How can I stop my cat from getting hairballs?

We get it: hairballs may be a normal, natural phenomenon, but they aren't nice to find, especially if it's a common occurrence.

Thankfully, if your cat only has occasional hairballs, you don't have too much to worry about. Stopping your cat from having hairballs altogether isn't possible as it's a healthy, normal process.

But frequent hairballs are a potential problem, and there are ways for you to reduce them. If you're tired of finding clumps of wet fur littered around the house, we're here for you. Read on below.

Top-quality pet insurance

Squeaky-clean pet insurance

Our cover helps your pet with accidents and illnesses with no nasty surprises, like hidden fees and annual payout limits.

Protect your pet

Why do cats get hairballs?

Hairballs are a natural consequence of a healthy cat's grooming habits. As a cat licks itself when grooming, they take in some loose hair.

Small amounts of individual hairs will pass unnoticed through their system, being expelled in their stools. But sometimes, hair builds up, forming clumps in their stomach and digestive tract. If there's enough, a cat vomits it out along with some digestive juices.

Gross, right? Well, it's a perfectly natural mechanism, but it does carry some risk too, especially if your cat is frequently producing them or the size is very large.

Long-haired cats are naturally more at risk, but any cat that grooms excessively can produce too many hairballs.

Hairballs are considered "excessive" when they're:

• Combined with other symptoms, like appetite changes, constipation, diarrhoea, lethargy or reduction in activity

• Paired with frequent coughing and gagging

• Very large

• Vomited up more than once a month

How to stop hairballs in cats

Stopping hairballs in cats depends on what's causing it and the vet's diagnosis. But a few proactive steps include:

Regular grooming

Regular brushing and grooming will reduce hairballs; it helps get rid of loose hair before your cat ingests it. Grooming is essential to keep a cat healthy, and it helps remove dander and dirt too.

You should brush your cat daily if they have long hair, while short-haired cats will need grooming around once a week.

Our guide on how to reduce cat shedding can help set a healthy, regular schedule. If you're considering shaving your cat, please read our cat-shaving guide first - it's rarely necessary.

Diet and nutrition

A vet may recommend changes to your cat's diet or nutrition to stop hairballs. For example, you may need to add more fibre to a cat's diet, to help improve their digestion.

Hydration

Increasing water intake, particularly since cats don't tend to drink much, can help a cat pass hairballs instead of spitting them out.

You may want to swap your cat to wet food or add water to their food to encourage hydration.

Hairball remedies and supplements

Some hairball remedies and supplements can include malt-based laxatives and natural lubricants. This can help them to pass hairs along their digestive tract more easily.

Pet supplementation is a bit of a grey area, so always consult a vet first before starting.

Long-term solutions to preventing hairballs in cats

Enrichment

Sometimes, a cat can over-groom because they're feeling agitated or bored. Overgrooming directly causes hairballs, so make sure you give your cat plenty of enrichment and exercise.

Things like mental stimulation games, playing with your cat, scratching posts and toys can all keep a kitty mentally healthy. You should also identify anything that could be causing your cat stress such as other pets, loud noises or changes to their home environment.

Monitoring changes in behaviour

Keep a close eye on your cat's grooming behaviour and note down any changes. This is your sign to make a change to stop their overgrooming early, either by making lifestyle changes or altering your grooming routine.

Regular check-ups

Routine cat care means a vet can spot issues right away, and they can see things like overgrooming before it really becomes a problem. Some cats will overgroom due to parasites or skin allergies, so a vet check can help to spot these problems.

When to worry: signs of a hairball problem

Common warning signs include:

• Chronic coughing or gagging

• Constipation

• Frequent vomiting (more than once or twice a week)

• Lethargy

• Loss of appetite

• Reduced energy

If your cat is showing any of these warning signs along with hairballs, then please see a vet. It's possible that your cat is on their way to developing a blockage.

Understanding hairball blockages: a critical concern

While most hairballs pass without issue, some can get too large to pass. Large hairballs can lead to intestinal blockages. This is more of an issue than just having to clean up hairballs; it can threaten your cat's health, and it's a serious illness.

If the earlier signs have been ignored, then your cat may become quite unwell. Their symptoms will progress to:

• Extreme weakness or collapse

• Inability to poop or severe straining

• Persistent, unproductive vomiting (vomiting without bringing anything up)

• Severe abdomen pain

• Severe dehydration (dry gyms, sunken eyes, skin tenting)

• Swollen abdomen

You must see a vet if you suspect an intestinal blockage - it's life-threatening.

How they're diagnosed

Vets diagnose a blockage using:

• Contrast studies

• Exploratory surgery

• Endoscopy

• Physical examination

• Ultrasound

• X-rays

They'll then decide on treatment.

How they're treated

Vets may be able to l treat mild cases with laxatives or lubricants, but severe or complete blockages need emergency surgery. It's a costly intervention, but it's needed to keep cats alive.

The prognosis depends on how early it's detected and the severity of the blockage, but most cats will recover after surgery and will need long-term, proactive steps to prevent hairballs in the future.

Untreated blockage complications

Untreated blockages, even if they're mild, lead to severe, potentially fatal consequences. There are risks of intestinal rupture and abdominal infection if left untreated.

See your vet as soon as you notice any symptoms.

Hairballs and insurance

Remember: the occasional hairball is normal and you don't have to worry about it.

But frequent and large hairballs are not. It's why regular grooming, preventative pet care, routine check-ups and cat insurance are so important; they can help protect your cat from the unexpected.

At ManyPets, you can get up to £20,000 vet fee cover on our Complete Care cat insurance plan, 24/7 access to video vet calls and a host of ManyPets Perks.

High-quality cat insurance

Insure all nine lives

We know your cat knows best. But let's keep them protected from any unexpected accidents or illnesses - just in case.

Protect your pet