Cat Health: Hairballs
When it comes to cat health, hairballs are a common problem and generally not something serious. However, for some cats they can become a serious problem.
Hairballs occur as a result of the cat's grooming itself. As they lick their fur they ingest hairs that over time accumulate in their stomach, forming a clump or hairball. During a cat's waking hours, they spend approximately 10% of their time grooming. They clean themselves by licking their fur, so hairballs are not at all uncommon.
The enzymes in your cat's stomach are not able to break down the hair. Also, it doesn't pass through his intestinal tract very well. Typically, the hair will be excreted through his feces, but when it doesn't, that is when it turns into a thick mass of hair, or a hairball, which he will need to then vomit in order to get rid of it.
When a hairball forms in the cat's stomach, the cat will eventually expel it by attempting to throw it up. They may gag or retch as they try to get rid of the hair ball. Sometimes only food or liquid will come up and not the hairball itself. A hairball can aggravate his stomach resulting in vomiting.
Not all cats have problems with hairballs. However, for those that do, it is normal for hairballs to occur anywhere from once a month to 3 or 4 times a month. Long-haired felines tend to have the most problems, as they have much more fur than their sleek, short-haired counterparts.
Occasional hairballs are both normal and generally harmless. However, if your cat is developing hairballs quite often, this can lead to serious issues. A hairball can obstruct his intestinal passage. If this occurs, he won't be able to have a bowel movement or throw up. Nearly one out of four digestive obstructions seen by veterinarians is caused by hairballs.
The symptoms that indicate that hairballs are creating serious problems, including an impaction, for your cat include such things as diarrhea, swelling of the abdomen, dry heaves, throwing up food that hasn't been digested, and the inability to have a bowel movement. If you think this may be happening it is imperative that you take your cat to the vet right away. An obstruction is very serious, and sometimes may require surgery in order to remove it.
The best way to deal with hairballs is to take steps to prevent them. This includes brushing your cat regularly, as the less loose fur there is on their body, the less they will ingest during grooming. There are also many cat foods available that are formulated to decrease the occurrence of hairballs. These foods are usually higher in fiber. You can also give your cat periodic doses of petroleum based hairball remedies that come in a tube. These come in flavors appealing to most cats, so your cat will lick the small dose off your finger or its paw.
As always, it is best to consult with your veterinarian if cat health hairballs are a problem to determine the best course of action for your cat.