should hairballs be expected?

I've had Malachy for about 3 & 1/2 months ...he's a wonderful kitty for the most part.  He's kinda long haired - I groom/brush him 3 or 4 times a week.  He threw up his 'first' hairball after being with me for maybe 2 weeks ( and he threw it up in the litter box ...good kitty!) I assume hairballs are expected occasionally - especially with long hair cats ...how often should I expect them? He is on a mostly wet diet ...he easts about 1/8 cup dry (or less) daily as a 'free' snack if any of that matters ... so it's only been 1 hair ball about 3 months ago.  It's probably one of those things where there is no one answer ...many variables I suppose.  TY!

LoriBeth said:

 
I've had Malachy for about 3 & 1/2 months ...he's a wonderful kitty for the most part.  He's kinda long haired - I groom/brush him 3 or 4 times a week.  He threw up his 'first' hairball after being with me for maybe 2 weeks ( and he threw it up in the litter box ...good kitty!) I assume hairballs are expected occasionally - especially with long hair cats ...how often should I expect them? He is on a mostly wet diet ...he easts about 1/8 cup dry (or less) daily as a 'free' snack if any of that matters ... so it's only been 1 hair ball about 3 months ago.  It's probably one of those things where there is no one answer ...many variables I suppose.  TY!

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some cats get hairballs and some cats rarely get them, it seems no matter whether they're long-haired or short-haired. some cats seem more prone to getting them than others.

if you live in a climate where there is cool/cold weather for part of the year and warm/hot weather for part of the year, then your cat(s) should shed more during the warm/hot weather. cats do shed all year long, though much less in the cool/cold weather months.

that's great that you brush malachy several times each week! that should help prevent as many hairballs.

there are "hairball remedies" available at most pet supply stores. i use plain petroleum jelly, which is the main ingredient in the hairball remedies that helps -- my vet suggested that. my cats did not like the malt flavor of the hairball remedies, but they love the petroleum jelly -- they cry out in excitement when i bring them some on my finger, and lick it off enthusiastically. if you notice your boy trying to hack up a hairball, you can give him a little of the petroleum jelly (or hairball remedy) each day until the hairball comes up or out the other end of him. one way to know when you've given too much petroleum jelly is kitty will have looser stools or diarrhea. i do about 1/4 teaspoon per day approximately, when my girl is working on hacking up a hairball.

IMO, frequent vomiting of hairballs in cats is due to a compromised GI tract.   The GI impairment can be primary or secondary to some other disease process.   This is just from experience with what I have seen with my cats and some of the clinical experience I have read about.    The cats that had some underlying disease process going on would hack hairballs with a frequency of monthly all the way to 3 times a day at worst.   

The cats that I have had from long-hair to short that were healthy would almost never heave hairballs.   Once or twice a year at most.

What this tells me is that if you are seeing hairballs say on a monthly basis or more then it might be a wise idea to take kitty in for a wellness checkup.  Blood/urine panels and if you can afford it xray/ultrasound.   The hairballs could be an early indicator of oncoming trouble that if caught early could save bigger problems down the road.

zoneout said:

 
IMO, frequent vomiting of hairballs in cats is due to a compromised GI tract.   The GI impairment can be primary or secondary to some other disease process.   This is just from experience with what I have seen with my cats and some of the clinical experience I have read about.    The cats that had some underlying disease process going on would hack hairballs with a frequency of monthly all the way to 3 times a day at worst.   

The cats that I have had from long-hair to short that were healthy would almost never heave hairballs.   Once or twice a year at most.

What this tells me is that if you are seeing hairballs say on a monthly basis or more then it might be a wise idea to take kitty in for a wellness checkup.  Blood/urine panels and if you can afford it xray/ultrasound.   The hairballs could be an early indicator of oncoming trouble that if caught early could save bigger problems down the road.

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Oh, no, my kitty isn't throwing up hairballs regularly ...he did only once so far ...about 3 months ago, he threw it up about 2 weeks after I got him ...none since, I was just wondering if I should expect them from time to time ...this is my first cat since ...maybe 1994 ...not really sure - long time!  TYVM!  Great input for future reference!

Brushing probably helps a lot!  My cat normally throws up a hairball about once every 4-8 weeks.  But it can vary by the season, too.  She's went longer, and she's done it more frequently.  She is not a fan of being groomed in any way.  I wish she would let me so maybe she'd have less.  Unfortunately it is either her throwing up hairballs or me bleeding.  I usually choose the hairballs.