Ever wondered why your cat keeps bringing up hairballs? While hairballs are common, frequent hairballs could be a sign of an underlying issue like overgrooming, stomach issues, or an unbalanced diet.
Read on to find out why your cat has hairballs, what you can do about it, and when you need to see the vet.
Why is my cat vomiting hairballs?
Hairballs, also known as trichobezoars, occur when cats groom themselves and swallow loose hair. This hair typically passes through their digestive system, but some of it can clump together in their stomach.
As the weather warms up, cats shed their winter coats in preparation for summer, and you might notice your cat has more hairballs during this time.
While hairballs are normal, frequent or excessive vomiting of hairballs can be a sign that your cat is grooming too much, isn’t consuming enough fibre, or has an underlying health issue.
Preventing hairballs
Preventing hairballs is possible. Grooming your cat and using special diets can help. Watching your cat’s behaviour can help spot problems early. If your cat is vomiting hairballs frequently, it’s time to see a vet.
- Regular Grooming: Brush your cat often to get rid of loose fur, especially if they have long hair. If you’re finding it hard to keep up with your cat’s grooming, we can clip their fur under sedation.
- Hydration: Make sure your cat drinks lots of water. Wet food can help keep them hydrated.
- Specialty Foods: Try a hairball control diet. It has extra fibre to help with digestion.
- Monitor Behaviour: Look for signs of pain or odd vomiting to catch problems early.
When to seek veterinary attention
While it’s normal for cats to vomit the occasional hairball, it could be a sign of a bigger health problem. If your cat keeps vomiting regularly, watch for signs of distress. Look out for lethargy, loss of appetite, or blood in the vomit. These signs mean you should see a vet right away. If your cat is frequently gagging or coughing without producing a hairball, this is also a sign to take them to the vet.
Your vet can check your cat thoroughly and might perform some tests to check their overall health. This is important because hairballs can sometimes hide bigger health issues.
If you’re concerned about your cat’s hairballs or grooming habits, please call us on 07 3801 1744 to book an appointment.