My cat keeps eating my hair. Is it harmful? How can I prevent it?

Yes it can cause issues with the intestines if he ingest large amount of hair, i'm still not sure where exactly he gets all these hairs from though. you could use a hairball paste for cats, that can help dissolving and passing the hair but obviously the hair ingestion is the main thing that you need to prevent from him to do.

You can gently pull it, but if it is stuck or hurts him, stop. You can try adding some canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) to Sal's food to see if that helps. Add a teaspoon to each meal.

Liquid paraffin (5mls every 12 hours) or specific products like katalax can be used to lubricate gastrointestinal system and avoid obstructions. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

George's intermittent vomiting can be a frustrating problem to diagnose and manage. While eating quickly can cause vomiting, other possible causes of this waxing and waning frequency of vomiting could be related to inflammatory bowel disease or chronic pancreatitis. These conditions can both require fairly extensive diagnostic testing to get a definitive answer, including blood tests, abdominal ultrasound and intestinal biopsies. At this point, you can certainly try to slow down George's eating pace, but you can also consider trying a diet change, as this can help both of the issues I mentioned. If you decide to change his diet, I recommend using a novel protein diet (one protein source/one carbohydrate source), such as Dick van Patten's Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets or prescription based formulas. Choose a flavor of food that he has never been exposed to (i.e. venison, rabbit, etc.) and gradually mix his old and new foods slowly over 5-7 days. Avoid feeding any treats or table food while feeding this diet to eliminate any exposure to other foods. It can take 6-8 weeks to determine if a diet change is successful, so don't give up after a few weeks if you haven't noticed a change. If George continues vomiting intermittently on a new diet that he is eating slowly, I would consider taking him back to the vet to discuss further diagnostic testing. I hope that all goes well!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I would not pull on the hair and I would let it pass on its own. If it is just a single piece of long hair, your cat should be able to pass it on his/her own. If your cat ever becomes inappetant, vomits or has diarrhea, these may be signs of a gastrointestinal obstruction, which is a surgical emergency. It is possible the hair is attached to something else inside your cat's gastrointestinal system which could potentially cause an obstruction. If your cat is otherwise healthy and acting OK, I would simply monitor his feces for the passing of the hair. I hope this is helpful!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Vomiting in cats can be caused by hair balls, intestinal parasites, toxin ingestion, or even foreign body obstructions of the intestines. These signs can be unrelated to the hair loss, which may be caused by certain infections and hormonal or behavioral abnormalities. I recommend having Zimba seen by a vet if he continues to vomit or develops diarrhea or has a loss of appetite/energy. His area of hair loss should also be evaluated, as it may be caused by a fungal infection that can even be transmitted to humans. I hope this helps and that all is well with Zimba!

If she eats a lot of hair (and if you have long hair) there is a potential she could get a linear foreign body. You may try distraction techniques. Try enriching the environment. Here is a great article about cat's instinctual needs: https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-every-cat-needs-a-place-to-climb/ Use a Feliway diffuser and set aside 30 minutes a day for vigorous play (really get her moving). Try feeding her out of a food puzzle. Hide food for her to find. Provide a stand or resting place by a window so she can look outside. You may also try clicker training her for positive behavior. Here is a link about training cats: https://www.petcoach.co/article/can-i-train-my-cat/ Most cats response best to combination therapy. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.