Last updated Apr 11, 2023
Medically reviewed by
Our Review Process
Our reviews are based on extensive research and, when possible, hands-on testing. Each time you make a purchase through one of our independently-chosen links, we’ll receive a percentage of the proceeds. Read more about how we’re supported here.Hairballs—also known as trichobezoars (pronounced trike-oh-bee-zohrs)—are considered a normal quirk of being a cat, but they say more about your cat’s digestive health than you might expect.
Chronic hairballs occurring more than once or twice a month are associated with poor diet and digestive problems. In this article, we’ll learn about how hairballs relate to diet and which foods can help to lessen your cat’s hairball issues.
At A Glance: Our Top Picks For Best Cat Food For Hairball Control To Buy
Want a quick look at the products reviewed in this article? In the comparison table below, we’ve highlighted some of the most important features of each product. You’ll find more detailed information about each product later in the article.
Smalls Fresh Ground Bird
- Contains over 55% dry matter crude protein
- Rich in moisture to support hydration and digestion
- Low carbohydrate content under 10% dry matter
Tiki Cat Koolina Luau Chicken with Egg in Chicken Consomme Grain-Free Canned Cat Food
- Simple, highly-digestible recipe
- Limited ingredient list
- Contains egg
Nulo Freestyle Turkey & Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Canned Cat & Kitten Food
- Hydrating canned food
- Popular among cats with digestive issues
- Contains pumpkin, which may help reduce hairballs
Hound & Gatos Turkey & Turkey Liver Canned Cat Food
- Made from turkey, which is a good alternative to chicken
- Free from commonly irritating ingredients
- Limited ingredient list
Stella & Chewy's Freeze-Dried Raw Absolutely Rabbit Dinner Morsels Cat Food
- Rabbit is a novel protein – ideal for cats with food allergies
- Added probiotics
- Pumpkin seed may help minimize hairballs
Primal Turkey Formula Nuggets Grain-Free Raw Freeze-Dried Cat Food
- Limited ingredient food
- Free from common allergens and irritants
- Highly digestible
Does Your Cat Have Hairballs? Watch This Video!
Are Hairballs Normal, And What Do They Have To Do With Diet?
Ingrid King, a veterinary journalist and creator of ConsciousCat.net, thought that regular hairballs were a normal occurrence until she saw the differences between her cats who were fed raw food and those who ate vet-recommended kibble.
Her first cat, Feebee, ate a vet-recommended dry cat food and hacked up hairballs a few times a week, despite regular doses of a petroleum-based hairball treatment. After learning more about feline nutrition, King switched her two cats Amber and Buckley to a grain-free canned diet. After the transition, yakking up a hairball became a rare event.
And Ingrid’s current cats, Allegra and Ruby? The two torties were raised on raw food and, when Ingrid wrote on the topic in 2012, had never vomited a hairball.
This story might be a string of coincidences, but it might also tell us something about the connection between hairballs and digestive health.
Hairballs normally pass through the intestines and leave your cat’s body through their poop. If this movement is interrupted or delayed, the hairs may fuse together with fat in the stomach, forming a trichobezoar. Typically, this triggers retching, which forces the mass through the esophagus and up out of your cat’s mouth.
Again, every time that a hairball “comes up” in this manner indicates an anomaly in the digestive process. In a piece published in Veterinary Practice News, Gary D. Norsworthy, DVM makes this surprising assertion:
“I am convinced that the vomiting of hairballs is a sign of chronic small bowel disease if it occurs twice a month or more in any cat; or if it occurs once every two months or more in shorthaired cats; or if it occurs in cats that are not fastidious groomers, i.e., presented with many mats in their hair coats or with heavy dandruff.”
In short, a hairball once a month or less is no reason for concern. Any more frequently suggests that something isn’t right.
Do Hairball Home Remedies And Supplements Really Work?
Hairball treatments operate on one of two premises.
- The first is the fiber theory, which dictates that fiber supplementation helps to bind single strands of hair to food particles, which hasten them on their journey toward the colon and into the litter box. Remember that more time spent in your cat’s body translates to more opportunities for the hair to fuse into a hairball.
