Say Goodbye to Hairball Worries Effective Control Treatments
Cat Hairballs 101: How to Help
Sharing your home with a cat has many upsideshairballs are not one of them. It might come as a surprise that hairballs are not an inevitable part of a cats life. Yes, cats do a lot of grooming and ingest a lot of fur in the process. But when all is well, that hair should pass uneventfully through their digestive tract and come out in the litter box.
Lets look at why that doesnt always happen and what you can do to treat and prevent hairballs in cats.
What Does a Cat Hairball Look Like?
In its most common form, a hairball looks like a wad of fur that has a somewhat tubular shape after being forced up through the esophagus. Fresh hairballs are usually wet, but they can dry out quickly if they go unnoticed. You may at first confuse a hairball with cat poop and think that your cat went outside their litter box.
Sometimes cat hairballs arent so well-formed. For example, you might come across a looser tangle of fur mixed with some food, mucus, or fluid, which may be tinged with bile. In these cases, it can be hard to figure out if your cat is vomiting because of the hair or if the hair was just brought up with everything else.
Image credit: Roo the cat
Why Is My Cat Getting Hairballs?
All cats swallow hair as they groom themselves, but why do some have problems with hairballs while others dont?
Fur is not digestible. Its made mostly of keratin, which isnt broken down by the acids and enzymes in a cats gastrointestinal (GI) tract. And when a lot of fur is in the tract, it tends to get tangled into large clumps.
A healthy feline digestive tract is designed to handle normal amounts of fur passing through, but two types of problems lead to the development of hairballs:
Ingestion of more fur than normal, which can happen with:
Diseases and issues affecting the GI tract:
What if My Cat Is Trying to Cough up a Hairball but Cant?
Most people say the phrase cough up a hairball, but whats actually happening is retching and vomiting. Sometimes retching can sound like coughing, but the hairball is in the cats digestive system, not their respiratory tract.
If youre nearby when your cat is trying to bring up a hairball, you might notice some telltale behaviors. Many cats cry out and get restless when they feel like theyre about to vomit. Then, your cats abdomen will contract several times and youll hear them retching with the contractions.
But sometimes the hairball doesnt come up on the first try or even the second, third, or fourth. You may hear the retching and see wet spots that look like clear or brown liquid where your cat tried to bring up the hairball as they move around from spot to spot.
Most people say the phrase cough up a hairball, but whats actually happening is retching and vomiting.
If they do succeed in vomiting up the hairball, they should seem to immediately feel better and go back to their normal behaviors. This is what sets hairballs apart from other cases of cat vomiting, which usually result in persistent nausea combined with other symptoms like lethargy and a poor appetite.
Call your veterinarian for advice if your cat tries to vomit two or three times in a day, whether they bring anything up or not, or if the vomiting continues for more than a day or two. You may be dealing with a hairball that has become stuck or you may not be dealing with a hairball at all.
Treating Hairballs in Cats
Cats that only bring up a hairball once a month or so generally dont need to be seen by a veterinarian for a thorough health workup. Trying a little home treatment makes sense.
But veterinary care is essential if your cat is having hairballs more often than this or if youre seeing other symptoms, like poor appetite, weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation.
How Vets Diagnose and Treat Hairballs in Cats
The veterinarian will first ask questions about what youve seen at home and your cats health history, and then they will give your cat a physical exam.
Testing may include skin scrapings to look for mites, ringworm cultures, cytology to rule out skin infections, abdominal X-rays or ultrasound, blood work, urinalysis, fecal examinations, a hypoallergenic food trial, or biopsies of the gastrointestinal tract or skin. These tests will help the vet diagnose whatever is causing the hairballs.
If theres an underlying health or behavioral issue, the vet will recommend treatment to address it.
Home treatment is not appropriate for cats that have frequent hairballs.
Surgery is usually needed to remove very large hairballs that are blocking a cats GI tract. The doctor will examine your cats entire digestive system for other hairballs and repair or remove any damaged tissues that are found.
Are There Home Remedies for Cat Hairballs?
Home treatment is not appropriate for cats that have frequent hairballs. An underlying health problem is usually to blame for their formation, and if it isnt treated, the cat wont get better.
But for infrequent hairball episodes, here are several safe home remedies that you can try:
Never give your cat cooking oils, butter, lard, grease, or mineral oil in an attempt to help them with hairballs. Cooking oils and fats will merely be digested and wont help. Mineral oil is very dangerous if inhaled, which can easily happen when a cat is vomiting.
How To Prevent Cat Hairballs
Once your cat is hairball-free, you can start thinking about prevention. Underlying health problems may need continued management, but you can also try these tips:
- Brush your cat more often to reduce the hair they ingest. This is especially important for long-haired cats.
- Give your cat Laxatone or another hairball-control gel two or three times per week.
- Add fiber to your cats diet through treats and nutritional supplements or by switching to a hairball control food.
Together, you and your veterinarian can come up with the best way to treat and prevent hairballs. Your cat will thank you!
Featured image: iStock.com/krblokhin
WRITTEN BY
Jennifer Coates, DVMVeterinarian
Dr. Jennifer Coates is an accomplished veterinarian, writer, editor, and consultant with years of experience in the fields of veterinary...
My Cat is Getting Hairballs: Symptoms & Treatment
Hairballs are one of the less appealing parts of being a cat mom or dad. Not only are they a nuisance to clean up, but they can also be a sign of an underlying health problem in your feline friend.
