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Do Siamese Cats Get Hairballs – Prevention Tips & Facts!

Do Siamese Cats Get Hairballs – Prevention Tips & Facts!

It’s never fun when a cat gets a hairball. Not only does it make them feel bad, but sometimes it can be a sign of an underlying health issue. When it comes to Siamese cats, generally, they don’t require much grooming since they come under short-haired breed cats. But cat owners still have this question; do Siamese cats get hairballs?

Yes, Siamese cats do get hairballs, however at a lower frequency than other cat breeds. Due to their short-haired coat, Siamese cats shed less and produce fewer hairballs than other cats. Siamese cats have low fur coverage, and they shed just like other cats, but a bit less.

So, below we have answered all the major questions that a Siamese cat owner might be having, like the reasons why they get hairballs, is it normal for them to get hairballs, does it hurt cats, what can you do to prevent cats from having hairballs, is it dangerous if cats cannot cough their hairballs, which breed has more chances of getting hairballs and many others.

Reasons Siamese Cats Get Hairballs

Usually, Siamese cats don’t get hairballs that often. But there are specific reasons why your adorable Siamese can develop a hairball.

Overgrooming

Siamese cats can get hairballs when they over-groom themselves. Grooming is common in all cats, but Siamese tends to lick them more often than other cats. They over-groom themselves by licking thoroughly through their skin.

Cats generally have small hook-like structures on their tongues. When they lick themselves, the hairs get stuck there and enter the stomach along with food. This causes hairballs.

Excessive Hair Fall

These cats shed their cover in spring to get ready for summer. They again shed in fall to be prepared for the winters. 

The problem of hairball in Siamese cats can mainly arrive during the fall and spring since, at this time of the year, they will be shedding more fur than other parts of the year. Excessive hair fall means excessive grooming. Thus, it leads to hairballs.

Imbalanced Gut Microbe

If there is an imbalance in the gut microbes of cats, hairballs won’t be removed as easily and normally. Gut microbes are essential for the proper functioning of the digestive system. They help in proper digestion and egestion of food.

When the gut microbes are balanced, the digestive system functions appropriately; hence there is a normal removal of hairs that the cats ingest and won’t lead to hairballs.

Underlying Medical Issues

If your cat is suffering from specific medical issues like skin allergies, she is prone to getting hairballs more often than not.

Siamese cats don’t shed their hair much, but skin allergies can increase hair loss. This leads to the swallowing of more hairs by the cat. As a result, it causes the problem of hairballs.

Improper Diet

An improper diet is another reason your cat can develop a hairball. If the diet is more of dry food products and less of liquid food items, it will cause a problem in the regular removal of hairs that your cat swallows. 

This can even happen when your cat is not well hydrated too. When hairs are not removed regularly from the digestive system, they accumulate and cause hairballs in cats.

Is It Normal For Siamese Cats To Get Hairballs

It is entirely normal for Siamese cats to get hairballs. Siameses are intelligent creatures. They don’t need a groomer to groom them. They take this responsibility on their furry shoulders themselves. Siamese cats lick and groom themselves regularly. Thus, the problem of hairball arises sometimes.

Most of the hairs that get stuck on their tongues get easily passed through their esophagus along with food, and you do not need to worry about that. Cats swallow these hairs regularly and pass them through the digestive tract, but sometimes excess hairs form a hairball at the bottom of their stomach.

Many cat owners are also worried to see their cat retching and coughing a hairball from their mouth, but you don’t need to worry much. Hairballs are the collection of dead hairs that get stuck in the cat’s stomach. Cats have a self-cleaning system for that too. They cough and get rid of that ugly hairball.

Do Hairballs Hurt Cats

In most cases, hairballs do not hurt cats as the cat easily ejects them. Generally, hairballs are harmless, and they do not cause any pain to the cat since they easily pass through the digestive tract. The struck hair on their tongue due to grooming also gets easily passed. 

Hairballs can happen due to underlying skin conditions and excessive shedding in some long-haired cats. These hairballs can hurt cats with inflammatory bowel disease, and Siamese cats are usually susceptible to this.

Hairballs are not a problem until the cat cannot pass them. If they get stuck in their stomach then, the hairball becomes a problem. You will find your cat trying to vomit, but she will be unable to puke it out herself. You may notice signs of distress too, and then the problem becomes worth worrying about.

What Happens If A Cat Can’t Cough Up A Hairball

If your cat cannot cough out a hairball, rush to a vet as soon as possible. Yes, you heard it right! If you see your cat coughing and roaming around the house while trying to puke, it might be possible that she cannot cough that hairball out. 

The hairball might have passed to the intestine. You should not ignore the symptoms at all. She must be showing symptoms like a loss of energy, prolonged gagging, distress, swollen stomach, nibbling over the grass, and several others. Once you notice anything like that, take your cat to the vet at the earliest. The symptoms can get worse with any further delay.

There is a possibility that the hairball has caused a blockage, or it might be too big for your cat to puke out. It may need surgery. Either way, you need to get to a vet for diagnostic testing.

Which Breed Of Cat Is More Likely To Develop Hairballs

Maine coons, Persian cats, and Norwegian forests are the few breeds of cats more likely to develop hairballs. Usually, all long-hair breed cats are more likely to develop hairballs because of the excessive hair fall, which leads to swallowing more fur since cats groom themselves regularly.

When your cat gets old, she tends to lick herself more, and thus, the probability of getting hairball increases. On the other hand, young kittens don’t shed and lick that much, and thus, they don’t develop hairballs that often.

How To Stop Cats From Having Hairballs

The simplest way to avoid hairballs is by changing the cat’s dietary habits and hygiene routines. To start with, regular brushing is the easiest of all. You can brush your cat regularly to remove the excess hair that is shedding so that when the cat licks herself, fewer hairs enter her stomach. This will prevent hairballs from forming frequently.

Secondly, you can include fiber-rich or a bit coarser food in their diet so that the hairs get regularly removed from their digestive system and do not form a hairball. The omega-6 fatty acid is a good addition. 

Next, you can add some supplements to avoid the excessive hair fall or prevent skin allergies, leading to less ingestion of hairs and the formation of a hairball. 

Things To Consider

Hairballs are generally normal and nothing to worry about. Siamese cats don’t get frequent hairballs because they don’t shed much of their fur. 

As your Siamese cat gets older, the problem of hairball can increase because when they are young, they do not shed that much. Young ones do not even groom themselves as older Siamese cats do. Hairballs become a problem only when the cat cannot cough them out and shows negative symptoms discussed above. A few simple changes in their grooming and diet can prevent the hairballs from forming.