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How Nutrition Can Help Manage Your Cat’s Hairballs

Why Make a Hairball Management Formula?

Most cats are susceptible to hairballs due to continual ingestion of hair during regular self-grooming.
Cat owners have told us that hairballs are one of their top concerns.
According to IAMS™ consumer research, a number of cat owners and their cats have found hairball treatments to be an unpleasant experience.

How Were the IAMS Hairball Formulas Developed?

IAMS nutritionists were looking for a way to control hairball formation while maintaining optimal feline health and well-being. They evaluated risk factors for hairball formation in cats fed diets that varied in fiber source and content.

98 cats were studied.
Nine groups were fed test diets and three were fed control diets.
The test-feeding period was six to seven weeks, following a five-week control-feeding period.
Total cat-days of testing = 9,968.

Researchers found that feeding diets that contained a blend of beet pulp and cellulose was more effective at moving hair through the digestive tract, compared with the same diets containing beet pulp as the only fiber source.

There was an 80% to 100% increase in fecal hair excretion with beet pulp/cellulose-blend diets, compared with the beet-pulp-only diet.
By promoting the passage of hair ingested by the cat during normal self-grooming, an important risk factor for hairball formation is minimized.
Hairballs were not evident in cats fed the beet pulp/cellulose-blend diets.

How Do IAMS Hairball Formulas Work?

The fiber system (blend of beet pulp/cellulose) gently moves hair through the gastrointestinal tract while maintaining healthy digestion.
- Beet pulp, a moderately fermentable fiber, promotes optimal intestinal health.
- Cellulose helps to enhance the passage of ingested hair.
An optimal fatty acid ratio enhances skin and coat health, which decreases the likelihood of excessive shedding, a factor related to hairball formation.

How Do IAMS Hairball Formulas Compare with Other IAMS Cat Food Formulas?

IAMS hairball formulas provide high-quality nutrition and taste, like our other adult formulas, with the added benefit of reducing the risk of hairballs.

High-quality nutrition for adult cats
- Optimal protein and fat levels
- Higher fiber content due to added cellulose
- Excellent stool quality, skin and coat condition, and taurine status
Great taste
- Similar acceptability and palatability test results as other IAMS adult formulas

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Senior Cat Nutrition Facts and Fixes
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So, your baby's not a baby anymore.
You remember the first time you met like it was yesterday, but lately you find yourself wondering if your cat has entered the golden years.

Here are some things to know about senior cats, including signs they’re ageing and ways to alter their diets to keep them going strong.

Cats reach their senior years around age 11.
Gasp!
Is my baby ... old?

But older cats are kinda like older people
A 12-year-old cat is equivalent to a 64-year-old human.
This 64-year-old
ran a marathon,
so you never
know.

Don't worry; it's normal.
Just like people, cats often show signs that they're getting older:
• Decreased activity
• Joint weakness
• A picky palate
• Confused by the internet

A complete and balanced diet is important, whether or not your cat has underlying health issues.

Reasons to change a senior cat's diet:

1. Obesity
We get it. Indoor cats have less opportunity to exercise than outdoor cats. Just don’t let those calories add up to unwanted pounds.
10 extra calories a day = up to 1 pound a year.

2. Underweight
Picky eating in older age often comes from a reduced ability to taste and smell. Cats 14 years and older are 15 times more likely to be too skinny.
So make sure you’re feeding your cat a food that’s high in calorie density and as tasty as possible.

3. Heart Disease
Senior cats with heart disease may need a special veterinarian-prescribed food.

4. Kidney Disease
Senior cats with kidney issues may need veterinarian-prescribed food that's lower in potassium and protein.

5. Diabetes
Cats with diabetes may need to eat a special veterinarian-prescribed diet.

6. Dental Issues
Consider adding dry food to your cat’s diet which can help remove plaque buildup.

Bring on the meat!
All adults cats, regardless of age, should be fed a carnivorous diet.
An animal-based protein should be the first ingredient on any cat food label.

What about supplements?
Good news: You don’t have to worry about providing additional supplements when you choose IAMS™. All foods are nutritionally complete and balanced.

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