How to help your cat get a hairball out?
Increasing the fiber in your cat’s diet can help the fur that she swallows to keep moving through her digestive tract instead of being vomited back up. Some possible sources of fiber include hairball-control cat foods, canned pumpkin, or small bits of fruits and veggies such as apples, carrots, or sweet potatoes.
What to feed cat for hairballs?
If frozen raw food isn’t feasible, you can try wet food or supplementing your cat’s kibble with wet food. Wet food with oils, such as avocado oil, sunflower oil, and fish oils, may help your cat pass hairballs more easily.
What happens when a cat has a hairball?
After hair has accumulated in the stomach and a hairball is formed, it will then be vomited as a long, tubular hair mass that may be covered in slimy mucus. In some cats, hairballs can become large and cause an obstruction in their gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Are Cat Hairballs Normal? If your cat is having hairballs, you’re not alone.
How often does a cat regurgitate a hairball?
It’s not uncommon, says Dr. Goldstein, for a cat to regurgitate a hairball once every week or two. Aside from inconvenience to the owner, this is nothing to worry about.
How often does Kira the cat have hairballs?
Kira was having serious issues. She has hairballs only once a month or so. This one time last month she was unable to pass the hairball. At first I heard her coughing and thought she was having another one of those nasty things.
Is it normal for cats to remove hairballs with their tongues?
This is quite normal — as cats get older they become more adept groomers and therefore more proficient at removing fur from their coats with their tongues, which means more hairballs for you to clean up. It can be disturbing to watch (and hear) your cat eliminating a hairball. Some common hairball symptoms include hacking, gagging, and retching.
What are the symptoms of a cat with a hairball?
If you notice the following hairball symptoms, be sure to contact your veterinarian, as they could indicate that a hairball has caused a potentially life-threatening blockage: Ongoing vomiting, gagging, retching, or hacking without producing a hairball. Lack of appetite. Lethargy. Constipation. Diarrhea.
It’s not uncommon, says Dr. Goldstein, for a cat to regurgitate a hairball once every week or two. Aside from inconvenience to the owner, this is nothing to worry about.
How does a cat get rid of a hairball?
Usually, your cat will vomit the hairball to get rid of it. Because hairballs pass through the narrow esophagus on the way out, they often appear thin and tube-like, rather than round. Hairballs in cats are more likely to appear in long-haired breeds, such as Persians and Maine Coons.
How often do long haired cats vomit hairballs?
When the ball is large enough, it must be vomited away or else it could cause intestinal blockages and impaction, which can not only be uncomfortable, but could be fatal if left untended. Most cats vomit 1-2 hairballs each month, with long-haired cats or those that groom excessively having hairballs more often.
