{"id":9053,"date":"2023-09-08T09:00:34","date_gmt":"2023-09-08T09:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mundocachorro.com\/what-are-hairballs-in-cats\/"},"modified":"2023-09-08T09:00:34","modified_gmt":"2023-09-08T09:00:34","slug":"what-are-hairballs-in-cats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mundocachorro.com\/en\/what-are-hairballs-in-cats\/","title":{"rendered":"What are hairballs in cats"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hairballs in cats, also known as trichobezoars, are accumulations of hair that form in the digestive tract of cats. Cats are known to be very clean animals that constantly groom themselves, and by licking themselves, ingest loose hair. In fact, recent studies have shown that cats spend about 10% of their time each day grooming themselves. In general, most of the hairs ingested by the cat during grooming pass through the digestive system without problems. But occasionally it can accumulate in the cat’s stomach or intestines and cause certain problems.<\/span><\/p>\n

When hair accumulates in the gastrointestinal tract, it can form a compact, round mass, known as hairballs. These hairballs can vary in size and can cause discomfort in the cat. When a cat has hairballs, it may have some symptoms such as frequent vomiting, sometimes with the presence of hair in the vomited contents, constipation or difficulty defecating and loss of appetite. He may also have restless or lethargic behavior or coughing or retching.<\/span><\/p>\n

Are hairballs dangerous in cats?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Hairballs in a cat can be potentially dangerous if not handled properly. Although in most cases hairballs pass through the digestive system without causing serious problems, they can occasionally lead to complications. <\/span><\/p>\n

The most common problems caused by these balls are the following: <\/span><\/p>\n