## The Noise of Your Life as a Cat Owner

That unmistakable sound at 6 in the morning — *gluk-gluk-pluffff* — is one of the most recognizable in homes with cats. The hairball, or **tricobezoar**, is a mass of hair swallowed during grooming that compacts in the stomach and is expelled periodically through vomiting.

A hairball every 2-4 weeks is normal. More than one a week, or repeated vomiting without expulsion of hair, is a red flag: the hairball may not be able to exit and could become lodged in the intestine, leading to **obstruction**, a surgical emergency.

## How They Form (and Why Some Cats Have More)

A cat spends about 30% of its waking hours grooming. The tongue, covered in small backward-facing papillae like hooks, "combs" the hair and carries it toward the throat. The dead hair is then swallowed and normally passes through the intestine, expelled with the feces.

However, when the cat:

- **Sheds a lot of hair** (seasonal shedding, long hair, stress, skin issues),
- **Grooms excessively** (overgrooming due to itching, allergies, or anxiety),
- **Has slowed intestinal motility** (old age, inactivity, low-fiber diet),

the amount of hair ingested exceeds what can be expelled through the intestine. It accumulates in the stomach until it forms the mass that is then retched up.

## Signs That Go Beyond the Normal

Occasional hair vomiting = okay. **Pay attention** if the following appear:

- Repeated attempts to vomit **without expulsion** (unproductive vomiting).
- **Loss of appetite** or refusal to eat.
- **Lethargy**, swollen or tense abdomen.
- **Constipation** or feces with large amounts of hair.
- Frequent hair vomiting **(more than once a week)**.

In these cases, rush to the vet: an X-ray or ultrasound can clarify if there is a lodged hairball. If it doesn’t resolve with laxatives or malt, endoscopy or, rarely, surgery may be needed.

## The 4 Prevention Strategies

**1. Regular brushing.** This is the number one remedy. It removes dead hair before the cat swallows it. Short hair: 2-3 times a week. Long hair: every day. During seasonal shedding (spring and autumn), double the frequency.

**2. Malt for hairballs.** A gelatinous paste made of malt, vegetable oils, and fiber, available in veterinary versions (Gimcat, Vetoquinol, Beaphar). It lubricates the hairball, facilitating its natural expulsion through the intestine. Dosage: 2-5 cm of paste 2-3 times a week, on the paw or directly from the tube if preferred.

**3. Specific "hairball control" food.** Kibble or pâté with added fibers (psyllium, beet pulp) that help push the hair through the intestine. A good solution for long-term maintenance.

**4. Hydration.** A dehydrated cat has a slow intestine. Add water to the pâté, try water fountains, avoid a diet consisting only of kibble if the cat drinks little. Good hydration reduces the risk of obstruction.

## Natural Sources of Fiber

If you prefer alternatives to industrial food:

- **Cat grass** or "cat herb" (ryegrass, oats): stimulates natural vomiting of the hairball. Grow it at home.
- **Boiled pumpkin** (1 teaspoon mixed with food, 2-3 times a week): gentle soluble fiber.
- **Fish oil** or **olive oil** (1/4 teaspoon daily): gently lubricates.

Never give mineral oil (paraffin) without a prescription: it interferes with vitamin absorption in the long term.

## The Final Rule

An occasional hairball is inevitable. If it becomes daily, something has changed: intense shedding? New stress (moving, another animal)? Skin problem? Investigate the cause, not just the symptom. And remember: hair that isn’t swallowed can’t create hairballs. The brush, a secret ally, does 70% of the work.