Is it normal for a cat to have a hairball?

Is it normal for a cat to have a hairball?

Although, a cat vomiting up clear liquid with a hairball occasionally can be normal and not a concern, it is important to note that hairballs should not be frequent, painful, or difficult for your cat to pass.

What causes a cat to throw up a hairball?

The most commonly cited reason for clear cat vomit is a hairball — whether hairballs are actually present in the vomit or not — or some other indigestible foreign object. This object could be anything from grass to a piece of string.

What can I give my Cat to pass a hairball?

Instead of two large meals a day, feed it little and often. Larger kibble is also easier to digest. A gastric lubricant can sweep hair through the gastrointestinal tract, as can malty treats, cat grass, and natural stool softeners, such as olive oil, oily fish, and pumpkin.

Why does my cat cough when he has a hairball?

If your cat hacks like he’s trying to bring up a hairball, but nothing comes out — that may actually be a cough (this video is an example of a cough). Cat coughing. Is this Feline asthma or a hairball ?

What happens if you give your cat a hairball?

While most hair passes harmlessly through the cat’s digestive tract, some does become matted and stuck in the stomach, where it forms a hairball. 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.

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.

How can I get my Cat to stop throwing up hairballs?

Mixing a tablespoon of canned pumpkin into a cat’s food once or twice a week can add more fiber to their diet easily, and will be a tasty treat besides. Hairball Lubricants: Different products are advertised as helping cats more easily pass hairballs through their intestines and into the litterbox, rather than vomiting.

What do hairballs look like in cats stomach?

Although called hairballs, they are not always ball-shaped when your cat vomits them up. The hair (which might have looked like a ball in the stomach) becomes stretched and compressed as it passes through the esophagus. For this reason, cat hairballs usually look like long, thin tubes of hair.