Why Does My Cat Get Hairballs? Causes & What Helps

Why does my cat get hairballs?

Cats get hairballs because grooming makes them swallow loose fur. The barbs on a cat's tongue catch shed hair, which is swallowed and usually passes through the gut — but when too much collects in the stomach, it forms a hairball that comes back up. Heavy shedding, long hair, over-grooming, and a low-fiber diet all make hairballs more likely. The occasional one is normal; frequent ones are a signal worth checking.

Let's break down what's driving it, because the cause points to the fix.

What are the main causes of hairballs in cats?

A few factors stack up (Riverstone Animal Hospital; Vetster):

• Normal grooming — all cats swallow some fur; it's how they stay clean.
• Shedding season — more loose fur means more swallowed hair.
• Long or thick coats — long-haired breeds are more prone to hairballs.
• Over-grooming — stress, anxiety, allergies, or itchy skin can make a cat groom excessively and swallow far more fur.
• Low dietary fiber — without enough fiber, swallowed fur is harder to move through the gut.

Notice that two of these — over-grooming and low fiber — are things you can actually influence.

How often are hairballs normal?

Most cats produce only one or two hairballs a month, which is considered normal (Riverstone Animal Hospital). The threshold to watch: more than one or two a week, or a clear increase in frequency, is a reason to talk to your vet. Frequent hairballs — or retching that doesn't produce one — can point to over-grooming, skin disease, or a digestive issue rather than just loose fur.

A food topper, not a medication — if your cat is hacking often, vomiting, or losing appetite, see your vet first.

What helps reduce hairballs?

Target the causes:

• Brush regularly — removing loose fur before your cat swallows it is the single most direct fix, especially for long-haired cats.
• Add fiber — dietary fiber helps move swallowed fur through the gut. A cup of canned pumpkin has about 7 g of fiber (USDA via MyFoodData), which is where a daily bit of pumpkin can help; see Pumpkin for cat hairballs.
• Keep them hydrated — water keeps the digestive tract moving.
• Address over-grooming — if stress or itchy skin is the driver, treating that root cause matters more than any hairball remedy.

For an easy daily fiber source, Pumpkin's is pre-portioned organic pumpkin in single-serve tubes, made only for cats.

Frequently asked questions

Is it normal for cats to get hairballs? Yes — one or two a month is normal. More than one or two a week is worth a vet visit.

Do long-haired cats get more hairballs? Generally yes, because they shed more fur for the cat to swallow during grooming.

Can diet reduce hairballs? Yes — adequate fiber helps swallowed fur pass through the gut, and regular brushing reduces how much is swallowed in the first place.

When should I worry about hairballs? If they're frequent, your cat retches without producing one, or there's vomiting, lethargy, or appetite loss, see your vet.

Parker Knight is the founder of Pumpkin's, the single-ingredient organic pumpkin topper made only for cats. He started it after his own cat, Pumpkin, spent months with a sensitive stomach and a lot of 3am hacking. (It's just fiber. But still.)

Sources

1. Riverstone Animal Hospital — Are Cat Hairballs Normal?
2. Vetster — Are my cat's frequent hairballs normal?
3. Cats.com — Is Pumpkin Good for Cats?
4. USDA / MyFoodData — Canned Pumpkin Nutrition Facts