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Best Cat Hairball Remedies for 2022

Cats often take real pride in their appearance, keeping themselves clean and looking ready and primed for their next outing. But the downside? They can suffer from the odd hairball.

This happens when their loose hairs are ingested, and they then cough them up again. Usually, they can deal with this themselves as the hairs pass through the body naturally or are regurgitated. But if the problem is particularly serious then they may need a bit of help trying to cough it up.

Cat hairball treatment comes in various forms depending on your cat’s dietary needs and preferences. If they regularly suffer from furballs, it could be worth buying food that they can have daily and will continuously ensure their throat is lubricated. But if it is occasional, treats it temporary medication may be suitable.

It’s also vital you reduce how much they have to groom. Loose hairs can be removed using a comb or grooming glove, and hairs on their bed can be brushed off soft surfaces.

There’s no need to worry if your cat has a furball, but ignoring the issue could result in loss of appetite or weight loss. Below are some products that can both reduce the likelihood of furballs and treat existing ones.

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    Our Top Picks

    Image Product Details
    Beaphar Hairball Paste
    • 2-in-1 paste
    • Easy to give to the cat
    • Suitable for cats over six months
    Check Price
    Whiskas Anti-Hairball Cat Treats
    • Can give up to 10 pieces per day
    • Meat flavour
    Check Price
    Purina ONE Coat and Hairball Dry Cat Food
    • For adult cats
    • Host of all-round nutrients
    • Good for reducing risk of furballs
    Check Price

    The Top Hairball Remedies Reviewed

    1.
    Beaphar Hairball Paste

    This is a dual-action paste for cats who are experiencing difficulty with hairballs, whether it be long-term or a singular event.

    It is a mixture of a dark brown stripe and a light brown stripe. The former is rich in vegetable oils and malt, which helps to lubricate the throat and ease the passage of hairballs when they are being coughed up, as well as restricting the likelihood that loose hairs will gather in the first place.

    The latter is rich in bioMOS, which is a pro-biotic which aids healthy gut flora and digestion, so they are more likely to be able to deal with it themselves.

    It is also a good product if your cat seems to become very agitated when passing a hairball, with a raspy cough or wretching. To give to your cat, you can just mix with food, on a treat or place it on your finger for them to lick off. It has been made as tasty as possible so they won’t turn their noses up at it.

    Features

    • 2-in-1 paste
    • Easy to give to the cat
    • Suitable for cats over six months

    Specifications

    • Flavour: Malty
    • Size: 100g
    • Ingredients: Oils & Fats, Milk and milk derivatives, Derivatives of vegetable origin, Malt extract, Mannan Oligosaccharide (MOS), Yeasts

    2.
    Whiskas Anti-Hairball Cat Treats

    Combining medication with treats will be the absolute only way for some fussy noses and tastebuds.

    These have a crispy outer and a soft inner, so are just like their usual treats, but with an added convenience of helping their digestion. Up to ten pieces can be given to your cat each day, and as long as you adjust their diet accordingly, they can be used as rewards or simply as and when they need them (or demand them).

    If fed daily, they will reduce the likelihood of fur balls as well as aiding existing issues.

    Features

    • Can give up to 10 pieces per day
    • Meat flavour

    Specifications

    • Flavour: Chicken
    • Size: 55g
    • Ingredients: Cereals, Meat and Animal Derivatives, Oils and Fats, Derivatives of Vegetable Origin, Minerals, Milk and Milk Derivatives

    3.
    Purina ONE Coat and Hairball Dry Cat Food

    If your cat normally eats dried food because he won’t touch wet, and you are wondering how to incorporate the anti-furball aids into his diet, then this food has been specially formulated for your fussy fluffball.

    The main priority of the food is to keep the skin and fur in top condition, minimising the risk of matting and loose hairs which is the first step in combatting furballs. But the food also contains high fibre content and a special combination of fibres including cellulose, which minimises the risk of them forming in the digestive system.

    Key nutrients, including high-quality protein, vitamins and essential fatty acids are all there too, so the food doesn’t just help with furballs but also with general health maintenance.

