Is this a hairball in my cat’s poop?

[LadybugsMama]

hi all! sorry in advance for the photo of my cat’s poop. Ladybug is a 6 year old female kitty who can’t tolerate any seafood, so she only eats Hill Science Diet Light chicken dry food and Sheba chicken or turkey wet food.

Tonight, I was working at my computer and noticed she jumped out of her litter box very quickly, and started scooting, which she never does. I found a hard but normal piece of poop on the carpet, which I assume had gotten stuck from not being easy to pass.

She then went back to her litter box and had two more poops, which she didn’t bury. I looked and the poop was WEIRD. It was brown, soft but not liquid, and appeared to have a string sticking out of it. Upon closer inspection, I think it was a hairball—but I’m not sure! Does that appear to be what it is?

If she is having some constipation and/or hairball issues, what can I do to help her? I’m open to switching her food, dry and/or wet, or adding in something else where it makes sense (fish oil maybe?)

Thank you!!

 

[Cat McCannon]

It’s normal and healthy for fur to be in cat feces.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi! I can't tell if that is hair or something else. Hair does pass through the digestive tract and is eliminated with stool - the only other option is to throw it up and you don't want that. The best and about the only way to tell what that is in her poop is to use gloves and literally smash and pull it apart the poop to better analyze the contents.

If her stool was soft but not runny, I am not sure why you are suspecting constipation. It isn't unusual for a cat to jump out of their box and scoot if a piece of poop - for whatever reason - is stuck to them.

I wouldn't do anything but just monitor her stool for the next few days to see how she is doing.