A cat hairball can be unnerving for both new and veteran cat owners. I have personally seen my cats cough up hairballs countless times throughout the years, but you always worry something is wrong, and feel badly for the cat. However, cat hairballs can be treated through a combination of grooming and medicine.
A hairball is caused when cats groom themselves. They use their tongues to lick their fur, and generally most of the hair will pass through their digestive tracts. However, some hair can get stuck in their stomach, which results in the offending hairball.
Some cat hairball symptoms include coughing, hacking, and wheezing. Usually the hairball will then be coughed up by your cat. However, if this happens a number of times without the hairball being produced, and you also notice your cat is lethargic, doesn’t want to eat, and has either constipation or diarrhea, there could be a blockage. So you will want to get him or her to the vet right away, as this can lead to severe sickness and even death.
Many cat owners have some misconceptions about which kind breed of cats will produce a hairball. It doesn’t matter if you have a short hair or long hair cat, all of them can get hairballs. Even if your cat rarely grooms, they are still susceptible to hairballs.
There are several ways to treat a cat hairball, the most important being grooming. The more you brush your cat and keep their coats free of the dead hair, the less it will be likely to accumulate in their stomachs. There are also several brands of cat food that have been designed specifically to help reduce hairballs. Finally, there is hairball medicine that helps move the hair through their digestive system.
I would suggest trying to brush your cat several times a week before opting for any food or medicine. In many cases, this can all but solve their hairball problems.