Cats groom …. A lot! They have very pointy papillae on their tongues which allows them to do a great grooming job and gives a very raspy feeling to their tongue. That hair is swallowed. If too much hair is swallowed it can get stuck in the stomach in a ball and eventually coughed up or vomited up as a “hairball”. Hairballs look nasty and smell worse.
Most of the time this behavior is just annoying and has no severe consequence. Using some Vaseline on the feet is useful. The cat will lick it off and it helps the hair “slide” down the gastrointestinal tract. Special products are also available from pet stores and veterinary offices as well for this particular problem.
Sometimes, the hairball gets stuck. Although rare, it can block the passage in the bowel and lead to vomiting, and loss of appetite. If the hairball can be removed with an endoscope, it is best. For those hairballs stuck further down, surgery is needed.
So remember to brush your cat to avoid excessive hair and give him Vaseline, olive oil, fish oil or other feline laxative product to help him pass those hairballs. Beauty has its price, but let it not be abdominal surgery!