- The second belief is that oils, waxes, or petroleum jelly lubricate the hairs and prevent them from fusing into a trichobezoar.
Here are some commonly used treatments for hairballs:
Pumpkin
As a fiber source, pumpkin helps to carry hairs through the body. Canned pureed pumpkin is the most popular fiber supplement for hairball-prone cats, but some use other fiber sources like psyllium husk powder or coconut fiber.
Hairball-Specific Lubricants
These lubricants coat the hair in the digestive tract, helping it to pass through the system. They’re usually made from pharmaceutical-grade petroleum jelly, mineral oil, or a combination of the two.
Butter And Oil
Instead of lubricating hairballs as some suggest, butter and oil are digested and absorbed by the body before they can have any effect. Too much fat supplementation could bring your cat a whole new set of digestive problems.
Slippery Elm
This supplement lubricates the inner surfaces of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, helping to encourage hairballs to slide in the right direction.
Egg Yolks Or Egg Yolk Lecithin Supplements
Egg yolks contain two micronutrients that can help to minimize hairball problems: choline and lecithin. The choline component—acetylcholine—helps to increase peristalsis, the muscular contractions in the GI tract that propel food and hair down and out.
Lecithin emulsifies the fat that binds hairballs together.
You can provide these nutrients by adding egg yolks to your cat’s food or by providing an egg yolk lecithin supplement. Remember to choose egg yolk lecithin rather than lecithin from other sources like sunflower or soy.
Speak with your veterinarian first before trying any of these hairball treatments. Your vet can advise you on the most appropriate treatment for your cat and how to administer it.
Qualities Of The Best Food For Hairballs
The Best Cat Food For Hairballs Promotes Overall Digestive Health.
Knowing that hairballs can be a symptom of digestive problems, feeding a cat with chronic hairballs is similar to feeding a cat with other symptoms of GI inflammation. Your goal is to give your cat food that aligns with their physiology. This means feeding your carnivorous cat a diet consisting primarily of meat and as few plant ingredients as possible.
Hypoallergenic Foods May Help.
Like diarrhea or vomiting, hairballs are a sign of inflammation that may indicate food allergies. Consider switching to a limited-ingredient or hypoallergenic food that’s free from the potentially-allergenic ingredients, such as chicken, that your cat eats most often.
Added Fiber Might Help.
Most foods sold for hairball control are high-fiber products. Fiber additives help food and hair move through the GI tract.
While there’s evidence that indigestible matter can aid in the feline digestive process, a daily regimen of pumpkin, beet pulp, and cellulose isn’t necessarily what your cat needs.
If your cat has been eating a typical commercial cat food with ingredients like brewer’s yeast, wheat middlings, and dried beet pulp, they’re already getting more indigestible plant matter than any cat needs. Start by giving your cat an optimally-digestible diet. If the hairballs persist, then you might try adding a small amount of fiber.
Take your cat to your veterinarian before giving your cat a hairball treatment or changing their diet. Your vet will assess your cat’s overall health and determine the severity of the hairball problem. They will provide guidance on the best hairball treatment plan for your cat.
In addition to performing our own qualitative analysis of the brands reviewed here, we submitted samples for analysis at an ISO 17025 certified food testing and analysis lab.
Also Read: Why We Lab Test Cat Food and How to Interpret the Reports
We bought the products at full retail price, and the entire testing process was funded by Cats.com without direct input or influence from the companies involved.
Analytical testing in a food chemistry lab gives us the exact macronutrient and micronutrient content of each recipe. The tests also look at microbial content, yeast, mold, and heavy metals, helping you ensure that you’re only putting the best in your cat’s bowl.
To access the lab reports for each food reviewed here, click the “view lab report” link in the product review.
