The sound of hacking. The uncontrollable gagging. The unpleasant convulsing that consumes your cat. Most likely, you know what this leads to, and if you don't, it's time for your daily dose of cat facts.
Unfortunately, your cat is about to throw up a hairball. Grab some ear plugs and a mop.
What is a hairball?
Known technically as trichobezoars, hairballs are tubular shaped wads of woven downy fur moistened with stomach juices. They are gagged or wretched up after noisy, agonizing efforts, with the cat in a crouched position, head extended.
What does a cat hairball look like?
Cat hairballs are typically the color of your cat’s fur coat or a bit darker due to green bile. They are an inch to several inches long.
Why do cats get hairballs?
Hairballs may be an unpleasant experience for both you and your cat, but they are a natural result of your cat's grooming habits. When your cat licks himself as a form of grooming, the barbs on his tongue catch the dead, loose hair that remains on the surface. Along with everything else that ends up in your cat's saliva, the loose hair is swallowed and begins its journey through your cat's digestive tract.
However, hair is not digestible. It will pass through the digestive tract and end up in the stool. During heavy shedding seasons, the volume of hair may be too great to leave the stomach and it will knit together into a hairball. This is an irritant to the lining of the stomach and will trigger the vomiting/gagging reaction to empty the stomach.
Hairballs are quite routine, sometimes weekly events, in long-haired cats such as Persians or Maine Coon cats. Other cats with skin or coat troubles such as allergies, or those that groom excessively, may have frequent hairballs.
Hairballs can have serious side effects
Hairballs occasionally pass out of the stomach and can cause a blockage in the intestinal tract. Keep an eye out for these symptoms:
- Undigested food regurgitated
- Dehydration
- Low appetite or not eating
- Lethargy
- Swollen abdomen
If these signs have been present for 24-48 hours, veterinary intervention should be sought. Often, hydration with subcutaneous fluids will make things right.
Constipation may also develop from excessive hair ingestion and again, hydration should be a help. In some cases, enemas are needed to evacuate the hairball. Rarely, surgery will be indicated.
Vomiting and gagging can be signs of other more serious diseases such as asthma, heartworm disease, kidney disease, pancreatitis, inflammatory bowel disease or even cancer. If your cat is not producing hairballs after the vomiting episodes, he will need a good physical exam and more advanced workup such as lab work and x-rays.
How to prevent hairballs in cats
Hairballs are impossible to completely prevent; your cats will never learn to quit grooming themselves because they might get a hairball weeks later. Some breeds are more likely than others to get hairballs, such as cats with long hair or cats who groom themselves more frequently.
Instead, focus on what you can do to help reduce cat hairballs, particularly in the spring and summer when fur shedding is at its peak.
Cat hairball remedy: 7 things to try
We have compiled a list of 7 ways to reduce hairballs in cats based on cat satisfaction and cat parent success.
Brush, brush, brush
The best hairball remedy is to help your cat groom. Weekly brushing of short-haired cats and daily brushing of long-haired cats, especially in the spring, really will reduce the amount of hair the cat ingests. There are several types of cat hair brushes—even pet hair remover gloves—or you can consult with a groomer or veterinarian about the best tool to use.
Some long-haired cats may need to be shaved in a "lion cut" if brushing is not successful and the hair becomes matted. As cats age, they have more trouble reaching their back and you may find matted hair that needs to be clipped or shaved off.
Fiber
More recently, dietary management has been used for hairball prevention. The addition of natural fibers such as beet pulp and cellulose to cat food is meant to mix with the hair in the stomach and prevent the hair from matting, thus allowing it to pass on through.
Surprisingly, many cats like canned pumpkin, which has the same benefit to keep things moving through the intestinal tract. It also adds liquid to the diet, which is very beneficial.
Intestinal lubricants
There are hairball prevention products on the market that act as intestinal “lubricants.” You can think of them as laxatives; they make it easier for your cat's hair to gently move through its digestive tract and out of the body the natural way.
Some vets recommend Laxatone, a tasty gel laxative, which may help decrease the incidence of hairballs. Ask your veterinarian for the best hairball prevention product for your cat.
Hydration
Give your cat more of nature's digestive lubricant: water! You probably have one bowl of water in the kitchen or wherever your cat eats. Place an extra bowl of water in the bathroom, laundry room, or whatever room your cat frequents.
Cats also love moving water, so take a minute if your cat is around and turn on the faucet for a minute or two, or try a cat water fountain. Better hydration will flush out your cat's system, reducing hair buildup in the stomach.
Hairball-specific cat food
Many cat food companies have taken strides to create hairball-reducing meal options for your cat. They are not only full of fiber to help pass hair along the digestive tract, but they also promote the growth of strong hair to minimize shedding and maintenance of a healthy coat. Omega-6 fatty acids are added to some cat foods to improve the coat condition.
Sudden food changes may upset a cat's stomach, so check with your vet before making any drastic food swaps and always introduce foods slowly.
Distraction
Excessive grooming increases the likelihood of developing hairballs. Your cat may be cleaning himself too often due to boredom. If your cat lacks activities, play objects, entertaining views of the backyard, etc., he may turn inward to look for something to do.
Consider what entertainment you and your home provide for your cat. Interactive toys, cat trees and shelves, interesting views of the busy street or backyard, and making the time to play with your feline friend will distract an overzealous groomer for small chunks of time that he might otherwise spend grooming.
Exercise
Keep your cat moving with interactive activities, games, and play. Get your cat to jump, leap, crawl and stalk, sprint, and run around! All of this movement will help maintain a healthy physique and encourage his digestive system to keep flowing. In addition, activity increases blood flow to the skin, encouraging healthy turnover of skin cells and hair, which will reduce the need for self-grooming.
How to clean up hairballs
Hairballs are typically easy to clean due to their tightly packed formation. However, as bile is sometimes present with hairballs, it’s best to use a pet-safe enzymatic cleaner on any stains or organic matter present.
Monitor for more serious symptoms
Constant, recurring hairballs are not only difficult to manage, but they can lead to serious health problems. Be aware of what normal hairball behavior is and isn't. A lack of appetite, lethargy, constipation, and an enlarged abdomen are only a few of the frightening symptoms of a cat with a hairball complication. If you observe any of these warning signs, consult your veterinarian immediately.
Hairball control may take some combination of remedies for your particular cat, but it will certainly be worth the effort to make life more comfortable for everyone!
A previous version of this article was written by Louise Burpee, DVM.
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