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Key takeaways
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Cats are obligate carnivores and require significantly more protein than dogs or humans because they use protein as their primary energy source.
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Protein quality matters as much as quantity, with animal-based proteins such as chicken, turkey, and fish being more biologically appropriate than plant proteins.
- 3
Fresh and wet cat foods often contain more protein than kibble on a dry matter basis, despite appearing lower on the label due to their higher moisture content.
- 4
High-protein diets are generally safe and beneficial for healthy cats, helping support muscle maintenance, energy levels, immune function, and overall wellbeing.
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When choosing cat food, look for named animal proteins, high meat content, and complete nutritional balance rather than relying solely on the protein percentage shown on the packaging.
Why Do Cats Get Hairballs? Causes, Prevention & Best Remedies
One minute, your cat is gracefully grooming themselves in a patch of sunshine.
Next, they're making a noise that suggests something between a lawnmower and an exorcism is taking place behind the sofa.
Hairballs are one of the less glamorous realities of living with cats. They're common, often harmless, and surprisingly misunderstood.
The good news? Most hairballs are completely normal.
The even better news? Understanding why do cats get hairballs can help you reduce how often they happen in the first place.
In this guide, we'll explain the most common hairball causes, when hairballs become a concern, and the practical steps you can take if you're wondering how to reduce cat hairballs naturally.
What Is A Hairball?
A hairball is exactly what it sounds like: a collection of swallowed hair that gathers in the stomach rather than passing naturally through the digestive system.
Cats groom themselves using rough tongues covered in tiny backwards-facing barbs. These barbs work like miniature brushes, collecting loose fur, dirt, and debris.
The downside?
Some of that fur gets swallowed.
Most swallowed hair passes through the digestive tract without causing any problems. Occasionally, however, hair accumulates in the stomach and forms a hairball.
Eventually, the cat expels it.
Not elegant. But effective.
Why Do Cats Get Hairballs?
The simple answer to why do cats get hairballs is grooming.
Every time a cat licks their coat, they swallow small amounts of fur. Hair is primarily made of keratin, which the digestive system cannot digest.
The process usually looks like this:
Cats groom their coat
Loose fur is swallowed
Most hair passes through the digestive tract
Some hair remains in the stomach
Hair accumulates over time
A hairball forms
The cat coughs or retches it back up
While this process is completely natural, several factors can make hairballs more frequent.
Which Cats Are More Likely To Get Hairballs?
Some cats seem to produce hairballs with remarkable enthusiasm.
Others hardly experience them at all.
Risk Category | Key Biological Catalyst | Most Vulnerable Cat Profiles |
Coat Architecture | High volume of dense undercoat and long guard hairs | Maine Coons, Persians, Ragdolls, Norwegian Forest Cats |
Age & Maturity | Advanced grooming skills and meticulous coat maintenance | Mature adult cats and senior cats |
Dermatological Stress | Flea allergies, ringworm, or hot spots causing itchy skin | Cats dealing with active skin conditions or environmental allergies |
Psychological Habits | Repetitive self-grooming to self-soothe and reduce stress | Indoor-only cats lacking physical or mental stimulation |
Common cat hairball causes include:
The Long-Hair Challenge: It is no surprise that long-haired cat hairballs carry a higher risk. Breeds with long, flowing coats swallow significantly more fur during their daily grooming routines compared to short-haired cats.
Meticulous Older Groomers: Kittens are notoriously clumsy groomers, often leaving their coats a bit messy. As cats mature into adulthood, they become much more thorough, which increases the amount of dead hair they accidentally swallow.
Stress and Over-Grooming: Indoor cats who spend long periods alone can develop compulsive grooming habits out of boredom or anxiety, introducing excessive amounts of fur into their digestive systems.
Did You Know?According to veterinary data from the Blue Cross UK, approximately 1 in 10 cats experience regular issues with hairball vomiting. Identifying these specific cat hairball causes helps pet parents tailor their care, starting with an easy-to-digest kitten food for younger cats or highly nutritious meals for older companions. |
How Often Should Cats Get Hairballs?
One of the most common questions cat owners ask is: How often should cats get hairballs?
Frequency Baseline | Internal Gastrointestinal Status | Recommended Action |
Once a Month or Less | Normal physiological management; gut motility is keeping pace. | Maintain a high-quality diet and regular brushing routines. |
Weekly or More | High risk of gastric compaction; digestion is struggling. | Re-evaluate their primary food; look into better hydration options. |
Repeated Dry Retching | Potential life-threatening internal blockage. | Urgent Veterinary Intervention Required. |
In most healthy cats:
The Normal Baseline: Coughing up a hairball about once a month is generally considered a normal part of cat life, showing that the body is managing the hair that enters the stomach.
The Warning Signs: You should seek professional veterinary care if your cat shows signs of distress, such as constant dry retching without bringing anything up, a sudden loss of appetite, ongoing lethargy, constipation, or a firm, swollen belly.
The Blockage Danger: When a matted ball of fur slips past the stomach but gets stuck inside the narrow passages of the small intestine, it creates a serious physical blockage. This stops food and water from passing through, which can quickly become a life-threatening medical emergency.
When should I worry about my cat's hairballs? Consistency is key: frequent hacking or visible changes in energy levels mean it is time to step in and consult your vet.
Hairball Or Vomiting? How To Tell The Difference
Many owners assume every retching episode is a hairball.
That's not always the case.
If you're researching cat hairball symptoms vs vomiting, here's a simple hack to identify:
Hairball
Repeated gagging or hacking sounds
Tube-shaped mass of hair produced
Often covered in mucus
Cat usually appears relieved afterwards
Vomiting
Food, foam, or bile produced
May happen suddenly
Often unrelated to grooming
Can indicate digestive illness
If your cat regularly vomits food rather than producing hairballs, speak to your vet.
