I've found that the only real thing that gives my cat hairballs is the hairball remedy food (any kind), or the hairball remedy that you put on the paws.  Otherwise, there's 1 or 2 a month.  Anyone else find this?  Is there really a way to prevent them for good?  Thanks in advance for any advice that comes through!

Where is the answer "never"? My previous cat never had hairballs and I never noticed it with Julian. Is something wrong with me and I'm not attentive enough? How do they suppose to look like?

Whitebaby, thank you! I don't think any of my cats had hairballs ever, otherwise I would have noticed it. I have hardwood floors and I clean them pretty often. And I have perfect vision (no glasses or lenses:)) and so far I had only one pet at a time.

I don't know but I suspect (maybe I'm wrong) that my previous cat was show cat and I have to bathe him very often and I gave him natural (homemade?) food only, not cats food. And I never had really much of his hair on the furniture or wherever - I pulled his dead hair myself one by one, I groomed him daily, sometimes I used a wet cloth and just wiped him:).

Julian is 5 months old now and I do not have his hair on my furniture of floor AT ALL. Not one. Zero. I'm suprised myself and my boyfriend can't believe it but it's true. I think he will shed soon and compensate for this period:). And he is on natural diet with supplements too, and I bathe him once a week.

And none of my cats ever vomitted (I keep fingers crossed).

My previous cat's son is at my close girlfriend. He is on "natural" food, has cats food very rarely and just for this teeth. He is 15 years now, and he has been to the vet ONLY for annual check up and teeth cleaning (I keep fingers crossed). He is extreme type show quality persian cameo (she never showed him through) with deep break and short nose etc. and he has never been neutered and he didn't spray. This is the reason why I went for this homemade diet with Julian.

Well, I only need to ad that my friend's cat is very picky and food and it makes her almost cry. He wouldn't eat meat that was refrigerated for more than 24 hours etc.

Actually, the Petromalt can have THREE outcomes:

1) Given as a preventative a few times per week, the cat will not regurgitate it.  

2) Putting it on it's paws only increases the possibility of the hairball coming up, because it will LICK-lick-lick to get it off.

Me?  I simply put a one inch ribbon on my index finger, and each of them will lick it off of me, lol.  That's how I discovered that cats eat with BOTH sides of their tongue! :shock:

2) The hairball has already formed, and is much to large to go through normal bowel movement; the Petromalt, or whatever gel/paste you use will then give the cat great relief, by causing it to be coughed up!

Bathing cats at least once a month will greatly bring the fur shedding and hairballs way down.

Also, diet helps.  I used to make Princess Daphne's food once per month, and NEVER had a hairball with her, whether I bathed her that month or not!  She had the silkiest fur I've ever felt, and grooming her daily was such a joy for both of us!

Persians do seem to need a higher percentage of fat than other cats, simply because of the fur, which demands it, from what I've noticed.  That's why I've preferred the Eukanuba lamb & rice.

Now, I'm feeding ALL the cats wet twice per day, with their kibble mixed in for added texture, and I'm wondering if higher water content will help.

- Julie