Cat owners are familiar with the ‘horking sound’ that cats make hebdomadally, which leads to a hairball being dumped on the floor. After a few hairballs are removed, owners tend to become numb to the problem. However, you should be aware of the formation of the balls, how to stop them, and the potential complications that may arise.

Cats are dynamos at grooming. Unlike dogs, who will lick their paws twice and think that’s enough. Even kittens start grooming from a very young age. This continues for the entire lifetime of the cat.

The tongue of the cat is covered with tiny hooks that easily eat dead and loose fur when it licks itself. The cat spends a lot of time cleaning itself during the day, so the chance to collect hair is high. Hair that is caught by the tongue will be swallowed, and then enter the digestive system. The majority of swallowed hair is harmlessly passed through the stomach and intestinal tracts, and deposited in the litter box. Some hair is always left behind and will eventually form a ball.

Most hairballs are not harmful to your cat. Sometimes a blockage in the stomach or intestines can cause a hairball. Other times, a mega-hairball may form inside the stomach and take up the entire space.

You can tell if your friend is also having hairball problems by looking for clues.

Hairballs can cause constipation in cats. They will prevent normal bowel movements.

Your cat could also have diarrhea if the intestinal irritation caused by the hairballs is causing the food to move too quickly.

* Cats who have a blockage lack energy and may just lie around.

* If you cat tries to vomit but cannot bring up anything, it could be that the hairball is too large to be expelled in the normal manner.

When a blockage occurs, appetite will drop dramatically.

* An outsized hairball pressing against the cat’s lungs can cause it to cough and wheeze.

Consult your veterinarian to resolve the problem. The first step will be to palpate the abdomen of the cat, then an x-ray. A large hairball in the digestive tract must be surgically removed. This will be expensive, so owners should do everything they can to prevent hairballs in the first place.

You can’t prevent your cat from ingesting hair, but you can help keep the problem to a minimum.

Brush your cat. Long-haired cats have a higher risk of developing hairballs. A daily brushing will remove the majority of loose hairs from your cat before they form a ball. It is a good idea to start this early on in your cat’s life, not only to prevent hairballs but also for your cat and you to have a fun time together. Once the brushing is done, use a moist cloth to pick up any loose hairs. If your cat sheds annually, brushing is essential.

Hairballs are more common in cats who are super-groomers. You can help keep the cat’s mouth closed by giving it a few new toys and twirling with him.

You can purchase oral lubricants at pet stores or from your veterinarian. They help to keep the matter moving more quickly through the alimentary tube and removing the hair from the system prevents the formation of hairballs.

It has been found that fiber-rich cat food is effective in preventing hairballs. Introduce it slowly, as you would any new food to avoid stomach upsets.

When cats groom themselves, they can eat human hair off the floor. This is a pain, especially if you have long hair. It will go down with the cat’s hair. Vacuuming regularly can keep hairs from entering your cat’s intestines.

Last but not least, do not let your cat get obese. Fat cats are more prone to constipation, which can slow down the normal passage of matter in the intestines, contributing to the accumulation of hairballs.