Give a long-haired cat hairball-preventing cat food. If you have a long-haired cat, it is a good idea to give it hairball-preventing food, especially if it has a history of choking up hairballs.

In most cases, this type of food helps to prevent hairballs by increasing the amount of fiber your cat is getting. Fiber increases the rate of digestion and moves food, and hair, through the digestive tract more effectively.

Feed your cat two or three times a day. The amount of food you give it will depend on the size of your cat. Look at the food packaging and follow the directions there for portion sizing, which is usually based on your cat's size and age. Cats who eat too quickly should be fed smaller, more frequent meals.