Picture this: you wake up in the middle of the night due to that tall glass of water you drank right before bed. You’re stumbling, barefoot or slipperless, towards the bathroom and BAM your foot steps into something soft, wet, and slimy. Ahhhhhh!!! As a cat owner we can all say that we have experienced this at least once. But, as your hopping around and saying things you might not mean in the morning, keep in mind that hairballs are a sign of a healthy grooming routine by your kitty…because we all know that cats do not like baths.

Cats have these fancy little hook-like features on their tongue (think sandpaper mixed with Velcro) that collect loose hair upon licking which in turn, once swallowed, forms into a ball that eventually comes back up. Note that hairballs are more common in the spring as your cat begins to shed their winter coat and the bigger the cat, the bigger the hairball.

At the end of the day, hairballs are purrfectly natural and are imperative to a healthy feline. Wanna know more? Read this article to learn 7 facts about hairballs.