Why do Cats Cough up Hairballs?

As you may have guessed, hairballs are caused by hair. Most cats are good about licking their fur and grooming themselves. Unfortunately, this means that they are eating a lot of their own fur.

Fur isn't digestible. So what happens is that it gets trapped in the cat's stomach and makes your cat feel sick. Your cat has to get that fur out one way or another, either by pooping it out (to be put it crudely) or by coughing it up.

If the clumps of hair don't come out, it can cause serious problems for your cat. It can block up your poor feline's intestinal tract, causing your cat to lose interest in food and to have constipation. If it gets that bad, your cat may need surgery.

The best way to reduce cat hairballs is to make sure you brush your cat every day. That way, most of the fur ends up on a brush and not in your cat's stomach!

The length and thickness of your cat's hair will determine what kind of brush or comb you need to use. For a short-haired cat, use a bristle brush; for long-haired cats, use a wide toothed comb.

You can also help prevent hairballs by improving your cat's diet. An "anti hairball" cat food that's high fiber may alleviate the problem. However, it could cause constipation.

You could also purchase hairball medicine from a drugstore or a vet. However, some of them can cause vitamin deficiency. Be sure to ask your vet if this is the right solution for your cat.

An occasional hairball here and there is probably not a big deal, health-wise. That's pretty normal. However, it COULD be a serious problem if it happens a lot.

Watch out for other warning signs such as dry retching, a swollen abdomen, and no defecating. If your cat is coughing up undigested food, that's another serious sign.

All these signs could be pointing to a blockage in your cat's digestive tract. Surgery might be only answer for removing it!

Do your best to avoid this by grooming your cat regularly. It could save his life.