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Every cat owner will encounter one of those sticky, slimy balls of fur - a hairball - at some point or another. Understanding how hairballs form can help with prevention.
Why Do Hairballs Form?Hairballs – technically called trichobezoars - are a normal part of feline life. The typical cat spends a great deal of time grooming and the tongue is specially designed to grasp and pull away the dead fur and other debris from the coat. This means that the cat swallows a good amount of hair during each grooming session. In many cases, the vast majority of the hair that’s ingested is processed through the digestive system and expelled from the body via the cat’s stool. In these instances, no hairball results. A carnivore’s gastrointestinal tract is designed to process fur, as in the wild, cats and other meat eaters often ingest fur as part of their meal. So there are many cats who are simply not prone to forming hairballs due to a robust digestive system, combined with other factors such as their fur texture, grooming habits, and a fiber-rich diet. Unfortunately, other cats are very prone to developing hairballs, despite a healthy diet high in fiber, and human intervention, such as brushing and hairball remedies. In a hairball-prone cat, the digestive system simply does not process the hair and it can accumulate inside the cat’s stomach or small intestine, as hair compacts with other hair and food particles. What Happens Once a Hairball Forms?Once a hairball forms, it can be a source of gastrointestinal discomfort and upset. If the hairball is situated in the stomach, the stomach’s lining can become inflamed, resulting in frequent vomiting and inappetance. The cat will often vomit to remove the hairball from his system, resulting in a cigar-shaped mass of fur and food particles. Some smaller hairballs do move through the digestive system – just at a much slower rate than other matter. This can result in temporary pain and discomfort due to constipation. Hairballs that are larger in size can actually pose a deadly hazard if they create an intestinal obstruction, where the ball of fur can partially or completely block the intestine. In these cases, surgical removal of the hairball is usually required as a lifesaving measure. Hairballs: What’s Normal and What’s NotHairballs are associated with a very distinct dry hacking, which many cat owners liken to a sea lion vocalization. This hacking often occurs after a meal. A normal cat should not produce more than two hairballs per month and many produce far fewer if provided with proper care. Routine care – such as daily brushings, providing a high-quality cat food, commercial hairball remedies, and even giving a tablespoon of canned pumpkin once weekly for added fiber – can help limit and even prevent hairballs. The dry hacking associated with hairballs should produce a hairball within 24 to 48 hours. If that does not occur, a visit to the vet is required, as hairball-related complications may be occurring. Plus, symptoms of feline asthma can be very similar to hairball-associated coughs. Other signs that a cat may be suffering from an excessive hairball problem include:
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The copyright of the article Cat Hairball Causes in Cat Care is owned by Mia Carter. Permission to republish Cat Hairball Causes in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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