How to help reduce hairballs in cats

Cats lick their coats to cool themselves, calm their emotions, regulate anxiety, and remove dead hair. The rough texture of a cat’s tongue contains hook-shaped structures – called conical dermal papillae – that work like a brush, picking up dead hair and debris from their coat.

Cats may spend between 30-50% of their day grooming themselves. When licking their coat, they can ingest 60-120g of hair yearly (1.5-3 litres). And when shedding, they may swallow more than 100mg of hair per kg of body weight daily!

Ingested hair can clump together in the oesophagus and stomach, creating a hairball. The medical term for these masses is “trichobezoars”, and they are usually around 4cm long and 1cm wide in shape. Once formed, hairballs in cats are either regurgitated or eliminated in their stools.

Hairballs can cause issues including constipation, diarrhoea, vomiting and loss of appetite. If your cat is showing signs of discomfort or any of the above signs speak to your veterinarian.

There are a few simple steps that you can take to help support your cat, both inside and out Some examples are listed below:

1. Encourage your cat to exercise

Indoor and older cats are more prone to hairballs, as they may spend more time grooming and less time exercising. Exercise supports digestion and helps move hairballs through the digestive tract. Some cats may over-groom as a response to a stressful situation, pain or if they have a skin sensitivity, which means they are more prone to hairballs. Here are some ways to help increase your cat’s activity level:

• Provide hiding spaces in high places to encourage climbing
• Encourage them to play and provide a variety of toys
• Use interactive feeders, such as placing dry food in a ball that must be rolled to release it

2. Switch to a cat food formulated to help manage hairballs

Feed your cat a diet that contains a blend of natural fibres that will help to eliminate hair in their stools and limit the build-up in their stomach and intestines. Indoor cats in particular may benefit from a diet with a blend of fibres, as it can help to support intestinal transit in cats prone to hairballs. To effectively combat the formation of hairballs, fibre content should be at least double that of standard food.

The type of fibre is important

When searching for the right hairball diet for your cat, it’s important to remember that not all fibres are the same! Fibres differ in composition, digestibility by intestinal bacteria, and water-binding capacity, which all influence their effectiveness in stimulating digestion and supporting regular stool quality.

• Some types of fibres can help with constipation. They form water-binding gels that support transit and elimination. Psyllium is an example of a fibre with a high-water binding capacity and is included in diets to help maintain normal intestinal transit in cats.
• There are also fibres that “feed” beneficial intestinal bacteria and help maintain the balance of digestive flora. These types of fibres are often referred to as prebiotics and examples include include fructo-oligosaccharides and inulin.
• Soluble fibres work with insoluble fibres to support stool size, texture and moisture content. Both soluble and insoluble cellulose fibres support healthy and regular digestion.

ROYAL CANIN^® Hairball Care dry and wet diets contain a specific blend of natural dietary fibres, such as psyllium, to help stimulate intestinal transit.

3. Brush your cat regularly

Brushing is essential to rid your cat’s coat of dead hair and limit the amount they swallow. For long-haired breeds such as the Persian, Himalayan, and Birman, daily grooming is recommended to help prevent matting and minimise shedding.

When your cat is moulting in spring and autumn it is recommended to brush them every day. Don’t forget to treat your cat for fleas, even in winter. If your cat has itchy skin due to parasites, they may lick themselves even more than usual and ingest even more hair, increasing the chance of hairballs.

Cats groom themselves for hygiene, temperature control and in response to stressful situations. Hairballs from cats are a normal part of pet ownership, and by providing a supportive diet with the right nutrients and fibres, and regularly grooming and playing with your cat, you can help them be healthy and comfortable.