do all cats get hairballs?

[hotpink]

i have a one year old cat and i've never known her to cough up a hairball. yet we have a 4 month old kitten and she seemed to be coughing up a hairball today... frightened the life out of my husband lol. can a cat ever choke on them?

[wolf63]

Hacking up a hairball is an art form. They have to wait until the house is quiet and then start making the most disgusting noises. They eventually hack up a tiny ball of soggy hair.

I think that most of the hair goes right through - have seen it in the litter tray often. It must sometimes get caught in their throat and then the hairball barfing act starts up.

If they have problems getting rid of it and get 'bunged up' then the vet can give you some stuff to speed it up.

I don't think they can choke - but the sound would let you believe otherwise. First time I heard it I wondered what was wrong with my 'little darling'.

[garner]

I h ave three cats and only one has hairball problems,I give him deferum which you can get from pet stores he likes rabbit flavour and adores the stuff, so the other twomget a tiny bit [ must stop any jelousy] And it works a treat plus stops those terrible sounds which can scare you when they start.

[pingping]

it usually depends on whether they are long- or short-haired breeds (or moggies!) if they are domestic short-hair then the fur is passed normally. if they have longer hair (like a persian etc) then they will need to cough up fur balls (which is natural if a bit grim to listen to!)