How to Help Cats with Hairballs

As cats bathe themselves, they swallow an amount of their own fur in the process. This fur is meant to go through their digestive tract and out the other end in their faeces. The problem is when cats groom so regularly, this accumulates to more than just a few hairs. Ultimately being collected in their stomachs where it becomes a damp and heavy hairball.

To pass this hairball at the stage where the hair has impacted together into a tight wad, a cat will need to regurgitate it to rid themselves of it. Regurgitating one or two hairballs a week is quite normal for a cat that grooms quite regularly.

A hairball will look a lot like you probably imagine. It’s a thick clump of hair that has impacted together in the stomach, so will be regurgitated all stuck together. They’re not often very ball-like in shape, as they must make their way through the digestive system which usually makes them longer and tubular.

They come from the stomach so they will be wet with saliva and some stomach acid. You might find that there are pieces of undigested food stuck within the ball either from the stomach or collected as they regurgitate it.

The main signs that your cat has a hairball they’re trying to rid themselves of include some quite clear physical tell-tales.

A cat that is expelling a hairball will usually be retching, gagging, and hacking to try and bring it up. They might even vomit in the process of trying to bring it up, but it might take a few times to remove the hairball.

If this continues with no sign of a hairball, then it may mean that they’re having difficulties removing it. If they are unable to remove the hairball for a period, you may notice some changes in behaviour. Having a clump of hair stuck in their stomach is going to be uncomfortable and can make them go off their food.

They may seem lethargic and might even be constipated if the blockage is big enough to disturb their whole digestive system. If they can go to the toilet, there’s a good chance it will be diarrhoea as they won’t be able to pass any larger, more solid stools.

Hairballs are a perfectly normal part of grooming for our feline friends. There’s no need to instantly panic and rush to their aid if you see them retching and trying to rid themselves of one. Most of the time, cats can do all the work themselves and go on with their day, just leaving the mess behind for you to clean up after them.

The only time where it may be suitable to intervene is if you notice them trying to regurgitate a hairball for a while and not being able to. Once they start showing signs like a lack of appetite or if they’ve stopped going to the toilet then a trip to the Community Pet Clinic might be to ask for advice on how best to help them.

To help your moggy get rid of those pesky hairballs, there are a range of over the counter treatments including products like Johnson’s Hairball Remedy. It helps by eliminating hair from their digestive tract to help them feel better and reduce the chances of any further build up.

If they pass the point of being able to rid it with over-the-counter remedies, a trip to the vet may have you heading home with something a bit more powerful to help them pass the hairball.

Prevention is always the best form of treatment for most ailments and hairballs are no different. If you can help your moggy to prevent a build-up of hair in their stomach, then you may never have to help them deal with any blockages.

There is specific diets that are made for reducing the chances of hairballs occurring. Most of these diets are aimed towards indoor cats as they tend to groom more and are at a higher risk of getting hairballs.

Cat foods like the Royal Canin Hairball Care are made from highly digestible protein and fibre to help it pass through their digestive system easily. The high fibre keeps their fur healthy and cats with healthy coats are less likely to develop hairballs.

Regular grooming is also key to helping your moggy be less at risk of hairballs. The more you brush them and the more dead, loose hair you can remove then the less they are going to remove themselves. Short, coated cats can usually just be groomed once a week but may need more if you notice them shedding a lot of fur. Longer haired cats may need grooming daily to help them manage their own coats.

For everything you need to keep your feline friend free of hairballs and all of your other kitty essentials, take a look at our wide range of products available in-store and online.