This entry was posted on 2014-10-10 by Schalk.

Hairballs also known as feline trichobezoars are common in cats and most cats may occasionally vomit a hairball.  However, frequent or persistent vomiting may indicate a more serious health issue.

Symptoms and Types

Hairballs are long cyclindrical masses of hair which form in the cat’s stomach and are regurgitated by the affected cat.

Causes

A cat’s tongue is barbed so it effectively acts like a fine tooth comb removing any loose hair as it grooms.  This means that the hair that it removes is swallowed.  Normally this passes through the intestinal tract and excreted in the cat’s stool.  If this hair accumulates quickly in your cat’s stomach, it may vomit or regurgitate the hairball instead.

Occasional hairballs are normal for most cats and may require no further concern however, if the hairballs are frequent or if vomiting or coughing occurs without the presence of hairballs, additional investigation may be recommended by your veterinarian.

Treatment

There are a number of cat hairball remedies available.  These work by lubricating the hairball, making it easier to pass through the cat’s intestine.  These products do not work in all cases and some veterinarians do not recommend them.  It is therefore important to consult your veterinarian for the best treatment for hairballs.

There are also some commercial cat foods available to prevent/control hairballs working on the basis that high volume of fibre helps keep the gastrointestinal tract functioning normally.  Again, they may work in some cats but not all.  Also in relation to diet, many veterinarians have come to believe that a grain-free diet may be more appropriate for cats that vomit frequently.  The theory behind this is that cats did not evolve to eat grains but are obligate carnivores.  Grain based foods tend to be higher in carbohydrates which leads to changes in the flora of the cat’s intestinal tract.  These changes lead to motility changes in the intestinal tract which contributes to the inability to pass hair normally.

Prevention

Grooming of your cat can help to prevent hairballs by removing most of the cat’s loose hair before it can be ingested and therefore fewer hairballs are produced.