Hairballs in cats

Hairballs in cats are very common as they are very good at cleaning themselves and naturally know how to self-groom.

During these self-grooming sessions, they can swallow loose hair, which leads to hairball in cats. This is something that most cats get occasionally, and it is nothing to worry about at all.

What is a hairball?

A cat hairball is a collection of dead hair and digestive juices that have formed in your cat’s stomach. Cats develop hairballs by grooming themselves and swallowing the hair, which can build into balls in their stomach. Cat’s tongues have little barbs which are intended to snag loose hairs when they groom themselves. This also means that cats have little choice but to swallow the hair as they groom.

Hairballs are more common in long haired cats, such as Maine Coons and Persians, but cats that shed a lot or who groom them self continuously will also develop them as they tend to swallow a lot of fur.

Symptoms

When a cat is trying to bring up a hairball they may start retching, gagging, or acting like they are dry heaving and trying to vomit. Sometimes the sound they make is called ‘cough-gag-retch’. This is because your cat appears to be coughing from the lungs, gagging with their throat, and retching from the stomach.

Sometimes, cats will also eat grass to make themselves vomit. Hairballs are most common in spring when a cat sheds its coat for summer and grooms itself excessively to loosen the hair. It may be unpleasant to discover cat hairballs on the carpet or around the home, but at least your cat is not harbouring it in its stomach.

Preventing hairballs in cats

There is no way to completely stop hairballs from forming, but there are a few things you can do to help.

Brush your cat

Proper cat grooming can help get rid of dead and loose hairs on their coat. Regular and routine brushing can mean there are less loose hairs for them to swallow and less consumed hair means less hairballs.

Haircuts

Keeping your cat’s coat regularly trimmed means that the hair your cat consumes is less likely to become tangled in a hairball and has a greater chance of passing through their system without incident.

High fibre diet

If you feed you cat a diet that is high in fibre, this helps to stop hairballs forming in the stomach. A balanced diet is full of the right nutrients helps to support your cat’s coat, reduces shredding, and helps it to remain sleek and glossy.

Reduce stress

Identify possible sources of anxiety, e.g., changes in their indoor or external environment or illness. Stress can lead to your cat overgrooming. Make sure your cat has access to their food and water bowls and they have their own litter tray if there are more than one pet in the home. Reduce stress using Nutracalm, which is a fast acting support for stress and anxiety in pets.

Discourage excessive grooming

If you suspect that your cat’s hairballs are a result of excessive grooming, try to train your cat to do something else instead of licking their coat. This could include encouraging them to play with a new toy on their own and finding one you can play with together.

Keep your cat active

Regular exercise keeps your cat’s digestive system working at its peak efficiency to keep the hair moving through the system instead of collecting in clumps.

Use a hairball remedy

These are usually available in gel or a paste format and often contain a small amount of petroleum gel or mineral oil to help lubricate your cat’s digestive system, allowing the hair to pass more easily. Always check with your vet before administering this type of product.

Water

Dehydration can affect your cat’s digestive system and can lead to hairballs. Make sure your cat has access to plenty of fresh, clean water daily.

Speak to your vet

Sometimes hairballs can become lodged in a cat’s digestive system, and they may have problems passing them. If your cat is showing any signs that they have a serious hairball problem, such as constant dry hacking, lack of appetite, swollen abdomen, or constipation or diarrhoea, speak to you vet. Some of these symptoms could be a sign of another serious issue, so it’s important to check with your vet as soon as you can.