Does Diet Help Reduce Cat Hairballs?
Yes. One of the most overlooked factors in hairball management is nutrition.
If you've ever wondered, does diet help reduce cat hairballs? The answer is a clear yes.
Diet can influence:
Digestive transit
Coat health
Skin condition
Hydration
Shedding levels
All of which affect hairball formation.
1. Fibre Helps Move Hair Through The Gut
One reason owners search for how fibre helps cat hairballs is that it supports normal digestive movement.
When digestion moves efficiently, swallowed hair is more likely to pass naturally rather than accumulating in the stomach.
2. Hydration Supports Digestion
Cats naturally get much of their moisture from food.
Moisture-rich diets help support healthy digestion and gut motility.
This is one reason many vets recommend fresh cat food over heavily processed alternatives.
3. Omega-3 Supports Skin And Coat Health
Healthier skin often means less shedding.
Less shedding means fewer opportunities for hairball formation.
It's one reason searches for omega 3 for cats often overlap with discussions about hairballs.
How To Reduce Cat Hairballs Naturally
If you're looking for practical ways on how to reduce cat hairballs, focus on prevention rather than cure.
1. Brush Regularly
Removing loose fur before your cat swallows it remains one of the most effective strategies.
Long-haired cats may benefit from daily brushing.
2. Support Digestive Health
Choose food containing:
Natural fibre sources
Digestible ingredients
Adequate moisture
High-quality protein
3. Prioritise Hydration
Cats are famously unimpressed by drinking water.
Moisture-rich diets can help support hydration naturally.
4. Support Coat Health
Healthy coats shed less.
Omega-3 fatty acids can help support healthy skin and coat condition over time.
Focusing on these core habits provides a natural, safe, and lasting way to reduce cat hairballs naturally, avoiding the need for harsh chemical gels or artificial remedies.
What To Look For In Hairball Control Cat Food
If you're comparing options for hairball control cat food in the UK, focus on ingredients rather than front-of-pack marketing.
The best cat food for hairballs should contain:
Essential Label Metric | High-Quality Biological Indicator | Ingredients & Fillers to Avoid |
Primary Protein Sourcing | Explicitly named real meats (e.g., Fresh Whole Salmon) | Vague descriptions like "Meat and Animal Derivatives" |
Fibre Components | Clear, natural sources like psyllium seeds or dried beet pulp | Heavy, low-cost fillers like powdered cellulose waste |
Essential Fatty Acids | Clear additions of cold-pressed salmon oil or marine microalgae | Generic "vegetable oils" or factory-processed poultry fats |
If you're researching options for cat food online, ingredient quality is often the best place to start.
Also Read:10 Cat Food Ingredients to Avoid in 2026 (And What to Feed Instead) |
How Marro Supports Digestive Health And Hairball Reduction
At Marro, we think solving hairballs starts long before the hairball itself appears.
It starts with better everyday nutrition.
Every Marro recipe includes:
Human-quality meat and fish
Hydrating gravy
Naturally occurring dietary fibre
Salmon oil for omega-3 support
High moisture content
Substantial amount of supplemented taurine, no stress to fulfill daily protein requirements.
We gently cook our recipes before freezing them for freshness, helping support digestibility, hydration, and overall wellbeing.
As the UK's newest fresh cat food subscription service, launched in 2024 as the proud sister brand to Butternut Box, we design our meals to match the true biological needs of cats.
Fewer hairballs are lovely. But a happier cat is a happy life.
Build Your Daily Fresh Cat Food Recipe Now
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why do cats get hairballs?
Cats get hairballs because their tongues are covered in tiny, backward-facing hooks called papillae that act like a built-in brush during grooming. This texture catches loose, dead hairs, which the cat naturally swallows because they cannot spit them out. Because fur is made of tough keratin protein, it cannot be dissolved by stomach acids. If their digestive tract is running slowly, often due to low-moisture diets, the swallowed hair accumulates in the stomach, matting together until it triggers a reflex to cough it up.
2. How often should cats get hairballs?
A normal baseline for a healthy adult cat is coughing up a hairball about once a month or less. If your cat is expelling hairballs every week, it is a clear sign that their system is struggling, either due to excessive shedding or a sluggish digestive tract. Frequent episodes mean it is time to look into better grooming routines and swap low-moisture dry kibble for a nutrient-dense, high-moisture fresh cat food to support their gut motility.
3. When should I be worried about my cat's hairballs?
You should seek urgent veterinary care if your cat exhibits signs of a serious intestinal blockage. Warning indicators include continuous dry retching or gagging without bringing up a hairball, a sudden loss of appetite, noticeable lethargy, constipation, or a hard, swollen abdomen. These symptoms suggest that a dense mass of fur has traveled past the stomach and become lodged in the small intestine, creating a life-threatening physical obstruction that requires immediate attention.
4. Does diet help reduce cat hairballs?
Yes, a species-appropriate diet plays a vital role in preventing and reducing hairball issues. Foods with high moisture content help keep the gastrointestinal tract well-hydrated, ensuring that swallowed hair moves steadily through the system. Additionally, adding gentle, natural fibres like psyllium husk helps catch loose hairs and carry them safely into the litter box, while marine-derived omega-3 fatty acids nourish the coat to significantly reduce shedding.
5. Are long-haired cats more prone to hairballs?
Yes, long-haired breeds such as Persians, Maine Coons, Ragdolls, and British Longhairs carry a much higher risk of developing frequent hairballs. Because their coats are long and dense, they swallow a significantly larger volume of loose fur during their daily self-grooming routines compared to short-haired cats. This makes regular brushing and a moisture-rich, fibre-supported fresh diet especially important for managing their digestive health.
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