What is hairball?
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Quick answer
A hairball, or trichobezoar, is a wad of swallowed hair that a cat brings up after collecting it in the stomach during grooming. Bringing one up every week or two is common and usually harmless. Repeated retching with nothing coming up, refusing food for more than a day or two, or lethargy can mean a blockage and need a vet.
Also called hairballs, trichobezoar, fur ball.
Key facts
- A hairball is a trichobezoar: a wad of undigested hair swallowed during grooming. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
- Despite the name, hairballs that come up are usually slender and cylindrical rather than round. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
- Bringing up a hairball every week or two is not uncommon and generally harmless. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
- Long-haired breeds such as Persians and Maine Coons may be at greater risk. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
- A cat that is lethargic or refuses to eat for more than a day or two needs a vet: a large hairball can block the gut. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
Why do cats get hairballs?
A cat's tongue is roughened by tiny backward-slanting projections that catch loose hair as it grooms, and the cat swallows it. Most of the hair passes through the gut and out in the faeces. What stays behind collects in the stomach and is eventually brought up as a hairball, usually after a bout of hacking or gagging.
Cats that shed heavily or groom a lot get more of them. Long-haired breeds such as the Persian and the Maine Coon are at greater risk, and Cornell notes hairballs are more common in the seasons when cats shed their coats. Excessive grooming can point to an itchy skin problem, such as a food allergy.
When is a hairball a problem?
One hairball now and then is normal. These patterns are not.
If your cat brings up a hairball every week or two and is otherwise bright and eating
This is common. Brush daily and mention it at the next routine check. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
If your cat retches or gags again and again but brings nothing up
See a vet promptly: unproductive retching can mean a blockage or another illness. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
If your cat refuses food for more than a day or two, or is lethargic
See a vet the same day. A large hairball can block the intestine. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
If your cat hacks often but nothing ever comes up
It may not be hairballs at all. Cornell notes frequent hacking can be a breathing problem such as asthma, so book a vet visit. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
How do you reduce hairballs?
Brushing is the main step. Cornell's Feline Health Center recommends getting into the habit of brushing and combing a cat's coat daily, which removes loose hair before the cat swallows it. A long-haired cat may need a professional groom or a trim in heavy shedding seasons.
Some commercial diets claim to reduce hairballs; ask your vet before switching. Never give a cat a laxative or a home remedy such as oil or ghee without your vet's approval. If your cat over-grooms or has bald patches, ask the vet to look for a skin problem.
Is it a hairball or a cough?
A cat bringing up a hairball gags and produces a slender tube of wet hair. Cornell warns that frequent hacking which never produces hair may have nothing to do with hairballs and can be a breathing problem such as asthma. Film an episode on your phone and show your vet; it helps them tell the two apart.
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Questions owners ask
How often is it normal for a cat to have hairballs?
- Cornell's Feline Health Center says bringing up a hairball every week or two is not uncommon and is generally harmless. More often than that, vomiting food rather than hair, or any lethargy or loss of appetite, is a reason to see a vet rather than to assume it is just hairballs.
Can a hairball kill a cat?
- Rarely, but a large clump of hair can block the intestine, which is an emergency. Signs include repeated retching with nothing coming up, refusing food for more than a day or two, and lethargy. A cat with these signs needs a vet the same day.
Can I give my cat ghee or oil for hairballs?
- Not without asking your vet. Cornell advises never giving a cat a laxative without veterinary approval and supervision, and home remedies can upset the gut or hide a blockage. Daily brushing is the safest first step, and your vet can advise on diets or products.
Do short-haired cats get hairballs?
- Yes, any cat that grooms can get them, but short-haired cats are at lower risk than long-haired breeds such as Persians and Maine Coons. A short-haired cat with frequent hairballs may be over-grooming, which can point to an itchy skin problem worth checking with a vet.
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