How do I stop my cat getting hairballs?
Hairballs are a terrible experience for both cat and owner. Clumps of hair bond in your cat's stomach and are vomited up onto shoes, carpets and floors. They can be difficult to clean but worst of all seeing your cat in discomfort is distressing. The question is, are hairballs 'normal', and can anything be done about them?
Are Hairballs Normal?
Technically speaking, no. Cats have been grooming themselves for millennia and their digestive systems are built to cope with the hair that is inevitably swallowed during the grooming process. Hairballs should move through their digestive system without issue. However, this process can go awry and hair can clump up and become trapped in the stomach instead of passing through the digestive system normally. Eventually when the irritation becomes too severe the mass is vomited out by the cat and presents us with the infamous hairball.
Why Do Hairballs Occur?
Skin problems such as infections or external parasites can cause cats to shed hair and/or groom themselves excessively, which in turn may lead to hairball issues. Extreme grooming can also be associated with other issues such as stress, boredom or other compulsive behaviours. Conditions unrelated to the skin or gastrointestinal system can equally cause hairballs through excessive grooming, for example if a cat with osteoarthritis attempts to soothe her pain through repetitive grooming.
