Why does your cat vomit hairballs?

Is your cat coughing up hairballs? Well, you do not need to worry as it is a natural way  of bringing out hair stuck in your cat’s stomach. Developing hairballs is quite common in cats but are most often found in long haired, older, overweight and indoor cats.

Cats are keen self groomers and like to keep their coat clean and shiny by themselves. They have tongues that are similar to a sandpaper and when they lick their coats loose hairs get stuck in them. Now, they cannot spit it out so they end up swallowing pieces of hair. In most cases these hairs are passed through the stomach and the intestines and are naturally ejected. But in some cats the hairs get stuck in the upper intestine and remain in the stomach. This disturbs the process of food moving through the bowels causing bowel problems and infection.When more food remains undigested in your cat’s body it will result in them vomiting the hairballs.   

In order to minimise your cat’s chances of coughing up hairballs, here are a few preventive measures:

• You need to check your cat regularly for fleas and ticks and start immediate treatment if they are found. So you need to consult your vet.
• Stress in cats lead to overlicking and swallowing large chunks of hair in a short time. So, in order to cut down on stress you need to introduce more exercise and interesting activities that your cat will enjoy.
• Ensure your cat is not overweight, stays in good shape and enjoys a high fibre diet.
• Hairballs are often seen in long haired cats than short haired ones, so make sure you brush them regularly, keep their coat clean and ensure that have a minimum of loose hairs about them.

You can always contact your vet for their professional help and guidance.

Happy parenting!