Cat Tongues and Hairballs

You might be surprised at the number of times each day that your cat grooms himself. He uses his rough, sandpaper-textured tongue over every inch of hair on his body that he can reach. Cat tongues and hairballs are a combination that too often leaves a mess on your carpet. When this happens, you shouldn't worry. Passing a hairball doesn't usually indicate a cat health problem.

How cats use their tongues

Your cat is designed to swallow his own hair. Those rough barbs on his tongue, called papillae, collect any loose hair when the cat grooms himself. But that's not the only reason why he licks himself. Cats use their tongues for more than just a brush. The way your cat licks himself helps to keep him warm in winter and cool in summer. It's also a way to waterproof his fur or clean any wounds.

Most of the hair his tongue collects passes through his digestive tract. Sometimes, though, this hair does not pass completely through the intestinal tract and remains undigested. When your cat vomits, he brings the undigested hairball along for the ride.

Hairballs come in different sizes and shapes, but most feel like dense pieces of wet felt. Larger hairballs can look like a sausage because of the way they travel through your cat's long and narrow esophagus.

It's not uncommon for some cats to pass a hairball once or twice a month. Any more often could be an indication of other underlying internal cat health problems.

For long-haired cats, passing a hairball can become dangerous if the balls are large and cause a blockage. These blockages can occur anywhere in the digestive tract. When this happens, signs of a problem include constant vomiting, lethargy and refusing to eat food. If your cat vomits too frequently, be sure to contact your veterinarian.

How to prevent hairballs

You can reduce the amount of hair your cat eats by brushing his hair every day. After brushing, use a damp cloth or even your wet hands to wipe him down and catch any loose hairs on the top of his coat. Some people even use a sticky lint roller for this purpose.

Hairball lubricants are also available at any pet store. These flavored products break down the hairball in the digestive tract while helping the contents pass into your cat's intestines for normal elimination. Most of these products contain a white petrolatum, light mineral oil, natural syrups, molasses and artificial flavors that cats prefer.

Tongues and hairballs can be a problematic combination if you don't take a few preventive steps. Otherwise, be prepared to do a lot of clean-up for the messes that sometimes occur on the top of furniture and bedding.