Every cat owner knows the telltale sign of a cat about to produce a hairball. Nothing induces quite a panic as the retching sound as we run around to find where the cat is about to cough up his hairy gift. But have you ever stopped to wonder why cats get hairballs in the first place?
Cats spend up to 50% of their day grooming themselves, and all that fur they wick away with their tongues has to go somewhere. Sure, some of it inevitably winds up in your air and your clothing, but a good portion goes down into your kitty’s tummy. While most fur will move through your kitty’s digestive tract without problem, some will build up in their stomach, destined to become a hairball thrown up on your favorite blanket or expensive rug.
Read on to learn more about cat hairballs, including how to minimize how many your cat produces.
What Is a Hairball?
Hairballs are the by-product of your cat’s good grooming habits. As he cleans himself, he inevitably swallows much of the dead hair that he’s removed. This is due to the backward-facing papillae on the surface of his tongue, as it can only propel the hair backward down the throat during his grooming sessions.
Most of the hair your kitty swallows during grooming will pass through his digestive tract and be expelled through his feces. However, some will remain in the stomach, eventually accumulating into the wet clump you’ll see your kitty pass.
Fresh hairballs are wet, tubular wads of fur. They can dry quickly if left unnoticed, in which case they have a more feces-like appearance. However, they’re not always tubular. Some can look like a loose conglomeration of fur mixed with food or other fluids.
Are Some Cats More Prone to Hairballs?
Some cats are more prone to developing hairballs. Those more likely to develop hairballs can generally be broken down into two categories: cats that ingest more hair than others and those with poor gastrointestinal health.
Over-Ingestion of Fur
Breeds with longer hair, like Ragdolls or Himalayans, are much more likely to develop hairballs than their shorter-haired counterparts.
Cats with certain skin diseases or health conditions that cause excessive grooming, excessive shedding or require additional grooming will also naturally be more apt to develop hairballs.
Hairballs are also more common during spring and autumn, the natural shedding seasons for cats.
Gastrointestinal Issues
Cats with healthy digestive tracts can handle a normal amount of fur passing through. However, those with diseases or conditions that affect their gastrointestinal tract may be unable to process the hair that comes through. GI conditions that can make your kitty more prone to hairballs include:
- Pancreatitis
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Gastrointestinal lymphoma
- Internal parasites
- Obstructions
- Food allergies
What If My Cat Can’t Throw Up a Hairball?
There’s nothing worse than seeing your cat struggle to throw up the hairball that’s causing him distress. You may notice him crying out or getting restless when he feels he’s about to vomit. You’ll also notice the telltale abdomen contractions and hear the retching sounds. He’s probably moving around from place to place between each round of contractions. You might even see a little puddle of clear or brown liquid that he’s thrown up, but no clear hairball.
If your cat is trying to cough up a hairball several times in a single day but can’t produce it, we recommend calling your veterinarian. He may have a hairball that’s lodged itself, or he may not have a hairball at all but some other underlying health concern that needs addressing.
If your cat’s unproductive retching is accompanied by other signs such as lethargy, coughing, diarrhea, bloat, and a refusal to eat, consult your vet as soon as possible. Rarely hairballs can cause blockages in a cat’s intestinal tract, or it could be a sign of another serious condition. Sometimes hairballs can be confused with other more serious conditions like feline asthma. Your vet will need to perform a physical examination, bloodwork, and potentially radiography. If a hairball has caused an intestinal obstruction then surgery may be required.
How Can I Reduce My Cat’s Hairball Frequency?
You can do several things to reduce and prevent the development of hairballs and their accompanying complications.
1. Help With Grooming
Though your cat is an awesome self-groomer, he may need your help to keep hairballs at bay. Brush him daily to reduce how much hair he’ll inevitably ingest while grooming himself.
You may need to take him to the professional groomer once or twice annually.
2. Discourage Excessive Grooming
Cats can sometimes become obsessed with grooming themselves. They may excessively groom if they’re in pain, itchy or even feeling anxious. If you notice yours cleaning himself more than usual, try to distract him during his grooming sessions to prevent excessive fur ingestion. Then, make an appointment with your veterinarian to determine the cause of his excessive grooming.
3. Increase Water Intake
Making sure your kitty drinks plenty of water can help hair pass through their digestive tract without issues. If your kitty is on a predominantly dry food diet, you might consider adding wet food to his diet or switching to a cat water fountain to increase his hydration levels. Most cats prefer drinking from running water versus a bowl of still water, so buying a water fountain can promote better hydration.
4. Use Over-the-Counter Hairball Remedies
Hairball-control gels are available at most stores that sell pet supplies. They act like lubricants, easing the passage of fur through your pet’s digestive tract. You can even find flavored options to make your kitty more apt to eat it.
Some manufacturers make hairball support supplements and treats which are worth trying out as well.
5. Change Your Cat’s Food
An easy way to manage hairballs is to switch your kitty to a hairball control food. Many cat food manufacturers have high-fiber recipes designed to reduce how many hairballs your cat will produce. However, we recommend speaking with your vet before switching your kitty to a new food, especially if he is already on special food for another health concern.
Final Thoughts
Hairballs are a normal part of the cat-owning experience. However, if your cat is coughing up more hairballs than usual or appears to be struggling to get rid of one, a visit to the vet should be in order. Hairballs may be normal, but they can pose significant health hazards if they build up to the point that they can cause a blockage.
Featured Image Credit: Montakan Wannasri, Shutterstock
