A Pet Parent’s Complete Guide to Cat Hairballs

Cats love to look good. They must, otherwise why wouldn’t they spend one-third to one-half of their waking hours grooming themselves? While all that licking does give your cat’s coat a healthy, tangle-free shine, it can come at a bit of a cost. Just as your brush catches your loose strands, your cat’s tongue gloms onto and holds any loose hairs to then be disposed of, you guessed it, down the hatch.

Your cat swallows the majority of the hair they pick up when grooming. Then, it either moves out the old-fashioned way or comes back up in the form of a hairball. This story is far from over, so read on for more information about cat hairballs.

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What is a cat hairball?

Aptly named, hairballs in cats are balls of hair. Rather than being a nice, dry pile that is easy to clean up, cat hairballs have been in your cat’s digestive tract for a time, creating a wet, mushy, formed hair sausage when it comes back. Or it could be passed as a wad of hair in your cat’s feces, typically found when you are scooping out the litter box.

Why do cats get hairballs?

You’ve probably felt your cat’s grippy, sandpapery tongue from an errant lick or when they’ve focused their grooming session on you. So, what gives it that scratchy feel? Cat tongues are covered with keratin spikes that curve towards the back of the throat. When they lick, these spikes act as a comb that removes tangles, grabs debris, and pulls out loose or dead cat fur. The hook shape of the spikes acts as a conveyor belt to move the loose hairs to the back of the mouth where they are swallowed, making a tidy little package out of the unwanted byproducts of grooming.

The digestive tract has its hands tied when it comes to hair; it just can’t digest it. Instead, the stomach and intestines do their best to move the hair out with the other waste products. Most of the time, this is fine, but when there are excessive amounts of hair, it may get dramatically vomited up instead, producing a wet, nasty hairball on your carpet.

Symptoms of cat hairballs

The most common way you’ll know that your cat has an accumulation of hair in their stomach is the occasional retching that produces a wet log of hair on your floor. You’re going to notice things such as:

• Hacking

• Gagging

• Retching

• Coughing

Cats will typically deposit a hairball after some dramatic noises and whole-body movements.

How often do cats get hairballs?

Cats like to hold onto their individuality, so there’s no set schedule for getting hairballs. Some may only cough one up a couple of times a year, while others will regularly get hairballs once a week. This will all depend on your cat’s haircoat and how much they groom.

Common causes of cat hairballs

Let’s look at this in a bit more detail.

Coat

Every cat grooms, and with grooming comes loose hairs. Rather than flying around your home, these loose hairs are neatly moved into the stomach for later disposal. Depending on the amount of grooming your cat does and their type of coat, some cats will have more accumulated hair than others. Long-haired cats, such as Persians and Himalayans, may cough up hairballs more frequently because they are ingesting larger amounts of hair.

Seasonal shedding

Cats tend to “blow their coat” in the spring and fall. This has nothing to do with a hairdryer; it’s a normal process where a lot of old hair falls out to make way for new hair that is better adapted to the seasonal change. This creates a lot of shedding which can also lead to more hairballs as your cat works feverishly to keep themselves looking kempt.

Diet

How does food relate to hairballs? Well, diets high in fiber do a better job of paving the way for hair to move through the digestive tract, while diets lower in fiber may lead to more hair getting vomited up. Kitties who tend to commonly have hairballs may do less retching with a high-fiber diet.

When to worry about your cat’s hairballs

Most of the time, hairballs are just a yucky inconvenience that goes along with being a cat parent. We clean it up and go about our day. But sometimes, hairballs can become a real concern, mainly if there is such a big wad that it’s blocking the intestine.

Complications that are caused by hairballs

Things that are indigestible, such as hair, move fairly untouched through the digestive tract. They don’t get broken down or absorbed. If these indigestible things are big enough, they can become lodged in the small diameter of the intestines, preventing food and waste from moving through.

If hairballs are becoming a problem, creating a blockage in the intestine, you may notice:

• Lethargy

• Not eating

• Retching without producing a hairball

• Vomiting liquid or foam

• Constipation or diarrhea

Intestinal blockages should be considered an emergency, so see your veterinarian as soon as possible, as surgery may be necessary to remove the blockage.

How to prevent and treat cat hairballs

Grooming and removing loose hair is such a natural process for cats that there’s no way to completely prevent the occasional hairball. But you can help to decrease their size and frequency.

Regular brushing

Rather than letting your cat’s tongue collect all that excess hair, regular brushing can help remove loose hair, which can then be disposed of in the garbage can. Brushing your cat at least weekly can boost their haircoat health, decrease hairballs, and enhance your bond all at once.

Access to water

Cats aren’t known to be big drinkers, which can be unfortunate when it comes to hairballs. Proper hydration is an important part of the digestive process that will help move hair out with the waste rather than back up as a hairball. Make sure your cat always has access to fresh, clean water, or consider a cat water fountain to really pique their curiosity and increase water consumption. Canned food is also a good way to boost their hydration.

A “hairball diet”

Diets made for hairballs often contain lots of fiber and oils to encourage hair to move out of the body. Fiber can do wonders for a hair-laden digestive tract or a sensitive stomach. It provides bulk that stimulates the intestinal contractions that push waste out. It also attracts water to further lubricate waste products to ease the transition. Speaking of lubrication, this is where the oils come in as well. Anything that greases the hair to streamline its movement will help prevent a cat from vomiting it up later on.

Adding supplements

If a complete dietary change isn’t in the cards, adding some supplements may help instead. Digestive enzymes that help break down the hair may be an option, otherwise adding fiber supplements, such as pumpkin, carrots, or cat grass, may be the answer. Further hairball supplements may include laxatives or oils to help the process as well.

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Bottom line

• Hairballs are naturally formed when cats groom and then swallow the excess hair.

• Most of the time, hair is removed from the body in the feces, but larger accumulations may be vomited back up as a hairball.

• The occasional hairball usually isn’t a problem, but if your cat is suffering from frequent hairballs or a potential intestinal blockage, speak to your vet.

FAQs

Which cats produce more hairballs?

All cats consume hair to some extent, but cats with longer hair or a thick haircoat may have hairballs more frequently due to the amount of hair they are consuming. Also, heavy shedders may produce hairballs more often.

Can hairballs make a cat sick?

If large amounts of hair accumulate in the digestive tract without moving through or being coughed back up, it can create an intestinal blockage, which is considered an emergency. If your cat is acting lethargic, not eating, isn’t pooping, or has abdominal pain, see your vet.

How can I help my cat pass a hairball?

Increasing your cat’s fiber and water intake can help hair move through. Also, giving your cat an oral laxative that will either grease the hairball or add water to it can help it move as well. Just be sure not to give your cat anything without first talking to your vet.

How do I know if my cat has a hairball stuck?

Cats having hairball trouble may cough, gag, or retch without producing anything. They may vomit up liquid or foam, not want to eat, or may have difficulty pooping. Consult your veterinarian if your cat is showing any of these signs. 

References

• “Cats That Lick Too Much.” Cornell Feline Health Center.https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/cats-lick-too-much.

• Noel, Alexis C., and David L. Hu. “Cats Use Hollow Papillae to Wick Saliva Into Fur.” PNAS. 19 Nov 2018.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6298077/#:~:text=We%20discover%20structures%20on%20the,easily%20removed%20from%20the%20tongue.

• “The Danger of Hairballs.” Cornell Feline Health Center.https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/danger-hairballs.