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Most cats spend a considerable amount of time grooming their coats. As they do so, their hair is swallowed and may build up over time in their stomach. If the hairball doesn’t pass from the stomach, the cat will attempt to eliminate it by coughing or gagging.
Many cats have a hairball at some point in their life, but some cats, such as long-haired cats and cats that groom excessively, are especially prone to hairballs. In hairball-prone cats, frequent brushing can help reduce the amount of hair that is ingested, thereby reducing the risk of hairball formation. Feeding a special diet designed to decrease the likelihood of developing a hairball may also help.
Diet can be important in hairball relief for several reasons. The fiber combination of powdered cellulose and beet pulp in IAMS™ hairball formulas helps move hair through the digestive tract. IAMS research has shown that cats fed IAMS ProActive Health™ Adult Hairball Care pass 80% more hair in their feces than cats fed a leading premium dry cat food. By helping ingested hair to be passed from the digestive tract, IAMS hairball formulas help reduce the opportunities for hairballs to form. This fiber blend also includes a moderately fermentable component to promote intestinal health. High-quality, animal-based protein and fat, found in IAMS hairball formulas, provide important nutrients for skin and coat health. Maintaining skin and coat health may reduce the risk of excessive shedding, ingestion of hair from grooming, and, consequently, hairball formation.
Overweight cats have special nutritional needs in order to promote weight loss or weight management. Likewise, senior cats have special nutritional needs that are better met through a diet designed specifically for them. If an overweight or senior cat has problems with hairballs, feeding an IAMS hairball formula for indoor or senior (age 7+) cats is a great choice.
Yes. Mixing other foods with IAMS hairball formulas may compromise the effectiveness of this diet by diluting the nutrients that help reduce the risk of hairball formation. Switching between IAMS hairball formulas and another cat food may also decrease the benefit of feeding this diet.
Corn is found in many cat foods — but not all corn is created equal. Learn more about this ingredient, its forms and its role as a source of energy for your cat.
Corn is included in cat food formulas in various forms, such as ground corn, corn meal, corn grits, corn gluten meal and corn bran. When reviewing the ingredients list on cat food packaging, you may see one or more of the following corn ingredients:
Corn Ingredient | What It Is |
Ground corn or corn meal | Finely ground and chopped whole corn |
Corn grits | The portion of ground corn containing little or none of the bran (fiber) or germ (the small protein portion at the end of the kernel) |
Corn bran | The outer coating of the corn kernel; largely fiber |
Corn gluten meal | A dried protein source that remains after the corn’s bran has been separated and removed and a large portion of the carbohydrate and germ have been removed |
Corn is included in the formulas for all IAMS cat foods, including IAMS™ ProActive Health™ Healthy Adult and ProActive Health™ Healthy Kitten. It is more appropriate to associate the corn used in our products with “corn bread” rather than “corn on the cob.” The difference is similar to cooked corn versus raw corn. We use only the highest-quality corn in our products. The corn is finely ground to a meal, which breaks up the outside covering of each kernel, and then it is cooked, which increases its digestibility.
Corn grits and corn meal are used in our foods as high-quality sources of carbohydrates, which are an important source of energy. Corn generally also results in lower glycemic and insulin response than rice. This can be especially beneficial for senior and overweight cats.
