Cats swallow loose hair while grooming themselves. Some passes in stool, while some can remain in the stomach and collect as a hairball. Repeated unproductive retching or vomiting, or lethargy, warrants veterinary examination without delay. Contact your vet about those signs rather than assuming the cat is simply working on a hairball.
How swallowed hair forms a hairball
During self-grooming, cats swallow loose hair that can pass through the digestive tract and leave in stool, while some remains in the stomach and gradually collects into a clump.
Frequent hacking may have a cause other than hairballs. Don't assume that every hacking episode is part of the hairball-formation process.
When to contact your vet
Repeated unproductive retching or vomiting needs veterinary examination without delay. Lethargy also needs prompt assessment. Contact your vet.
Tell the clinic what you saw and heard, whether anything came up and whether it happened again. Give the time if you know it.
Contact the clinic with the information you have; gathering a complete account should not delay the call.
Keep coat care gentle
For ordinary coat care, brush gently from the head towards the tail in the direction the hair grows. Brushing is not a treatment plan for hacking or vomiting.
Keep grooming within your cat’s comfort and end before discomfort. Let your cat leave if the experience is stressful.
Read the guide to grooming your cat for gentle everyday coat care.
Questions about hairballs
Are hairballs normal for cats?
Cats swallow loose hair during grooming, and some can collect in the stomach as a hairball. That explanation does not establish a safe frequency: repeated unproductive retching or vomiting, or lethargy, needs veterinary examination without delay. Frequent hacking may have another cause, so ask your vet about the event rather than assuming it is a hairball.
Bring the care history
Keep your cat's vet-visit history in Nuzzy PetLife for the care discussion, but do not delay contacting the clinic to organize records. Bring the history you have.