    Features

    • For adult cats
    • Host of all-round nutrients
    • Good for reducing risk of furballs

    Specifications

    • Flavour: Chicken/Salmon
    • Size: 3kg
    • Ingredients: Chicken, dried poultry protein, whole grain wheat, maize, soya meal, wheat gluten meal, animal fat, dried beet pulp, maize gluten meal, dried chicory root

    4.
    Purina One Cat Wet Food Coat & Hair Ball

    Should your kitty demand wet food, Purina has also developed a pouch specifically for their tastes.

    You have all of the nutrients required for healthy skin and fur, which should reduce some of the issues regarding grooming. Beyond this, however, the fibres help any existing hairballs to break down and minimalise, so they can be extracted a lot easier.

    Depending on your cat and their activity levels, one or two pouches should be perfect for their meal.

    Features

    • Wet food
    • Rich in vitamins and minerals
    • Good serving sizes

    Specifications

    • Flavour: Chicken
    • Size: 24 x 85g
    • Ingredients: Chicken, Green beans, Whole Grain wheat, Maize, Wheat, Maize, Animal fat

    5.
    Vitakraft Cat Grass

    If you can’t change your cat’s diet because of health reasons, or because they are too fussy to try anything new, cat grass could be a better idea.

    This is a grow-your-own-grass mix, so you can choose to plant it indoors or out depending on the behaviour of your cat. The grass contains vitamins, minerals and chlorophyll, which all helps digestion and is appealing to your cat, too.

    The seeds are highly germinable so they will always continue to grow no matter how much your cat chews away. It grows in enriched soil which is free of any chemicals or pesticides, so they can enjoy the grass all throughout the year.

    Features

    • Grows very quickly
    • Good at settling stomach without diet changes

    Specifications

    • Size: 6 x 14 x 26cm
    • Ingredients: Vitamins, Minerals, Chlorophyll

    6.
    Johnsons Hairball Remedy

    With the ability to give this paste to both adult cats and kittens, it is great for any cats who are either starting out on their grooming journey or have encountered issues previously.

    It is a tasty malt-flavoured paste, so can be given to your cat either with food and treats or just on your finger or a spoon for them to lick off. It both eliminates and prevents hairballs, so makes them much more comfortable.

    Johnsons also say it is a good idea to place a dab on your cat’s paw and let them lick it off there is they are happy with you doing that. It is a good price, so worth a go if the higher prices of rival makes is a bit off-putting.

    Features

    • Suitable for kittens

    Specifications

    • Flavour: Malt
    • Size: 50g
    • Ingredients: Malt, soft paraffin, liquid paraffin

    7.
    Vet's Best Hairball Relief Gel Supplement

    If you strongly believe in plant-based nutrition for your animals then this Vet’s Best paste could solve the hairball conundrum.

    It contains a blend of naturally occurring plant extracts, which are all proven to boost general health as well as digestion. They are all sustainable, so will be able to help your cat in the long-term, and it is a petroleum-free mix.

    Cats over the age of eight weeks can be introduced to the mix, and you have a choice over how best to it to them.

    Features

    • Suitable for cats over eight weeks

    Specifications

    • Flavour: Chicken
    • Size: 100g
    • Ingredients: Water, Glycerine, Pumpkin Fibre Powder 6.3%, Psyllium seed husk, Cereals, Slippery Elm bark 1.48%, Chicory Root powder, Marshmallow root powder, Apple Fibre Powder

    8.
    VetIQ HealthyBites Hairball Remedy

    Fussy cats may need their medication in the form of treats, and if this is the case in your home then these little bites are ideal.

    They contain a source of Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, which help keep the digestive system in good working order so it can deal with foreign objects such as furballs easier. Inulin is also present, and if your cat is on a weight controlled diet then they’re still suitable. This is great if their diet is otherwise restricted.

    Features

    • Suitable for small cats and kittens
    • Good for weight-restricted diets

    Specifications

    • Flavour: Chicken
    • Size: 65g
    • Ingredients: Meat & Animal Derivatives, Cereals, Oils & Fats, Derivatives of Vegetable Origin, Milk & Milk Derivatives, Minerals

    9.
    Royal Canin Hairball Care

    Royal Canin Care hairball food has been proven to eliminate twice as much hair in a cat’s body after just 14 days, so this food can really help with ongoing furball issues and digestive problems.

    It contains a researched mix of dietary fibres, including psyllium which is rich in mucilage and helps the natural process of the intestines. Other ingredients help with keeping fur and skin healthy, as well as urinary health and bone health.

