Are Hairballs Normal for Cats?

How often cat hairballs are normal, why some cats get many more, the warning signs that need a vet, and what helps.

Choolip Team21 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

Relaxed long-haired tabby cat on a lap being gently brushed, loose fur collecting on the brush to help reduce cat hairballs

Cornell's Feline Health Center says that cat hairballs brought up once every week or two aren't uncommon and are nothing to worry about.

The pattern is what changes that. Cornell advises seeing a vet without delay for repeated retching or vomiting with nothing coming up, or a cat who is lethargic or refuses food for more than a day or two. Merck adds frequent hairballs and constipation.

Here's what the sources say about where hairballs come from, why some cats get far more than others, and the signs that point to something more than hair.

Where do hairballs come from?

Every hairball starts with grooming, and cats groom a lot. In one study cited in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, cats spent an average of 3.6 hours a day grooming, about a quarter of their waking hours.

Their tongues are built for it. Cornell explains that tiny backward-slanted hooks on the tongue, called papillae, carry loose hair down the throat and into the stomach.

Cornell notes that hair is made mostly of keratin, a protein cats can't digest. Most swallowed hair passes through and leaves in the stool, but some stays in the stomach and gradually clumps together.

When that clump is brought up, its proper name is a trichobezoar.

One more surprise: hairballs usually aren't ball-shaped. Cornell describes them as long and thin, more like a small cigar, because they're squeezed through the narrow food pipe on the way out.

One that stays in the stomach really is round, "like a sponge or a rolled-up sock," in the words of a Cornell vet.

How often are cat hairballs normal?

Cornell's answer is once every week or two, with no other problems.

The research is thinner than you might expect. A 2013 review in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery found just one small case series and 13 single case reports on hairballs, published between 1946 and 2010.

There were no published figures at all on how often pet cats get them.

So its author, a cat-only vet, polled owners at her clinic. Around 10% of apparently healthy shorthaired cats were vomiting hairballs, and frequent hairballs were about twice as common in longhaired cats.

She also made a pointed argument. In most shorthaired cats, she wrote, frequent hairballs indicate underlying disease, either too much hair being swallowed or a gut that isn't moving it along well.

The editorial that ran alongside the review landed in the middle. It said hairballs can be normal or a sign of disease, and the clue is a change in their pattern or frequency, especially alongside weight loss or a change in appetite.

Why does my cat get so many hairballs?

Cornell lists a few reasons some cats are more likely to get them.

A long coat. Persians and Maine Coons are at greater risk than short-haired breeds.
Age. Kittens and young cats are less apt to get hairballs than older cats.
Season. Hairballs are more frequent during the times of year when cats shed their coats.

The 2013 review names other causes to rule out, especially in a shorthaired cat: fleas and itchy skin, both of which make a cat groom more and swallow more hair. It adds that pain and anxiety can lead to overgrooming.

Cornell adds that excessive grooming can be a sign of a skin problem linked to a food allergy. And the review notes that a gut that empties slowly, from long-term gut disease, pain or stress, can let hair build up.

When is a hairball a problem?

The 2013 review notes that most hairballs are eliminated by vomiting. Cornell explains that occasionally one gets stuck, and that's when it becomes serious.

A hairball can grow too large to pass out of the stomach, or slip into the small intestine and lodge there, Cornell says. That's uncommon, but it can be fatal without surgery.

Not everything that looks like a hairball is one. Cornell warns that repeated hacking may have nothing to do with hair. It can be a sign of asthma or another breathing problem, which may need emergency care.

The review makes the same point. Owners often say a cat is "coughing up" a hairball, and a vet may ask careful questions to tell the two apart.

The Merck Veterinary Manual names swallowed hair as one of the materials that can mix with stool and cause constipation. It lists straining and firm, dry stools as signs.

If your cat is vomiting food or fluid as well, our guide to why your cat is throwing up covers what the sources say about which patterns need a vet.

Call your vet promptly if your cat:

retches or vomits repeatedly without bringing anything up (Cornell)
is lethargic or refuses food for more than a day or two (Cornell)
has frequent hairballs (Merck), or a change in her hairball pattern alongside weight loss or a change in appetite (German and German)
vomits repeatedly, with or without hair (Merck)
strains in the litter box or passes firm, dry stools (Merck)
hacks repeatedly, which Cornell says may be asthma or another breathing problem

Our guide to a cat not eating explains what Cornell says about a cat who goes a day without food.

How can I help my cat have fewer hairballs?

The 2013 review is candid that no studies have tested the usual advice. These are the steps the sources suggest, and your vet can tell you which suit your cat.

Brush every day. Cornell recommends daily brushing and combing to remove loose hair. Our guide to the best brush for cats helps you match the tool to her coat.
Consider a trim for a long coat. Cornell suggests a haircut by a vet or a reputable groomer once or twice a year for longhaired cats who won't tolerate brushing.
Ask your vet about flea control. The 2013 review names fleas as one cause of extra grooming.
Ask about smaller, more frequent meals. The review notes a cat's stomach empties more quickly with small meals, which may help hair move along, though there is no direct evidence.
Keep the floor clear. Cornell warns that thread, paper clips and twist ties can end up tangled into a hairball.

What about hairball remedies and diets?

Cornell advises never giving a cat a laxative, or a diet sold for hairballs, without your vet's approval. The ASPCA also suggests asking your vet to recommend a remedy.

There's a safety reason for that. The 2013 review warns owners never to squirt liquid paraffin into a cat's mouth with a syringe, because breathing it in can cause lipid pneumonia, a serious lung problem.

Hairball control foods add extra fiber or larger kibble. The same review found no published studies showing they work, though it noted that owners' experience suggests some benefit.

Questions cat parents ask

Is it normal for my cat to throw up a hairball every day?

Cornell puts the normal range at about one every week or two, and Merck advises seeing your vet if a cat is having frequent hairballs. The 2013 editorial adds that a change in her pattern is a clue worth raising with your vet.

Do kittens get hairballs?

Less often. Cornell notes that kittens and young cats are less apt to get hairballs than older cats. The ASPCA adds that long-haired indoor cats shed all year and need grooming every few days.

Why is my cat gagging but no hairball comes up?

Repeated unproductive retching is one of the signs Cornell says needs a vet without delay. It may mean a stuck hairball, or a breathing problem such as asthma.

Can hairballs come out the other end?

Yes. Cornell explains that most swallowed hair passes in the stool. The ASPCA notes that some cats pass hairballs in their feces.

Sources

This article is for general information and is not veterinary advice. Talk to your vet about your own cat — they know the animal in front of them.

Choolip products are food supplements, not medicine. They are not intended to diagnose or manage any medical condition. If your cat has been diagnosed with a condition, their diet should be set by your vet.

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