Your cat food should also include some partially digestible fibers, which are soluble. Insulin, chicory, pectin, oats, plant gums, and beet pulp can enhance the gut function of your pet.
  • In the large intestines of cats, some bacteria are present. They can disintegrate the soluble fibers partially. In the process, they generate short-chain fatty acids. These serve as prominent energy sources for the cells around the large intestines of cats.

You simply need to reach out to an established pet food manufacturer for proper nutrition for your cat. The leading manufacturers have come up with specified diets that address hairballs in cats. Go for dry diets that include around 10% crude fiber. Besides, you can mix unflavored psyllium or canned pumpkin to produce a healthy food for your pet.

 Buying the right cat food for hairball problems

Currently, you will come across a wide range of cat food products designed to address hairball issues. Simply narrow down your options before making the purchase, following these guidelines.

  • Go for a branded cat food manufacturer and purchase an accurately balanced food. This will prevent the formation of hairballs in cats when they take the meal regularly.
  • Procure food containing natural vegetable fibers to aid the process of hair movement through their system. Remember, no artificial lubricant or drug would be a permanent solution. Rather, they might mess up with the normal nutrient absorption or digestion of your cat.
  • Buy cat food with adequate fatty acids. This would promote a shiny coat and keep their skin healthy.

 Considering these guidelines, you can make your decision when you buy the best cat food for hairball problems. Reach out to one of the leading pet food suppliers around for affordable and quality products.