Hairballs are often about the same size and shape as a log of cat poop. But if you look at a hairball closely you’ll see that it’s made of tightly packed hair (and it doesn’t smell like poop). Hairballs that aren’t vomited up or passed in the stool can block the digestive tract.
Search Filters: This Site Cornell
Ithaca, New York’s Companion Animal Hospital treats cats, dogs, exotic animals, and wildlife.
Ithaca, New York’s Equine and Nemo Farm Animal Hospitals care for horses and other farm animals
Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists, on Long Island for every horse
Farms within 30 miles of Ithaca, New York, can receive services from ambulatory and production physicians.
Animal Health Diagnostic Center New York State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine Ithaca, New York 14853-6401
Much of the time, hairballs aren’t particularly harmful. Some cats upchuck a hairball every week or two. Some cats never seem to have the problem at all. However, you should contact your cat’s veterinarian if they appear lethargic, refuse to eat for more than a day or so, have experienced recurrent bouts of ineffective retching (trying to vomit but nothing comes up), or appear constipated.
Most of the time, hairballs aren’t at all life-threatening. They’re annoying. Your cat doesn’t enjoy having to use up their energy to urinate. It’s not fun to clean them up. When you have guests and your cat is in the middle of the living room rug, it can be awkward. However, you do have options if your cat has hairballs on a regular basis!
Compared to older cats, kittens and young cats are less likely to develop hairballs. This is most likely a result of older cats needing to spend more time combing through their fur. Breeds of cats with longer hair, such as Persians and Maine Coons, are also more prone to hairball development. The time of the year is also a factor. During the seasons when cats actively shed their coats, hairballs are more common.
Additionally, veterinarians occasionally suggest hairball treatments like Laxatone, which are generally gentle laxatives based on petroleum. These flavor-infused gels are administered to cats once or twice a week to promote the removal of hairballs from the litter box rather than the floor. While these may work for certain cats, they don’t always work
How hairballs develop is not a mystery. It all has to do with grooming. When your cat licks her fur to groom herself, she swallows loose hair in the process. This occurs as a result of tiny spines called filiform papillae that face backward in the center of a cat’s tongue. These papillae are felt when your cat kisses you roughly. These spines serve several functions. The hooks’ backward orientation aids in keeping prey in the cat’s mouth. They are also employed for rasping and scraping meat off of a kill’s bones. Additionally, they work similarly to an integrated comb to help a cat’s coat be free of loose fur and dirt, as well as to separate hair and distribute oils. Unfortunately, cats shouldn’t play with string, yarn, or ribbon because of these papillae because they could get entangled in them and swallowed. When these long, linear objects get inside the intestines, they can be fatal.
FAQ
Why is my cats poop full of hair?
Is it normal for my cat to poop hairball?
How do you tell if a cat is passing a hairball?
How do you know if your cat has a hairball blockage?