If you’re a cat owner, you can probably identify the telltale signs of incoming cat hairballs a mile away. However, while it’s easy to diagnose, seeing your cat bring up regular hairballs can point to a more complicated issue.
Below are nine helpful facts to keep in mind about hairballs the next time your cat starts to gag or cough. You can also chat with the trusted pet health professionals at Penny Paws for more tips on keeping your feline friend happy and healthy.
1. Frequent Hairballs Can Signal Underlying Problems
Almost all cats deal with hairballs. Once every couple of weeks would be a normal amount of time between them. However, if your beloved pet is coughing up a hairball more than once a week, it’s time to call your veterinarian.
Frequent hairball expulsion could be a sign of the following issues:
- Stress or anxiety. Humans aren’t the only ones who feel anxious; cats will exhibit stress or anxiety as increased grooming behaviours, which can lead to more frequent hairballs.
- Irritable bowel syndrome. IBS affects the movement of food and fur through your cat’s digestive tract. If there’s a bowel issue, excessive hairball production could follow.
- Stomach or intestinal cancer. An illness or cancer that impacts the digestive tract will increase the hairballs your cat produces due to irritation and digestive changes.
- Flea infestation. If your cat has fleas, they groom more because they’re itchy. Like stress, this will lead to increased fur ingestion and more hairballs.
2. Hairballs Abound in Longhaired Cat Breeds
This might seem obvious, but longhaired cats are prone to hairballs. Longer hair will take up more space in your cat’s stomach. They’ll also spend more time grooming compared to shorthaired cats.
3. Cats (and Their Owners) Cannot Digest Hair
Cats groom themselves by licking their fur. Once the hair reaches the stomach, the enzymes do not break down the keratin like they would for regular cat food or grass.
In small amounts, this hair passes right through the digestive tract with no problems and ends up in the litter box. If not, the stomach’s hair content builds up over time and increases the hairballs your cat expels.
4. Hairball Frequency Can Change With The Seasons
As the weather gets warmer, many cats shed a thick winter coat to keep cool. Even if they are grooming normally, this shedding means they ingest more fur. The good news is this could mean less frequent cat hairballs in the colder months.
5. Dehydration Can Exacerbate Cat Hairballs
Instead of a horse, the saying should perhaps have been, “You can lead a cat to water, but you can’t make them drink!” Cats are notoriously poor at hydration. Dry cat food also doesn’t provide enough hydration to maintain a healthy digestive system.
Veterinary care providers at Penny Paws suggest adding more wet food to your cat’s diet to ease the wheels of the digestive system more. A waterfall-style water dish could also help your cat increase their water intake daily.
6. Hairballs Can Cause Intestinal Blockages in Cats
Ingesting a larger-than-usual quantity of hair could put your cat in danger of an intestinal blockage, which could be life-threatening. Look for the following warning signs that it’s time to call a veterinarian:
- Lethargic
- No appetite
- Vomiting
- Retching or coughing as though there’s a hairball but without success
Blockages are serious for your cat. If they need surgery, it cannot wait.
7. Coughs Can Sometimes Be Mistaken For Hairballs
Does your feline friend look like they’ve been trying to bring up a hairball to no avail? It might actually be a cough.
A persistent cough could be a symptom of a deeper issue and needs medical attention.
8. Adding Probiotics and Fiber to Your Cat’s Diet Can Decrease Hairball Production
A wide variety of supplements and dietary choices can streamline your pet’s diet, as well as ease the burden of hairballs. For example, your cat could benefit from the following options:
- Probiotic supplements: Sprinkling probiotic powder on your cat’s food adds healthy gut flora, making it easier to pass hairballs.
- Fiber: Adding fiber-rich foods like pumpkin (puree or powder), apples, or cat grass ensures efficient digestion so that extra hair doesn’t stay behind in the stomach. Be careful not to add too much fiber; a cat’s system works differently from humans’.
- Laxatives and lubricants: Sometimes, your cat might need a little extra help getting things through the digestive tract. Hairball treatment gels can be a wonderful tool to have on hand to help your cat pass a particularly challenging hairball.
- Special hairball control food or treats: High-fiber cat foods are a great supplement to your cat’s diet for healthy digestion.
9. Daily Brushing Can Curb Hairball Frequency
Cat hairballs can quickly become a nuisance for a cat owner. If you aren’t ready to jump into the world of supplements, simply combing your cat’s coat every day could keep those hairballs under control. Regular brushing will keep your cat’s coat smooth, shiny, and clean while also removing a lot of the loose hair that your cat might swallow.
A quality comb or a de-shedding tool will be a great addition to your pet’s grooming routine.
Call Penny Paws For All Your Cat’s Hairball Treatment and Prevention Needs!
Whether your cat has long or short hair, frequent hairballs, or just occasional ones, hairball prevention can improve the quality of life for your pet and everyone who lives with them! Texas pet healthcare providers like Penny Paws take your cat’s health as seriously as you do, and that includes cat hairballs.
Why not look into our wide variety of veterinary services throughout Texas? For example, our mobile clinics offer convenient solutions to your cat’s hairball problems with help that comes straight to your door. Several of our clinics offer grooming services, but all of them offer the following and more:
Contact Penny Paws online or call (817) 993-1234 today for a one-stop-shop for all your pet’s needs, including special hairball control cat food and top-notch Texas medical professionals.