Most people with cats have experienced a hairball at one time or another. The cat hacks and coughs, and out comes a long bundle of hair and other…stuff. Yuck! Although they are kind of gross, the fact is that hairballs are normal. As you know, cats groom themselves by licking, and as a result they swallow a lot of hair. Most of this hair passes through the digestive system, but some of it accumulates, and occasionally the cat will need to bring it back up.

If the cat does not bring the hairball back up, it can sometimes cause an intestinal blockage, which is bad. Excess vomiting, lethargy or refusals to eat are symptoms to watch out for. On the other hand, if your cat is producing lots and lots of hairballs, that could be a sign of other issues, so you might want to have it checked out.


Long-haired cats are likely to have more hairballs, as you might expect, as will cats who groom a lot because of flea problems. There are ways to address the hairball situation. Brushing your cat will reduce the amount of hair that they swallow during grooming, as will getting rid of any fleas. There are also commercial and homemade remedies. Most of these involve adding some fat or oil to the diet, so that the hair passes through more easily, or sometimes they involve fiber, so that the cat’s digestion gets more efficient. We highly recommend talking to your vet before trying any of these remedies.

Here is a bit of hairball trivia: hairballs, or any other inanimate objects that form in the digestive tract, are called “bezoars.” In medieval times, these bezoars were believed to have magical powers, especially the power to be an antidote to any poison. Read more about bezoars here.





Never totally trust what you read on the internet. Always consult a veterinarian, professional trainer or other expert.