【VMC Vets Tips | Hairball issue in cats - 1】

Cats love spending time grooming themselves. During the process, they can swallow loose hair, which builds up over time in the stomach and mixes with digestive juices to form cat hairballs. Long-haired cats such as Persians, Maine Coons etc., and those groomed excessively are prone to more frequent hairball formation. Will hairballs cause any health risks to your cats?

Threats of hairball

Hairballs are usually not problematic as the cats know how to get rid of them by vomiting, to prevent the hair from going down further gastrointestinal tract (small intestine) as an excessive amount of hairballs can cause physical gastrointestinal tract obstruction. This is a serious condition that should be addressed by a vet immediately.

You should take your cat to the vet if they have any of the hairball obstruction symptoms below:
- Prolonged gagging, vomiting, and retching without producing a hairball
- Reduced appetite
- Lethargy
- Cat constipation or diarrhea
- A swollen or sensitive stomach

Are there any ways to reduce hairballs? Stay tuned to our next 【VMC Vets Tips】 post!

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