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Causes
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Hair doesn't easily pass through a cat's digestive tract. Most swallowed hair is excreted through the stool, but any that remains becomes a dense ball of hair in a cat's stomach.
Symptoms
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It is normal for all cats to occasionally vomit up a hairball. The vomiting is preceded by a loud coughing and choking as the cat attempts to expel the hair. If a cat exhibits vomiting of undigested food, dry retching, diarrhea, a swollen abdomen or inability to defecate, it could indicate impaction.
Impaction
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Online veterinary specialists Doctors Foster and Smith say that frequent problems with hairballs can lead to impaction, which is when a hairball blocks the intestinal tract and the cat can neither vomit it up nor eliminate it. Impaction can be very serious; if you suspect it, speak to your veterinarian immediately.
Treatment
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Hairball remedies and laxatives are available from pet stores. They coat the hairball and stool, making it easier for the cat to pass hair.
Prevention
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Brushing your cat regularly will decrease the amount of hair she swallows. Special hairball prevention foods with extra fiber are available. Be sure your cat has access to fresh water at all times.
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Why Do Cats Have Hair Balls?
Cats are renowned for their fastidious grooming. Such grooming, however, causes them to ingest a large quantity of hair, which can mean digestion problems. The wet, ingested hair is called a hairball.