Cat hairballs are not necessarily normal. Cats that have hairballs are sometimes normal if it is happening rarely. For cats that areroutinely vomitinghairballs, it is often a sign of something more serious.Dr. Gary Norsworthy’s paperon the topic showed that these cats often have inflammatory bowel disease. Untreated, inflammatory bowel disease can become intestinal lymphoma. His studies showed about 50% of chronically vomiting cats had inflammatory bowel disease, while the other half had intestinal lymphoma. Early treatment of inflammatory bowel disease can reduce the risk of intestinal lymphoma.

What to do if Your Cat’s Hairballs Are Frequent

If your cat is vomiting hairballs you shouldcall your veterinarianand schedule anexamination.Your veterinarian may then recommenddiagnostic testingsuch as blood work, x-rays, ultrasound andendoscopic or surgical examinationsto try to find out why your cat is vomiting hairballs.

Your veterinarian will discuss treatment options if your cat is diagnosed with a medical condition during these procedures.

3 Things To Do For Preventing Cat Hairballs

1.  Frequent coat brushing will help remove hair before your cat can ingest it

2.  Adding lubricants by mouth, such as Vaseline, will help some hairballs move out the intestinal tract

3. Increased fibre diets can help ball up the hair and move it along the intestinal tract

If your cat is vomiting hairballs, call your veterinarian now. The sooner you get help, the sooner your cat will be back to their happy, healthy self.

Sincerely,

Dr. Kent Morley

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