Glossary

Hairball formula

A cat food with extra fibre meant to move swallowed hair through the gut, which may help some cats, alongside brushing.

Also called: hairball control, hairball diet, hairball food, hairball remedy

Hairball formulas are foods that contain added fibre, such as cellulose, beet pulp or psyllium, along with other ingredients, to help swallowed hair move through the intestine so that it passes in the stool rather than coming back up. They are sold as dry and wet foods. Evidence that they work is limited, though some owners notice fewer hairballs.

Cats swallow hair whenever they groom, because of the tiny spines on the tongue, see tongue papillae. Longhaired cats and heavy groomers have the most. An occasional hairball, perhaps once or twice a month or less, is normal. The best step is to brush the cat regularly, which removes loose hair before it is swallowed, and to address any overgrooming.

A hairball formula is not a medicine. If a cat retches repeatedly with nothing coming up, vomits several times, stops eating, seems lethargic, strains to defecate or has a swollen belly, call your vet right away, since a blockage is an emergency. Frequent vomiting of hair can also hide a health problem. Do not give oils, laxatives or hairball gels without checking with your vet. Choose a food that is complete and balanced.

Last reviewed November 7, 2026

In the index now

Related terms

Tongue papillae The tiny backward-facing hooks on a cat's tongue that work like a comb for grooming and a rasp for stripping meat from bone. Overgrooming Licking, chewing or pulling at fur so much that it causes thin or bald patches, with causes ranging from skin disease to stress. Dry food Cat food baked or extruded into small pieces with about 10 percent water, convenient and shelf-stable but low in moisture. Double coat A coat made of a soft insulating undercoat beneath longer, coarser guard hairs, found in many cold-climate and semi-longhair breeds. Complete and balanced A pet-food label claim that a food supplies all the nutrients a cat needs at a stated life stage, when used as the only diet.

Related guides

Hairballs: what is normal and what is not What a hairball is, how often one is normal, how to tell it from vomiting or asthma, and the signs of a blockage that need a vet.