by Santi Meintjes

Created on: July 08, 2009

Almost all cats will get a hairball at least once in their lives. Cats clean their coats by licking it with their tongues, and they also lick their paws and then pass the paw over the area that they want to clean but cannot reach otherwise e.g. behind their ears. Companionable cats will also groom another cat, and of course mother cats clean their kittens. So the opportunities for accumulating a hairball are numerous.

Normally the hair ingested through grooming (as well as from their prey, for those who are allowed to catch them) will pass through the intestines and you may see the hair in the cat's scat if you are inclined to look closely. Some hair may however not pass through and these will accumulate into a mass we call a hairball and the vet calls a trichobezoar. It will start to irritate the internal lining of the intestines and at some stage cause an expulsion reaction, i.e. a vomiting action that result in the hairball being coughed up. This is actually natural and indicates that your cat's system is working well.

However, if the cat coughs up hairballs often - perhaps more than once every few weeks - or if it hacks and coughs and nothing comes out, there is cause for concern. The only way to find out what's wrong is to observe the cat closely a few times while the vomiting/coughing action is going on (take a video on the cell phone or on your camera) and then have it examined by a vet. It is especially urgent if the cat also suffers from constipation and loss of appetite since that may indicate that a hairball has obstructed the intestines. If the cat has diarrhea take it immediately to the vet!

There are a number of products on the market that can help prevent hairball formation. They are usually oil-based and help with the passage of the hair. In other words it works as a lubricant. It is not advisable to use home-made concoctions since cats do not have the same kind of digestive system as humans and you may exacerbate rather than alleviate the problem.

The better brands of cat foods usually have a product especially for the prevention of hairballs, usually in the form of a dry pellet food with a high fibre content. Canned foods seldom have a high fibre content and although it may be oily, many cats don't like that.

You can also aid by ensuring that your cat drinks water and that it is happy using the litter box or going outside. Tinned food may prevent your cat from drinking because it has too much moisture. Your cat may also prefer its water in a specific bowl or at a certain temperature. Observe your cat to see what it likes and then provide it. In addition, make sure that the cat does defecate at least every other day, If it does not, try to find out what is bothering it. Maybe the litter tray is too public, or too small, or too dirty? Constipation will also prevent hair from passing out and thus can cause hairball formation. Grooming your cat yourself is very important in the long-hair breeds, and even for the regular short-haired ones to remove excessive hair, especially when spring comes around and they shed the winter coat.

Finally, the most important thing is to know your cat's habits and it's preferences. Then you will know immediately when something is not the way it should be.

Learn more about this author, Santi Meintjes.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.