Furbabies
Cat Care Site

Hairballs

Cats clean themselves and remove dead hairs from their coat by licking their fur. While grooming a certain amount of fur is swallowed. This fur builds up and is then regurgitated or passed out in the faeces. In large quantities the fur can build up in the intestines to cause a blockage. This may cause coughing, discomfort and constipation. A cat with a hairball/furball blocking its intestines will vomit more than usual and will appear continually hungry but unable to eat much. The cat will eventually lose weight and appear in poor condition.

Hairballs are thick matted tubes of fur that build-up in cats intestines. Longhaired cats tend to swallow more fur than shorthairs so are more prone to hairballs.

Regular brushing and combing will reduce the likelihood of your cat getting hairballs. The loose fur is removed from the coat before it can be swallowed. Many commercial hairball remedies are available if required. They can be purchased from your local vet clinic or pet store. Adult longhair cats may be given a hairball lubricant such as CatLax or Laxatone (one teaspoonful, once a week) to reduce the incidence of hairballs.

Cats often chew grass to help them cough up hairballs. If your cat spends all of its time indoors, you should provide it with a small pot of grass.

References

Page S, The Complete Cat Owners Manual, Australia: Readers Digest, 1997

[Back to top]

Furbabies Cat Care

Everything Feline