Reducing Hairballs, The Natural Way

Most cat owners will know the dreaded, hacking sound before their cat rushes to deposit a fresh, slimy hairball on the carpet (despite the easy to clean hard floor surrounding them!). Although an unpleasant part of cat ownership, the occasional hairball is little to worry about, providing there are no other signs of illness, or they do not increase in frequency. Hairball season typically aligns with a cat’s naturally shedding cycle, in spring and autumn, but may occur throughout the year.

Cats are meticulous groomers, spending around a quarter of their waking life grooming! A cat’s tongue is covered in tiny spines, known as filiform papillae, which act almost as a built-in brush. When cats groom, hair sticks to the tongue, which is pushed to the back of the throat and subsequently swallowed. It should pass through the gut, but occasionally it can clump in the stomach, making it more difficult for a cat to pass, thus they regurgitate it. Cats which have longer fur, or groom excessively tend to have more issues with hairballs.

The Signs of a Brewing Hairball

Sometimes hairballs do not come up on the first try, and it may take a few attempts. Usually, they’re tubular wads of compact hair, however sometimes they may not be as well formed. Typically, we see hairballs in adult cats, rather than kittens, as they are much more adept at grooming. Signs of a hairball burden include:

• Loss of appetite, or meowing for food, but then leaving it
• Restlessness
• Lethargy
• Retching or hacking
• Diarrhoea or constipation
• Vomiting with bile, or food

If these symptoms continue over a few days, or if your cat stops eating for more than 24 hours, it is advised you seek veterinary attention.

Helping with Hairballs

Maintenance of fur condition through an appropriate diet and frequent brushing both result in cats ingesting less loose hair when grooming. The aim with the following tips is to make sure hair moves through the gut and comes out in the litterbox, rather than being thrown up.

Diet

The best thing you can do is feed a nutritionally balanced, moisture-rich diet, made with quality, human-grade ingredients. The improved gut motility initiated by a raw or wet diet allows easier passage of hair through the gut. Ground bone in raw food is an excellent source of species appropriate fibre. As bone digests it creates a granular slurry, which goes on to harden faecal material. Impaired gut motility would account for the balling up of hair that should pass right through, as stomach-emptying time is typically under 2 hours. Thus, a cat shouldn’t be able to swallow enough hair fast enough to outcompete normal stomach emptying time.

There are many commercial ‘hairball control’ foods on the market, which are formulated with high levels of insoluble fibre, designed to push hair through the gut before it gets the chance to clump in the stomach. Cellulose is an example of an insoluble fibre used, which provides bulk but no calories. However, it’s a fine balancing act when feeding high fibre diets to cats, as too much fibre can decrease nutrient absorption by prohibiting bioavailability. As insoluble fibre quickens passage of faeces through the gastrointestinal tract, there is less time for nutrient absorption also. Additionally, excessive fibre in the diet can cause dehydration, if a cat is not obtaining enough moisture. Whilst some fibre is necessary and beneficial for cats, too much can have the opposite effect.

Hydration

In a dehydrated cat, the gastrointestinal tract is less able to transport a hairball through as efficiently as a well hydrated cat, therefore the importance a moisture-rich diet cannot be emphasised enough. Raw and wet diets contain a moisture content above 60%, which is essential to maintain a hydrated state. Dry diets typically contain <10% moisture, and although cats are typically seen to drink more water on these diets, they do not drink enough to compensate for the significant lack of dietary moisture. Some owners even choose to add additional hydration to their cats meals, by mixing in a splash of water or bone broth.

Mealtime Extras

If you’re already feeding a moisture-rich diet, there are some extras you can pop in your cat’s bowl to give them some extra support.

• Egg yolks – contain lecithin and choline. Lecithin is an emulsifier, and helps breakdown the fat in hairballs, essentially splitting them apart into smaller pieces, and allowing them to be passed through the intestines. Choline contains the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which stimulates wave like contractions of the gastrointestinal organs, known as peristalsis. This pushes the food (and hair!) through the intestines, improving gut motility and allowing hair to come out in the faeces. Egg yolk can be given raw, boiled or freeze dried a couple of times a week.
• Psyllium husk (soluble fibre) – added fibre has been found to increase faecal excretion of hair, especially in long hair cats, suggesting that a psyllium husk supplement can help minimise hairball formation (Weber et al 2015).
• Slippery elm (fibre) – contains mucilage which helps lubricate the intestinal tract tissue and help with hairball passage.

Brushing 

Our cats spend a good chunk of their day grooming, in order to maintain coat condition and remove loose hair and debris. Brushing cats helps removes this loose hair and stops the cat from swallowing it during grooming. This is especially important in long hair cats, and older cats, who may struggle, or lose interest in grooming. Even cats with short hair benefit from brushing a few times a week, and it can be a great way to bond with your cat.

Exercise

Get them moving to get their gut moving! Regular exercise such as through play with toys can stimulate digestion, enhancing gut motility, and can help reduce the likelihood of overgrooming, which can be associated with boredom.  

Managing and preventing hairballs in cats is essential for their overall health and well-being. By understanding the cause of hairballs and making some lifestyle adjustments, you can help keep hairballs to a minimum. Regular grooming, diet, exercise, and other natural remedies can all play a role in reducing hairball formation and supporting a happy, healthy cat.