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Hairballs in Cats

by Victoria Ries

Hairballs, technically known as Trichobezoar (trike-oh-bee-zohr), in cats is now a more common occurrence than in years gone by due to felines being bred to have desirable ultra-long hair to facilitate faster sales. This fact gives rise to the cat’s problem of digesting all that extra long hair.

Cats have special digestive systems which normally are capable of allowing hair to pass through freely, exiting the body harmlessly in the stool—this works well to a certain point. Too much hair in the gut is sometimes unable to pass through the cat’s normal digestive system because of sheer quantity; this is when the problem of hairballs occurs and the cat has no alternative but to cough up the hairball to rid her body of the unwanted matter.

Coughing up more than two hairballs in a month is cause for concern and action must be taken to help your feline friend. Take your cat to the veterinarian for a thorough medical check to rule out other possible causes of ill-health besides her hairball issue. The veterinarian may ask about your cat’s history, her environment, and her diet in order to achieve a better perspective of your cat’s overall health.

Preventing hairballs may involve daily combing of your cat’s long hair to effectively remove dead hair that your cat would normally ingest while keeping herself clean during the course of a day. However, even short-haired cats may be prone to hairballs and a special diet may additionally be required to alleviate the problem. Consult your local veterinarian for expert medical advice.

Hairball formula diets contain extra fiber deemed essential for helping pass the hairball through the gut and out the proper end of the cat. Hairball kitty treats may contain mineral oil, believed to be helpful in lubricating the intestines and helping the hairballs pass through with relative ease. Importantly, refrain from giving your cat too much fiber as diarrhea may result; everything in moderation. Ensure your cat has access to plenty of fresh water to keep her body hydrated.

Veterinary care should be sought if your cat is coughing as if she is going to expel a hairball, however vomits or coughs excessively without producing anything. Hairballs have been known to get stuck in the stomach and scenarios such as these should always be checked out by your veterinarian.