According to Lisa Freeman, DVM, PhD, DACVN, a professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, hairball diets may have some benefit because they typically include increased fiber levels compared to most cat foods. However, they don’t help all cats.
Ensuring adequate water intake is important (you can try different types of water bowls, tap water versus bottled water, special fountains, etc. if your cat is the fussy type). Also, providing a canned food diet as opposed to dry kibble can also help increase your cat’s water intake.
Additionally, it’s also vital that you’re feeding your cat a good quality food that is complete and balanced. If you aren’t sure how to choose the best food for your cat, ask the opinion of your veterinarian.
And lastly, it’s important that your veterinarian determines that your cat is suffering from a problem with hairballs — as opposed to an underlying health condition.
