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#cats #mainecoon Hairballs in cats. When cats vomit, many people immediately become very worried. But most of the time there are harmless causes behind it. Cats often vomit because they throw up hairballs that they ingest during daily grooming. If the cat hadn't done this, the intestines would be blocked and a trip to the doctor would be necessary. A procedure like this involving removing hairballs through the anus is neither pleasant for the cat nor for the vet. The cat knows how to help itself and finds remedies such as grass or plants that it can chew on and then vomit. ......................................................................... Q&A: 1.) Which cats suffer from hairballs most often? There is an increased risk of problematic hairballs forming, for example, in the following cases: Long-haired cats Indoor cats Increased hair loss, e.g. during shedding (spring, autumn) Hair loss caused by illness Increased grooming, e.g. due to itching Psychological stress (psychogenic licking alopecia) Intestinal illnesses or the administration of medication that inhibits intestinal motility and thus impairs the further transport of hair 2.) Are hairballs dangerous for cats? Problems arise when large amounts of hair collect in the cat's stomach and clump together to form solid hairballs (trichobezoars), which lead to frequent vomiting or which cannot be vomited up at all. In the worst case scenario, such trichobezoars can cause life-threatening acute intestinal obstruction (ileus). But chronic problems caused by hairballs can also affect your cat's quality of life if it vomits repeatedly, has stomach pains, eats poorly and loses weight. The longer a hairball stays in the stomach or intestines, the larger and harder it can become. First, fat from food accumulates on the hair, forming a solid lump. Later, this lump can even calcify and resemble a stone.