What is a hairball in a cat?

Answer 1

Hi there...cats prize themselves as being clean. There are few animals that clean themselves as much and completely as cat do. Always licking their coat, assuming positions that are almost painful to watch. Every time kitty awakens, and just before sleep, the ritual begins again. Even the paws fall prey to the cats precise cleaning. Well, it's not just a cleaning going on. Kitty is trying to remove loose hair. The tongue of a cat has tiny barbs that pull loose hair from it's coat. This hair is ingested by the cat and in small quantities it will pass through the cats digestive system with no problems. Sometimes, too much is ingested making kitty sick. The end result is a cat heaving and making strange noises through its nose and throat, almost like a muted cough or sneeze. Within a few minutes, a hairball is born. This is very discomforting to the cat, so much that kitty has to begin cleaning itself again, usually with the same results. There are over the counter remedies for this, or you can use a simple "old way" to deal with it. Vaseline. A little bit smeared on top of the front paws will do the trick. Of course, your cat will look at you like you have violated all cat honor, but will just as quickly get it off, first by trying to shake it off, then by licking it off. The Vaseline helps keep the hairball confined to a small ball and lubricates it so it will pass easily. This treatment is for the occasional hairball and not recommended for daily use.

If the condition persists, and over the counter remedies don't work, or it appears to be hurting the cat, a vet trip may be highly recommended. These severe "attacks" can be very painful and may even cause the digestive track to stop working. To help prevent hairballs, brush your cat often. Cats really enjoy this. If your cat has long hair, it may be recommended to give kitty a cat cut, especially in the spring when shedding occurs most.

Some vets are recommending feeding cats a small amount of grass or cat nip every other day. Grass and cat nip are a rich source of fiber and can help in minimizing formations of hairballs.

Wheat, barley, oats or rye type grasses work well. All can be grown indoors for your cat. A few pinches every other day should be enough.

Answer 2

A hairball is caused from a cat cleaning it's self. Its very normal. The hair gathers and then a cat relieves it's self by throwing it up. However, just a tip. All local Walmarts and pet stores sell hairball remedies that can help move the hair ball through the bowels, they also carry foods with the remedy already in the food. This will help from you finding surprises and the cat will have healthier relieve from hairballs. Good luck to you.

Answer 3

It is literally a ball of hair in the cats digestive tract. There are products to treat this problem and help your cat pass the hair. The cat is contstantly licking it self to get it clean. The hair can collect inside the cat. The cat I knew sounded like he had asthma when he had it. That particular product was a gel that was put on his paws and the problem resolved.

My dog had the honor of having one.
My dog had a habit of eating the other dogs hair and he vomited one up one day when he got car sick.

Answer 4

Cats groom themselves by licking. They get fur caught on their tongue and swallow it. It's not digestible, so eventually it forms balls of fur inside their stomach.

Eventually they'll throw it up, but there are hairball treatments that you can buy at any pet store (tuna flavour- it's like toothpaste- they just lick it up)

Answer 5

A wad of fur that they get from grooming themselves. There is hairball medicine that you can give them to help them digest to fur and keep them from throwing up.

Answer 6

hair·ball (hârbôl) KEY

NOUN:

A small mass of hair in the stomach or intestine of an animal, such as a cat, that is accumulated when the animal swallows hair while licking its coat.

Answer 7

when the cat takes a "bath", she swallows it's hair. in stomach there is a ball built by the hair and the cat spits it out then.

Answer 8

exactly what it sound like a hair ball gets caught in their throat from cleaning themselves especially the long haired cats

Answer 9

it is a ball of hair in a cat's stomach, and when the cough it up, it is totally disgusting!

Answer 10

Nasty!
Actually your answer can be found in your question; HAIRBALL.