Bezoar in cats

Bezoars: what are they and why are they formed?

A bezoar is a ball of fur in a cat’s stomach. What causes it to form?

Licking its fur coat, the cat swallows dead hairs. In small amounts, the body removes them naturally. But if there is a lot of wool in the stomach, it gets tangled, mixed with food masses and can form “plugs”. Plugs provoke constipation and can lead to complete blockage of the gastrointestinal tract. In this case, all food entering the intestines will only move up to the “plugs”. It will not be able to push through the bezoars, it will accumulate in the body and cause intoxication or poisoning of the pet.

Under the pressure of bezoars and undigested food, the intestinal walls can burst! 

In difficult cases, if the hair is not removed from the stomach in a natural way, surgical intervention is required to preserve the health and life of the animal.

Bezoars in cats: symptoms

The following symptoms allow you to suspect hairballs in the stomach of a cat:

– violation of the chair,

– lack of appetite,

– apathy

– vomit,

– weight loss.

If you notice one or more of the signs, contact your veterinarian. Even if it’s a minor indigestion, it’s better to play it safe.

How to deal with bezoars?

Already existing large bezoars that clog the intestines are removed surgically. But it is in the power of each owner to prevent their education.

Bezoars in cats are formed due to the large amount of swallowed wool that accumulates in the body. So, we have two tasks – to reduce the amount of wool that a cat can swallow, and to help the swallowed wool to be excreted from the body.

The peak of bezoar formation falls during the molting period. At this time, the animal has to swallow a much larger amount of wool than usual, and the body may not be able to cope with it.

• We control the molt

Many domestic cats and dogs shed not seasonally (like their wild relatives), but all year round. Therefore, you need to take care of your pet’s coat regularly. To do this, you can visit the grooming salon: there your pet will be provided with a professional express molting service using safe shampoos and conditioners. You also need to take care of your hair at home. The more thoroughly you comb your cat, the less hair will get into her stomach.

For combing, choose tools that suit your cat’s coat type and fit comfortably in your hand. These are a variety of combs, brushes, brush-mittens, slickers and furminators (FURminator). The latter are the most effective, because allow you to hook dead hairs from the deep undercoat, and not just from the surface of the coat. That is, you remove those hairs that in the near future would inevitably end up on the cat’s tongue or decorate your furniture. 

The popularity of the original Furminator provoked the appearance of a mass of fakes. Be careful when making a purchase.

• Proper nutrition

The second step of prevention is a special balanced diet. A healthy cat has a healthy coat. And what is the source of health, if not in proper feeding?

Give preference to super premium diets. With a natural type of feeding, be sure to use vitamin and mineral supplements (contact a veterinarian for an appointment). A poor, insufficiently balanced diet leads to profuse hair loss, which we must avoid.

If your cat often suffers from stomach lumps, put her on a hair-removing diet (such as Monge Superpremium Cat Hairball). Consult with your veterinarian beforehand and make the transition from diet to diet smoothly.

• Removal of hair from the stomach

The third step is aids to combat bezoars. Special pastes, treats, sprouted oats will help remove hairballs from the cat’s stomach. 

Sprouted oats – a remedy for an amateur. Some cats love to chew grass and empty their stomachs, while others ignore it completely. By the way, it is this method that allows wild cats to cleanse the body in the wild. However, at home, few owners like to remove pet vomit from a laminate or favorite sofa. 

It is more effective and pleasant to use special treats and tasty vitamins for removing wool (vitamins GimCat Malt-Kiss, Mnyams pads for removing wool, etc.). Cats are happy to eat them themselves, and even ask for supplements. It is important to observe the norm of feeding with treats, then there will be no problems with bezoars and digestion.

Sprouted oats – a remedy for an amateur. Some cats love to chew weed, others ignore it. By the way, it is this method that allows you to cleanse the body of cats in the wild. We hope your pet will appreciate it too.

These are the main ways to prevent bezoars. Sometimes protecting your pet’s health is as easy as shelling pears!