Hairball Facts

Hairballs are a fact of life for most cats. Hairballs are a result of your cat’s fastidious grooming habits. Tiny, hook-like structures on a cat’s tongue catches their fur,  which is, in turn, ingested by your unsuspecting kitty. While most of the fur passes through your cat’s digestive system, some is left over in the stomach, resulting in  it an indigestible hairball, which your cat then pukes up.

Other things you probably never knew about hairballs include:

  • The scientific word for hairball is trichobezoar
  • Hairballs are not actually round; rather, they take on the shape of the cat’s esophagus as they are regurgitated, making them appear cylindrical
  • No cat is immune to hairballs, but long-haired varieties are more prone to them
  • Hairballs may occur more frequently during the times of the year when cats are likely to be shedding their coats

How You Can Help

While you will probably never be able to truly eliminate your cat’s hairballs, there are a variety of ways you can help:

Regular brushing – By brushing your cat daily, and even having him or her professionally groomed every so often, you can remove a lot of the excess hair that would otherwise wind up in your kitty’s intestinal tract.

Special diets – Consider feeding your cat a specialized cat food made to reduce shedding and encourage hairballs to pass naturally through the digestive system. Give us a call for recommendations.

Lubrication – There are a variety of hairball remedies on the market (most are mild, petroleum-based laxatives) that can be effective at minimizing hairballs and helping them to pass more easily.

When To Be Concerned About Hairballs

It’s safe to say that hairballs are an unpleasant fact of life for most cats and their owners, and many cats will regurgitate a hairball as often as every other week or so. But sometimes coughing or vomiting can indicate a more serious problem, such as an intestinal blockage. Give us a call right away if your cat’s hacking is accompanied by any of the following symptoms:

  • Lethargy
  • Loss of appetite
  • Constipation
  • Diarrhea
  • Persistent coughing, vomiting, or gagging without producing a hairball

Now that you’re a hairball expert, you can go forth and educate your fellow cat owners about the complexities of the common hairball. Happy National Hairball Awareness Day!