    You can choose from a choice of bag sizes, so if your cat can’t get enough of the stuff then opting for the largest 10kg size will see you through.

    Features

    • Mixture of nutrients
    • Good for overweight cats

    Specifications

    • Flavour: Chicken
    • Size: 400g/4kg/10kg
    • Ingredients: Dehydrated poultry protein, vegetable protein isolate, maize, vegetable fibres, rice, animal fats, hydrolysed animal proteins, wheat, maize flour, maize gluten, beet pulp, yeasts and parts thereof, minerals, soya oil, fish oil, fructooligosaccharides, psyllium husks and seeds

    10.
    Katalax Hairball Paste

    This paste contains the best three ingredients possible for the relief of furballs and any other digestive issues your cat may be facing.

    Just give them an inch of the mix on your finger or on their paw if they are fussy and taking a while to get used to it. It can be administered up to twice daily, and the amount just needs to be halved for smaller cats or kittens.

    It is a paste commonly prescribed by vets, so is trusted in the profession. The blend is palatable, so even if your kitty is very fussy, there is a high chance the malt flavour will still appeal.

    Features

    • Suitable for young cats

    Specifications

    • Flavour: Malt
    • Size: 56.7g
    • Ingredients: White soft paraffin, cod liver oil, malt extract

    Buying Guide

    How we found the best cat hairball treatments

    Furballs are a completely natural part of a cat’s grooming ritual. They are a mixture of the loose hairs and digestive juices which have formed in your cat’s stomach.

    Most hairs do pass right through the body, but it is understandable that some do get trapped in the digestive system. Once this starts, there can be a build-up.

    The products above are designed to help your cat remove a furball naturally. Most of the time, they can do this themselves, but there may be occasions where they need a bit of help.

    The majority come as pastes for occasional use, but there are also foods and treats out there which can be used more regularly. We analysed all the variations, as well as hundreds of reviews, to find the best. We looked for solutions that worked and helped across the board, as we know no two cats are the same.

    Types of hairball treatment

    Depending on your cat and how serious the problem is, you may need to purchase particular items or types which are both easiest for your cat to manage and will sort out the issue.

    Food

    This is a good answer if your cat has regularly struggled to remove furballs, and you need a constant way to monitor this. They are high in fibre, which reduces the likelihood of them settling in the stomach, and also keeps the coat shiny and healthy

    Treats

    If your cat is on specific dietary food or is fussy about changing, treats are a good way to administer the treatment. They don’t know any different, but you can usually give them up to 10 pieces per day

    Gel

    Another form of a treat in a way. A paste which they can lick off your finger, off their paw or on food so it is relatively easy to give to them. Often tastes meaty or malty to appeal

    Grass

    Cats naturally eat grass outside if they are struggling with their digestion, but if you don’t have any growing, have an indoor cat or are concerned about pests and grass treatments they could be consuming, then growing your own is a good idea

    Other Buyers Ask...

    How do I know if my cat has furballs?

    If you see your cat retching or coughing then it is nothing to worry about; fur balls are natural. Most are passed through just like their food, but occasionally it will build up.

    But it is when this retching seems to be prolonged or is not bringing anything up after a few goes, that you need to start being concerned. Other issues to look out for are lack of appetite, weight loss and a change in character.

    If you see them eating grass outside, or they seem to be more interested in soft foods or treats than their usual food, it could be a sign that they’re struggling to swallow ordinary food.

    How can I reduce the likelihood of furballs?

    While they can be unavoidable due to your cat’s natural grooming habits, there are ways to combat an excessive amount of loose hair on your cat.

    Buying a brush, grooming glove or comb is a good start. Pick the one your cat likes the most – if they want a fuss or are slightly nervous, the glove is a great idea. Should your cat be a more exotic breed, taking them to a professional groomer could be a thought?

    We have a guide on how to manage furballs, with tips and tricks to limit their effect.

    Which ingredients are in hairball treatment?

    Most hairball treatments contain similar ingredients, such as malt, animal derivatives and vegetable derivatives so the flavour appeal is there and doesn’t taste ‘off’ from what they usually eat.

    In terms of the ingredients which actually do the job, most will choose from paraffin, oils and glycerin which lubricates the digestive system. The majority should be perfectly fine for your cat, but if you have noticed that they tend to struggle with certain ingredients then it could be a good idea to see a vet before you purchase anything, to ensure the best option.