# *GRAPHIC* Is this a hairball?! My cat has never had one!!



## Robin1109 (May 8, 2011)

So sorry for the graphic post but I figure most of you cat lovers have cleaned up your share of not-so-nice messes courtesy of your feline friend. I need some expert opinions here!! Is the below a hairball? I've had Winston for over a year and a half (he's a SH) who hates being brushed but loooooooves to groom himself all day long. I've NEVER experienced him coughing up hairball before. Once he did this cough thing and I thought a hairball would come but it never did (at least that I found). That was probably a year ago and he's not had regular coughing issues. Currently he's laying at my feet as I type. After he coughed this up, he took a few minutes to compose himself then had a little bite to eat again. So, his appetite is there. The thing I cleaned up was soft and malleable and about six inches long. I didn't dig through it to look for hair. We didn't need two messes on our hands. So sorry again for the pic....but hopefully I warned the squeamish away by the title!! Thanks!


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## Pooch&Dosscara (May 22, 2011)

It looks like he ate too fast/too much and threw up, Pooch does that sometimes. Or maybe he ate something else that upset his stomach?


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

Looks as if cat vomited it up within an hour of eating, as there is food mixed in. You should be able to see the hair in it, if you pull it apart. Most cats are dropping winter coat (even tho they may be indoor cats) at this time of year, and best way to deal with hairballs, is to _comb the cat every day._ This will get rid of a lot of hair that ends up in the stomach from the cat grooming itself. Hair drop is related to the longer daylight hours.


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