Signs of a Hairball

Hairballs are common in domestic cats. The main reason for this is that cats spend a lot of time grooming themselves and during this process they tend to ingest quite a bit of hair. The hairball itself is a combination of hair and undigested food. It's not uncommon for cats to eliminate one to two hairballs a month. But differentiating the symptoms of hairballs and other, more serious problems, takes knowledge.

  1. Retching and Coughing

    • One of the most common symptoms of cats trying to eject a hairball is coughing and retching. In most instances, this process appears similar to the process a cat undergoes when vomiting, with the exception of the dry, raspy cough that precedes the retching. During this process, the cat will usually either sit or lay prone with its neck extended and cough rhythmically until it wretches in an attempt to expel the hairball.

    Hair in the Feces

    • If the hairball has traveled farther down the digestive tract, the cat may attempt to pass the hairball through defecation. During this process, you may not notice anything different in your cat's behavior or you may notice a decrease in appetite and a loose stool with hair in it. Carefully observe a cat with hair in its feces as the hairball may become lodged in the intestines and cause a life-threatening condition.

    Stomach Contractions

    • In many cases when a cat is attempting to dislodge a hairball you will notice rhythmic contractions of its stomach that coincide with the coughing and retching. This behavior helps the cat to dislodge a hairball by forcing reverse peristalsis or reversing the direction of the normal contractions of the digestive system. This particular behavior can also indicate vomiting is about to occur.

    Hairball Prevention

    • Whether your cat experiences normal hairball elimination behavior or is prone to having difficulties with hairball elimination, you can do a few things to ensure that hairballs do not become a problem for your cat, according to Dr. Richard K. Davis, a Knoxville area vet. First, give your cat a petroleum jelly-based hairball remedy regularly, as prescribed by your veterinarian. Most are flavored and cats readily accept them. Secondly, feeding the cat a higher fiber diet will help keep things moving along well. Thirdly, brush your cat regularly as this removes a significant amount of loose hair and prevents your cat from swallowing it.