Is My Cat Normal? —The Truth About Hairballs

Woman combing a cat.Hairballs are an unfortunate part of life for most cat owners. That low, hacking sound you can hear from anywhere in the house is the telltale sign that kitty is about to deposit hairballs in the least convenient place possible.

While it’s easy to assume that coughing or vomiting in cats is caused by a hairball, this isn’t always the case. Frequent coughing or vomiting in cats is not normal, and may indicate an underlying health problem.

Hairballs 101

Hairballs are the result of undigested hair left over from our cats’ fastidious grooming habits. Hairballs (also known by their scientific name “trichobezoars”) are not actually ball shaped; rather they are cylindrical, taking the shape of the cat’s esophagus as they are regurgitated. No cat is immune to hairballs, but longhaired varieties are certainly more prone. Continue…