In this blog post, well take a close look at cat hairballs from cat hairball symptoms to hairball treatment for cats and prevention. Well answer all your pressing questions, so you can get to the root cause of those pesky hairballs.
Cat Hairball Symptoms
How do you know your cat is getting hairballs? Theyll likely start showing some of the following cat hairball symptoms:
Coughing or hacking
If it seems like your cat is coughing or hacking up a lung, it could be a sign theyre trying to regurgitate a hairball. When you hear them making sounds like they're gagging, give them space and let them expel the hairball naturally.
Vomiting or retching
If your cat is vomiting or retching and you notice a tube-shaped mass of hair and saliva, it's likely your cat is bringing up a hairball.
Lack of appetite
A hairball may cause your cat to lose their appetite if they're in discomfort. Because they don't feel well, they may also refuse their favorite foods or treats and may appear lethargic or not interested in playing.
Constipation or diarrhea
Hairballs can cause a blockage in your cats digestive tract, making it difficult or even impossible for them to pass stool. This can cause cats to get diarrhea or become constipated and experience pain and discomfort.
Lethargy or depression
Having frequent hairballs can leave your cat lethargic or depressed. They may appear less interested in their surroundings and may sleep more than usual.
Causes of Hairballs in Cats
Hairballs in cats can be a nuisance for both you and your feline friend. However, knowing the causes can help you prevent them from occurring. Let's take a closer look at some of the most common factors that contribute to hairballs in cats:
- Grooming behavior: Cats are natural-born groomers. Unfortunately, all this licking can cause them to swallow a lot of hair, which is indigestible. When large amounts of fur accumulate in your cats stomachs, it forms hairballs.
- Ingestion of other hair or fur: In addition to grooming, cats can also swallow hair or fur from their environment. This happens when cats groom other animals or lick furry or fibrous objects in their surroundings.
- Lack of fiber or hydration: A diet lacking fiber can make it difficult for cats to pass hair through their digestive system. Similarly, dehydration can make it harder for cats to pass hair, as water helps move things through their system.
- Medical conditions or disorders: In some cases, hairballs can be a sign of an underlying medical condition or disorder. For example, cats with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may be more prone to hairballs. Other conditions that can contribute to hairball formation include hyperthyroidism, diabetes, and liver disease.
Hairball Treatment for Cats
If you notice your cat grooming itself often or coughing up hairballs, take action. This will prevent hairballs from causing discomfort and more serious health issues. Fortunately, there are several effective treatments for hairballs in cats:
Make changes to their diet
If your cat is experiencing hairball issues, consider changing their food. There are plenty of "hairball control" cat food options that you can find wherever you normally buy your cat's food. Fiber supplements are another great choice to add some extra fiber into kitty's diet. Fiber works to move hair through the digestive system, decreasing the chances of hairball formation.
Make sure theyre drinking enough water
Encourage your kitty to drink more water by ensuring their bowl is always full of fresh, clean water. Adding wet food to her diet can also increase her hydration.
Hairball remedies for cats
Examples of hairball remedies for cats include petroleum jelly, vet-prescribed laxatives, and hairball control treats that work to lubricate the digestive tract. A lubricated digestive tract moves hair through much easier and faster.
Grooming and brushing
The best way to prevent hairballs in cats is to brush them regularly. This can reduce the amount of hair they ingest while grooming themselves by removing loose hair, which helps prevent hairballs from forming. Most kitties love being brushed, and it's also a fabulous way to bond with your fur baby.
Medical interventions
In severe cases, medical interventions, including pet surgery, may be the only way to remove hairballs from a cats digestive tract. The surgical procedure, known as a gastrotomy, involves making an incision in the belly to remove the hairball. It's important to note that this type of surgery is generally only recommended when other treatment options have been exhausted, and the hairball poses a significant risk to the cat's health.
BetterVet Can Help
While hairballs are a pretty run-of-the-mill issue in cats, its important to make sure youre doing what you can as a cat owner to protect your fur baby from getting hairballs. If your cat is getting hairballs and youre worried about changes in their behavior, eating, drinking, or sleeping habits, contact your vet.
At BetterVet, we understand the importance of maintaining your cats overall health and well-being. That's why we offer flexible, on-demand mobile veterinary care for cats and other pets.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I help my cat pass a hairball?
To help your cat pass a hairball, try putting a small amount of petroleum jelly on their paws for them to lick. You can also add a hairball gel to their daily diet. Both of these options can help lubricate the hairball and make it easier to pass through the digestive system.
How do you know if your cat has a hairball blockage?
If your cat is experiencing loss of appetite, lethargy, and frequent vomiting, it could be a sign of hairball blockage. Other symptoms may include constipation, diarrhea, and difficulty passing stool. If you suspect your cat has a hairball blockage, it's important to seek veterinary attention as soon as possible to prevent further complications.
How often should my cats throw up hairballs?
Cats should not produce more than one hairball per month. If you notice your cat throwing up hairballs more frequently, it may be a sign of an underlying issue such as excessive grooming or a digestive problem.
When should I start to worry about my cats hairballs?
If your cat produces occasional hairballs once a month and is otherwise healthy, there's no need to worry. However, if your cat experiences inappetence, lethargy, or withdrawal along with frequent vomiting or retching without producing a hairball, it's time to talk to your veterinarian.
