Beware Hairball medication

Some time ago I was giving my cat Laxatone for furballs. Duh! There's corn syrup in it! Can't be good!

Laxatone, from Tomlyn, is an over-the-counter medication for cats with hairball-related constipation. A blend of white petrolatum and mineral oil sweetened with molasses and corn syrup, Laxatone will lubricate your cat's digestive tract so she can pass any fecal material clogged with hair.

you can use butter instead. most cats like it and it works the same. some people use vaseline - doesn't sound great to me, but i guess some cats will eat it.

I am putting a tsp of olive oil with her food. Works ok, no more throwup of hairball.

There used to be a product called Vetbasis that was great for diabetics because it was sugar-free. The company has gone out of business :sad: But it looks like you may still be able to purchase the product from this web site: http://www.atyourdoorpetstore.com/Vetbasis-Feline-Hairball-Gel-3oz-P433.aspx

There is also this sugar-free hairball product: http://www.prosensepet.com/Products/Cat/Remedies/Hairball-Eliminator-Sugar-Free.aspx It says it is safe for diabetics but the ingredients list malt powder and malt flavor :? Not sure how much, if at all, those ingredients would affect bgs.

And this: http://www.naturvet.com/index.php?option=com_dogcat&task=view&Itemid=36&pid=132

And Laxatone Natural in the white tube, not the green tubes which do contain some sort of sugar: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=19963

This is great to know. But one question. If I use the olive oil or butter, how often should I give it to him?

julie & punkin said:

you can use butter instead. most cats like it and it works the same. some people use vaseline - doesn't sound great to me, but i guess some cats will eat it.

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I had a long-haired cat who thought Vaseline was a wonderful treat!

so my foster kitty beating up my tub of butter until he knocks it on the floor, dislodging the lid, and eating the contents is ok?

seriously, he does this. it's happened a couple times now. i've taken it away from him though but now i'm thinking i should let him go at it? LOL!! maybe i should dole it out to him and not let him eat the whole tub

i've always been able to use whatever hairball gel i could find as my diabetic Mousie has never really needed it but i've been wondering what i would do for him since we're in shedding season and he's long haired. I've been doing extra brushings around here to minimize hairball production but if he could help out some by having some butter that would be cool

tortie58 said:

I am putting a tsp of olive oil with her food. Works ok, no more throwup of hairball.

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Olive oil or coconut oil or fish oil would all probably work the same, do you think?

Pumbaa said:

julie & punkin said:

you can use butter instead. most cats like it and it works the same. some people use vaseline - doesn't sound great to me, but i guess some cats will eat it.

Click to expand...

I had a long-haired cat who thought Vaseline was a wonderful treat!

Click to expand...

I use vaseline on occasion with Bandit--if you dab it on their paw they'll lick it off regardless.

Is that the good old vaseline we apply to our chapped lips *& hands?
When I gave Rosy a tsp of butter, she had running poo poo that night. Now I give her tsp of oilve oil added to her food, she's fine. No more throwups of hairball. I guess giving the oil once in a while like you give the hairball remedy would be adequate.