Does Your Cat Often Throw Up Hairballs?
Hair ingestion in cats is a common occurrence since they regularly groom themselves. Due to the keratin structures on their tongues and their frequent grooming, it is normal for them to ingest hair, which then accumulates in the stomach.
Usually, the hair, along with other stomach contents, passes into the intestines and is then expelled through the faeces. However, sometimes the hair accumulates in the stomach and cannot pass into the intestines, resulting in it being expelled through vomiting.
It is normal for your cat to throw up hairballs, as long as it happens sporadically.
Expected Frequency of Hairball Vomiting
Typically, vomiting due to hairballs is characterised by the oral expulsion of dense, tubular structures of hair. This process may or may not be preceded by vocalisation or significant abdominal movements.
The frequency of vomiting episodes should be monitored, as it is not expected to happen more than 2-3 times per month, possibly up to once a week.
When these episodes become more frequent, it could be due to several factors such as increased hair loss due to seasonal changes, nutritional deficiencies, or gastric inflammation caused by multiple hairballs in the stomach irritating the mucosa.
If there are non-productive episodes where no hair is expelled, but instead food, liquid (with or without blood), and these occur frequently, it is advisable to consult your veterinarian to assess your cat’s health.
3 Tips to Reduce Hairballs in Your Cat
To help reduce the number of hairballs in your cat’s stomach, follow these three tips:
- Brush your cat at least once a day.
- Provide malt to help "lubricate" the hair accumulation, making it easier to pass into the intestines.
- Offer a diet richer in vegetable fibres.
Additionally, giving your cat access to cat grass can induce vomiting due to the reaction to the fibres in the stomach, helping to expel any accumulated hairballs.
Any of these options should be discussed with your veterinarian to ensure the most suitable approach or product for your cat.
