Cat hairballs…I just had one of those moments as a cat owner (or being owned by a cat) where I heard that telltale, horrific yurking noise that means that one of my cats is about to throw up a hairball. And since my cats are masters of throwing up in the WORST places (over the side of a bookshelf, on the stairs, at the exact part of the floor my feet touch when I get out of bed) I ran like a madwoman to find the source to divert it to a “better” place!

And guess what? Did you guess I was too late?

Sprinting from my office down the hallway, a quick glance into my daughter’s room revealed Miesha sleeping soundly on my daughter’s bed. Moving on, Whiskers stared at me wide-eyed from the floor at the bottom of my bed as I burst into the bedroom at full speed! Not him, and he skittered off to the side…and there it was. My sweet old gal Bubbles, sitting in the middle of my freshly washed bed proudly presenting me with a GIANT hairball! UGH.

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What Are Hairballs?

Hairballs are long and cylindrical mats of hair, tube like in their appearance. When you find one, you may notice food or liquid (mucous) with it as well. They obtain their cylindrical shape when they pass through the esophagus. If you didn’t see (or hear) your cat throwing it up, it could almost be mistaken for cat poop at a glance! But generally they are some sort of color related to the color of your cat. Pleasant, right?

How Do They Form?

Cats are fastidious in their grooming habits. I think outside of sleep, this is the number one thing mine spend their time doing. And unless you have a hairless cat some of that hair is going to be ingested as they lick and clean themselves, since their tongue has tiny backward hooks that catch the hair as they lick (why your cat’s tongue feels rough when they give you “kisses”). If that hair doesn’t get passed in their stool, it can collect in the stomach and intestine.

Once enough hair has gathered and clumped together, it irritates your cat’s digestive system…and let the awful retching noises begin! Whiskers in particular has another tell, and before the hacking begins he generally runs through the house yowling at the top of his lungs and I kick into action and grab the paper towels! I have to be careful not to get too close or give chase though, as this sends him running to hide and do it somewhere I can’t reach.

Are Cat Hairballs Normal?

Having cats my entire life, I’ve never had one that has not thrown up a hair ball at one time or another. The cats I have now aren’t too bad. Whiskers, being a long-haired Ragdoll, definitely has his moments though. Miesha rarely throws up a hairball but pukes everywhere more due to her highly stressed out nature.

When Cat Hairballs Are A Problem

While most of the time a cat throwing up a hairball is nothing out of the ordinary, there are times that you might want to pay more attention. If your cat grooms itself obsessively it could lead to more hairballs. And you may need to look at ways to divert that behavior and reduce your cat’s anxiety. Like more play!

Also, if your cat is throwing up more hairballs than usual it could be indicative of some sort of gastrointestinal problem or blockage which requires a vet visit ASAP. This is usually accompanied by lethargy and/or loss of appetite. Other reasons for more frequent hairball production could be allergies or a skin disorder. With all of my cats, I noticed as they aged they tended to shed more which led to more surprises to step in.

What Can You Do About Cat Hairballs?

Brushing

While you’re not going to be able to prevent all hairballs, there are some things that you can do to lessen hearing the horrific sound you’re about to be presented with one. Frequent brushing can help remove dead and loose hair from their coats.

Most of my cats LOVE to be brushed with a fine wire brush. But my odd little cat Miesha does NOT like it and twitches her head all over and runs away! With her, I found a glove brush is just the right thing. And while these work fine on short hair, they don’t get deep enough into long coats so a longer bristle brush is what I use on Whiskers (I use the same one on my Bernese Mountain dogs Grace and Benson…You can read some of their stories HERE and HERE).

Diet

You can also get special cat food and treats designed for reducing hairballs. Your vet may also be able to prescribe a lubricated medication for hairball prevention in your cat! This will help assist the hair to pass through their system. Adding more fiber can also keep their digestive system healthy and more capable of passing the hair through. In the worst cases where a blockage has occurred, surgery may be the only way to remove a hairball.

So hairballs aren’t the end of the world. They sure sound like it though when your cat is yacking one up! If you like this post, be sure to follow us and check out other posts!