Top 6 Best Cat Foods For Hairballs Reviewed
#1 Overall Best: Smalls Fresh Ground Bird
ENTER “ALLABOUTCATS” TO GET 30% OFF YOUR FIRST ORDER
Read Our Full Brand Review View Lab Report
First 5 Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken liver, Green beans, Peas, Water (sufficient for processing)
Smalls is a fresh cat food delivery service that uses human-grade ingredients, including premium proteins like chicken, turkey, and fish. Choose from minced-style recipes or classic pâté to provide your cat with protein-rich, low-carb cat food formulated for cats in all life stages.
Though Smalls doesn’t portion out your cat’s meals for you, they do provide detailed feeding recommendations according to your cat’s calorie requirements. Each package of food contains about 16 ounces of food with markings on the package at 50-calorie increments.
Smalls cat food is delivered frozen, so you’ll need to thaw the package overnight in the fridge before feeding. Your subscription will be based on your cat’s calorie needs, and you can adjust it as needed by contacting the customer care team.
In addition to their fresh food, Smalls also offers a selection of freeze-dried cat foods, treats, and meal toppers. They also recently started selling millet and silica cat litter.
Featuring chicken and chicken liver as the top two ingredients, this fresh food is packed with premium animal protein. Green beans, peas, and kale are the only carbohydrate ingredients and they are naturally grain-free and rich in nutrients.
In addition to being high in protein and low in carbohydrates, this formula is rich in moisture, which helps support digestion and healthy skin and coat. Overall, this minced chicken recipe is a high-quality source of balanced nutrition for cats in all life stages.
Ingredients:
Chicken, Chicken Liver, Green Beans, Peas, Water (Sufficient For Processing), Chicken Hearts, Kale, Tricalcium Phosphate, Canola Oil, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Taurine, Magnesium Sulfate, Niacinamide, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Copper Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Manganese Sulfate, Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Potassium Iodide, Folic Acid, Biotin (Vitamin B7), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Why We Like The Product:
- Fresh food made with human-grade ingredients
- Real, high-quality animal protein
- High in protein and moisture, very low in carbs
- Boosts energy and supports skin and coat health
Why We Didn’t Like The Product:
- Not individually portioned for your cat
- Limited protein options (chicken, turkey, beef)
#2 Runner Up: Tiki Cat Koolina Luau Chicken with Egg in Chicken Consomme Grain-Free Canned Cat Food
First 5 Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Broth, Sunflower Seed Oil, Dried Egg, Tricalcium Phosphate
This bare-bones recipe from Tiki Cat has several qualities that may help your hairball-prone feline.
If your cat’s hairballs are caused by digestive issues, you might appreciate the simplicity and digestibility of this recipe. Unlike other foods that emphasize low-value plant protein, the recipe is all about the meat. Chicken takes center stage and dwarfs all other inclusions, offering a species-appropriate source of protein and nutrients.
Of course, chicken-based food always comes with a caveat. It’s probably not a good choice for cats with suspected food allergies and is out of the question for cats with a confirmed chicken allergy. Because chicken is so common in cat food, it’s one of the top food allergens for cats.
Because this food contains dried egg, it’s a source of the choline and lecithin that help to prevent hairballs.
On the negative side, it’s made with sunflower seed oil instead of animal-sourced fats. Chicken fat, fish oil, and other animal-sourced fats are optimally digestible for cats.
Ingredients:
Chicken, Chicken Broth, Sunflower Seed Oil, Dried Egg, Tricalcium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Magnesium Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Biotin, Copper Sulfate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Sodium Selenite, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulfate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Potassium Iodide, Folic Acid, Vitamin K3 Supplement.
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Why We Like The Product:
- Simple, highly-digestible recipe
- Limited ingredient list
- Contains egg
- Hydrating
Why We Didn’t Like The Product:
- Contains plant-sourced fat
- Expensive
#3 Value Pick: Nulo Freestyle Turkey & Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Canned Cat & Kitten Food
Read Our Full Brand Review View Lab Report
First 5 Ingredients: Turkey, Chicken, Turkey Liver, Turkey Broth, Tuna
Since chronic hairballs can indicate digestive issues, it’s a good idea to choose foods with a positive reputation among cats with GI problems. This chicken and turkey pate from Nulo has that kind of reputation.
