Those disgusting deposits can be a threat to your cat’s health, so take some steps in prevention.

By Karen Commings

Hairballs. Those yucky wads of gooey mess that cats upchuck. You’ve awakened to the sounds of your cat heaving. Perhaps even stepped on a hairball when getting out of bed. Found them in the dining room as you pulled out a chair to sit down and eat.

If your cat is a meticulous groomer, she may be at greater risk of developing hairballs. Giving her a hand with a slicker brush can help remove loose hair.

As disconcerting as finding a hairball is, upchucking one is equally as disconcerting to your cat and potentially damaging to her digestive system. Cats are fastidious creatures, and as they groom themselves, they ingest loose, dead hair with their rough tongues. Most hair passes naturally through a cat’s digestive system and is expelled when the cat defecates. …

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