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Did you know that cats spend 15 to 50 percent of their day grooming themselves? With that amount of grooming, hairballs will form.

Depending on your cat’s breed and grooming habits, you might find hairballs appearing quite regularly, leading you to wonder if this frequency is typical for them.

Let’s take a closer look at hairballs. What are they? What causes them? How do you prevent them?

What Are Hairballs?

Hairballs form when cats groom themselves. Their tongues, covered in tiny, backward-facing barbs, act like a brush. These barbs catch loose fur, which the cat then swallows. While their digestive system can usually process most of this hair, some of it may remain in the stomach. Because cats can’t properly digest hair, it can clump together, forming what we know as a hairball. Eventually, the cat will expel this clump by throwing it up.

Pets might appear happy and healthy, but just the opposite could be the case. Most pets are adept at eluding the keen observations of their owners, instinctually masking any signs that they are ill or injured. This is why pet wellness care is so important. These exams can detect problems early, and increase the odds of a good prognosis. 

With so many distractions this time of year, our priorities can shift overnight. From cookie swaps to toy donation drives, potlucks to caroling, our collective calendars are simply overflowing – a fact not missed by most pets. As a result, the things that usually hold us together get flipped upside down.

Luckily, with an eye on prevention you can keep the good times rolling. Holiday pet safety doesn’t have to be confusing, and it doesn’t have to stand in the way of any seasonal fun.