It’s primarily made from turkey and chicken meat, along with tuna fish. The variety of protein sources might make this food a problematic choice for cats with food allergies or sensitivities. But for those who can handle it, this food does well in taste tests and seems to soothe the digestive tract.
Along with pinches of other plant ingredients, the food contains pumpkin, which is a commonly-recommended treatment for hairballs.
Ingredients:
Turkey, Chicken, Turkey Liver, Turkey Broth, Tuna, Natural Flavor, Guar Gum, Potassium Chloride, Agar Agar, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Cranberries, Pumpkin, Menhaden Fish Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Tomato, Dried Kelp, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Salt, Iron Proteinate, Sodium Carbonate, Zinc Proteinate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin E Supplement, Magnesium Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Rosemary Extract.
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Why We Like The Product:
- Hydrating canned food
- Popular among cats with digestive issues
- Contains pumpkin, which may help reduce hairballs
- Less expensive than comparable foods
Why We Didn’t Like The Product:
- Contains some plant content
- Multiple protein sources
#4 Hound & Gatos Turkey & Turkey Liver Canned Cat Food
First 5 Ingredients: Turkey, Turkey Broth, Turkey Liver, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride
Because it’s built according to what the company calls a paleolithic feeding model, this food is particularly popular among cats with inflammatory bowel disease and other digestive issues.
This limited-ingredient food is made with a single source of animal protein. Turkey isn’t one of the top allergens for cats and is a good alternative to chicken.
The recipe is one of the simplest on the market, containing turkey meat, organs, and broth, along with binders and supplements. It is free of fruits and vegetables. For an obligate carnivore, this spells easy digestion and, ideally, fewer hairballs.
While few reviewers argue the nutritional merit of this food, some say that the pâté has a strange, firm texture and that their cats didn’t like eating it.
Ingredients:
Turkey, Turkey Broth, Turkey Liver, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Agar-Agar, Choline Chloride, Salmon Oil, Taurine, Salt, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Magnesium Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid.
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Why We Like The Product:
- Made from turkey, which is a good alternative to chicken
- Free from commonly irritating ingredients
- Limited ingredient list
- Highly digestible
Why We Didn’t Like The Product:
- Some cats don’t like the taste or texture
- One of the most expensive foods on the market
#5 Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Raw Absolutely Rabbit Dinner Morsels Cat Food
Read Our Full Brand Review View Lab Report
First 5 Ingredients: Rabbit With Ground Bone, Olive Oil, Pumpkin Seed, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Phosphate Monobasic
Freeze-drying destroys pathogenic organisms without altering the nutritional and textural qualities of fresh raw meat, making this Stella and Chewy’s recipe a highly-digestible choice for cats.
The morsels are primarily composed of rabbit meat and bones. Since most cats don’t eat rabbit regularly, it’s not one of the top allergens and is unlikely to stir up any allergy issues.
This recipe includes olive oil and pumpkin seed. These plant-sourced ingredients aren’t ideal for an obligate carnivore, but it’s worth noting that pumpkin seeds are fiber-rich and may be able to help flush hairs through your cat’s body.
The food contains probiotics, which can improve overall digestive health. Handling, processing, and storage conditions could kill these microorganisms, so it’s unclear how viable they’ll be by the time they reach your cat’s food bowl.
Ingredients:
Rabbit With Ground Bone, Rabbit Liver, Olive Oil, Pumpkin Seed, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Dried Ediococcus Acidilactici Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Longum Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus Coagulans Fermentation Product, Taurine, Tocopherols (Preservative), Dandelion, Dried Kelp, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Copper Proteinate, Riboflavin Supplement, Sodium Selenite, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Manganese Proteinate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement.
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Why We Like The Product:
- Rabbit is a novel protein – ideal for cats with food allergies
- Pumpkin seed may help minimize hairballs
- Added probiotics
- Highly digestible
Why We Didn’t Like The Product:
- Rehydration takes a few minutes
#6 Primal Turkey Formula Nuggets Grain-Free Raw Freeze-Dried Cat Food
First 5 Ingredients: Turkey, Turkey Necks, Turkey Hearts, Turkey Livers, Organic Collard Greens
These freeze-dried nuggets are primarily composed of turkey muscle meat and organs. Turkey isn’t a top allergen for cats, so it’s a good alternative to chicken for cats who have a known or suspected food allergy.
