Hairballs: what is normal and what is not

A cat that brings up a hairball now and then is usually normal. A cat that retches often, brings up hairballs every week, strains without producing anything, stops eating or seems unwell is not. Frequent hairballs can be a sign of a gut, skin or breathing problem. Brushing helps, but a cat with regular hairballs should see a vet.

What a hairball is

A hairball is a wad of swallowed hair mixed with mucus and stomach fluid. It is usually cylinder-shaped rather than round, and wet. Cats groom for hours each day. Their tongues are covered with tiny backward-pointing barbs, which pull loose hair from the coat. The cat swallows it. Most of the hair passes through the gut and leaves in the stool. Some stays in the stomach and builds up until the cat brings it up.

Long-haired cats, heavy shedders, and cats that groom a lot tend to have more hairballs. Cats shed more in spring and fall. A cat grooming a companion may swallow more hair too.

What is normal

Many vets say that an occasional hairball is normal. For a cat with a long coat, one every week or two may be usual for that cat. The key is what is normal for your cat, and whether it changes.

Normal signs:

• The cat hacks, retches, then brings up a hairball.
• It acts normally afterward.
• It eats, drinks and uses the litter box as usual.
• It happens now and then, not every day.

Many owners also see hair in the stool. This is normal and shows the hair is passing through.

What is not normal

Bring up a hairball more often than about once a month, and some vets suggest a check. Be more concerned if:

• Your cat tries to bring one up often and produces nothing.
• It vomits food, liquid or foam often.
• Hairballs are getting more frequent or larger.
• The cat has a poor appetite, seems tired or has lost weight.
• It strains in the litter box or has hard, dry stool.
• It grooms a great deal, has bald patches or sore skin. See overgrooming.
• It coughs or wheezes.

Things that look like hairballs but are not

Asthma and breathing disease. A cat with feline asthma may crouch low with its neck stretched out and cough or gag. It looks like a hairball attempt, but nothing is brought up, or only a little foam. A cat that coughs often needs to be seen. Open-mouth breathing or wheezing is an emergency.

Gut disease. Chronic vomiting is not normal, even if a cat vomits hair. Causes include food intolerance, parasites, thyroid disease, kidney disease, pancreatitis and inflammatory bowel disease. Only a vet can sort these out.

Constipation and megacolon. A cat with hard stool or straining may have a problem with the colon. See megacolon.

Swallowed objects. Cats that chew string, thread or plastic can vomit and become blocked. See the next section.

Hairball blockage

A hairball that does not leave the stomach, or that sticks in the intestine, can cause a blockage. This is serious and can be life-threatening. Go to a vet or emergency clinic at once if your cat has:

• Repeated retching or vomiting, with no hairball.
• Vomiting after eating or drinking.
• No appetite for a day or more.
• Lethargy or hiding.
• A painful, tense belly, or crying when touched there.
• Constipation or no stool, or small amounts of liquid stool.
• Dehydration, such as dry gums.

Do not give oil, butter, laxatives or any other home treatment. Some products can be dangerous, particularly if a cat breathes them in. Ask your vet before giving anything.

What can help at home

You can lower the amount of hair your cat swallows.

1. Brush often. Brush short coats once or twice a week, and long coats daily. Removing loose hair in the brush means less in the stomach. See how to brush a cat.
2. Keep the coat in good condition. A healthy skin and coat sheds less. Ask your vet about diet and skin health if the coat is dry or flaky.
3. Check for skin problems. Fleas, allergies and stress can all increase grooming. If your cat grooms a lot, ask your vet.
4. Consider the diet. Some foods and treats are marketed to reduce hairballs, often with added fiber. See hairball formula. Ask your vet whether one suits your cat, since fiber is not right for every cat. Do not add supplements or oils without advice.
5. Encourage water intake. Wet food and fresh water help the gut move.
6. Reduce boredom and stress. Play and enrichment reduce nervous grooming.
7. Remove temptations. Keep string, hair ties, rubber bands and thread out of reach.
8. Use a litter box that suits you both. You will see changes in the stool sooner if you scoop daily.

Common mistakes

• Assuming all vomiting is hairballs.
• Missing a cough that is actually asthma.
• Using oils, butter or petroleum jelly at home.
• Giving a hairball product without asking the vet.
• Waiting to see whether a cat that is retching with no result improves.
• Failing to brush.
• Ignoring weight loss.
• Not telling the vet how often it happens. A short diary is useful.

When to call a vet or get help

Call your vet if:

• Hairballs come up more than about once a month, or more often than usual for your cat.
• Your cat vomits more than occasionally, or on several days in a row.
• Your cat retches without producing anything.
• Your cat has lost weight or appetite.
• Your cat coughs often.
• Your cat has a poor coat, bald patches or skin sores.

Go to a vet at once for repeated unproductive retching, vomiting with no appetite, a swollen or painful belly, or lethargy.

Summary

• An occasional hairball is normal. Frequent ones need a vet.
• Retching without bringing anything up is a warning sign.
• Coughing can be asthma and not a hairball.
• Brush often, and keep string and small objects away.
• No appetite for a day plus vomiting is an emergency.