An occasional hairball is normal but hairballs several times a week or daily are a problem (some veterinarians say more than twice a month). Also a problem is if your cat has a hard time bringing up a hairball. Usually it comes up in one or two tries. If your cat continues to retch, consider taking him/her to their veterinarian to make sure the problem is only hairballs and not something more serious.
Prevention is the best cure. Frequent COMBING often resolves the problem. Note: brushes slide over fur surface and don’t get the dead hair out. A fine-toothed flea comb is good for shorthaired cats. A wide-toothed comb, or one with revolving teeth to prevent hair tear out is better for longhaired.
Have a cat that won’t sit still for combing? Try grooming gloves (I’m not sure they remove dead hair) or the Love Glove which claims to remove dead while gently massaging/petting cat. Both can be found online at reasonable prices.