Because 96% of the protein in this recipe comes from animal sources, you know that it’s highly digestible and nourishing for your cat. The food isn’t all meat, though. It contains small amounts of organic collard greens, squash, celery, cranberries, and traces of other fruits and vegetables.
These low-carbohydrate plant ingredients make the food nutritionally complete in lieu of synthetic vitamins and minerals.
Ingredients:
Turkey, Turkey Necks, Turkey Hearts, Turkey Livers, Organic Collard Greens, Organic Squash, Organic Celery, Cranberries, Blueberries, Organic Pumpkin Seeds, Organic Sunflower Seeds, Montmorillonite Clay, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, Sardine Oil, Taurine, Organic Quinoa Sprout Powder, Dried Organic Kelp, Organic Cilantro, Organic Coconut Oil, Cod Liver Oil, Organic Ginger, Vitamin E Supplement, Mixed Tocopherols (Natural Preservative).
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Why We Like The Product:
- Limited ingredient food
- Free from common allergens and irritants
- Highly digestible
Why We Didn’t Like The Product:
- Requires rehydration
- Contains some plant ingredients
Helpful Tips For Minimizing Hairballs
#1 Groom Your Cat Regularly.
Cats ingest hair during self-grooming, so one of the best ways to prevent hairballs is by brushing the hair off yourself. Instead of entering your cat’s GI tract where it will turn into a hairball, the hair will instead go straight into the trash.
Click Here For Our Guide To The Best Cat Brushes And Deshedding Tools
#2 Maintain A Healthy Coat To Prevent Excessive Shedding.
A vibrantly healthy cat sheds less than their less-healthy counterpart. Here are a few ways to keep your cat’s coat strong and healthy:
- Identify any food allergies or sensitivities and eliminate irritating ingredients.
- Introduce an omega-3 fatty acid supplement. Species-appropriate sources of omega-3s include krill, salmon, and other fish. Avoid flaxseed oil and other plant-based sources of these fatty acids.
- Feed a nourishing diet rich in animal-sourced protein.
- Rule out any health conditions that could contribute to excessive shedding.
I feed my cat Fancy Feast so could I mix the dry hairball remedy with the wet cat food?
Hello Gloria!
Most of the treatments mentioned above can be mixed into your cat’s wet food. You can mash dry psyllium husk powder directly into your cat’s food. The same applies for other powdered fiber additives.
If you use slippery elm bark powder, you will want to mix the dry powder with water to create a thick slurry before adding it to your cat’s food wet Fancy Feast.
Hope this answered your question!
– Mallory
My 10 year old cat will only eat dry food, I have tried in vain to introduce quality handmade “wet” food into her diet with absolutely no interest on her part, she will skip eating if there is wet cat food presented, even if it is mixed with her dry food in a small introduction. Given my dilemma, what dry cat food would you suggest, unbeknownst to me until just now I have been putting my trust in “Call of the Wild” cat food only to find out that it is not the quality food I thought it to be. I would be so grateful for your guidance.
Hi Tina,
Thanks for the comment! Since your cat insists on dry food only, I’d recommend upgrading to Dr. Elsey’s cleanprotein, Ziwi Peak, or Wellness CORE air-dried cat food. All are low in carbohydrates and contain primarily meat ingredients. If you’d like to read reviews of these brands and other top dry foods, please read our article on the top 10 best healthy dry foods on the market: https://cats.com/best-dry-cat-food
I know you’ve tried adding wet food to her dry kibble, but have you tried adding a little warm water to acclimate her to the idea of food that doesn’t crunch? Due to the risk of aflatoxin mold growth, this can be a little risky when feeding a grain-inclusive food, but mold is less of a concern if you’re feeding your cat a low-carbohydrate, meat-based food.
Hope you find a great product that both you and your cat love!
Best,
Mallory