7 Best Cat Food For Hairballs: Top Picks to Reduce Shedding & Improve Digestion

Hairballs; it's the least pleasant aspect of cat ownership. Berke Breathed makes light of this gross unpleasantness with his Bill the Cat (Catchphrase: “Aack!”) in his various comic strips. If only your cat could earn welfare checks from hairballs like Bill does!

It may be best for everyone involved if you find a way to fix your fuzzy friend's little problem so neither of you have to worry about it. With a proper diet, regular exercise and a little TLC from you, the discomfort of hairballs can be kept to a minimum. This article, best cat food for hairballs, aims to help you aid your little feline companion!

Best Cat Food For Hairballs

1. Blue Buffalo Tastefuls Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe 

This kibble is crafted to support the health and well-being of your feline friend.

Made with real, high-quality chicken as the first ingredient, this recipe offers a delicious source of protein that cats crave.

It’s specially formulated with a unique blend of psyllium seed husks and cellulose to help reduce and eliminate hairballs, promoting smoother digestion.

Packed with Blue Buffalo's exclusive LifeSource Bits — a precise blend of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals — it helps support a healthy immune system.

Plus, this wholesome formula is made without any chicken (or poultry) by-product meals, and contains no corn, wheat or soy, making it a natural and nutritious choice for adult cats.

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2. Nutro Wholesome Essentials Chicken & Brown Rice

Here we have a thoughtfully crafted to meet the unique needs of indoor cats.

Made with real chicken as the #1 ingredient, this delicious recipe delivers high-quality protein to support strong muscles.

It’s made with non-GMO ingredients and contains no chicken by-product meal, corn, wheat, or soy, giving your cat only the wholesome nutrition they deserve.

Formulated with a tailored blend of fiber and fat, it helps indoor cats maintain a healthy weight, while natural prebiotic fiber supports smooth, healthy digestion. Additionally, omega-6 fatty acids promote soft skin and a shiny coat.

With ingredients sourced from trusted farmers and suppliers, Nutro provides a clean, nutritious meal you can feel good about feeding your feline companion.

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3. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Chicken

Another entry from Blue, this is a nutrient-rich formula designed to satisfy your cat’s inner carnivore while supporting their overall health.

Made with real, high-quality chicken as the first ingredient, this protein-packed recipe helps maintain lean muscle mass in indoor cats.

It features a unique blend of natural fibers to help control and reduce hairballs—without any grains or gluten—making it ideal for sensitive feline stomachs.

Enhanced with Blue Buffalo's exclusive LifeSource Bits, this formula delivers a powerful blend of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals to support a strong immune system.

You’ll also appreciate that it’s made without any chicken or poultry by-product meals and contains no corn, wheat, soy or artificial flavors or preservatives, ensuring your cat enjoys a clean, wholesome diet in every bite.

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4. Instinct Original Real Chicken Recipe

This wet food delivers a delicious, protein-packed meal crafted to satisfy your cat’s natural cravings.

Made with cage-free chicken as the first ingredient, this savory pate features a wholesome blend of 95% real chicken, turkey and nutrient-rich chicken liver, along with 5% vegetables, fruits and other beneficial ingredients.

With top ingredients like chicken, turkey, chicken liver, chicken broth and menhaden fish oil, it supports strong muscles, healthy hydration and a shiny coat.

This grain-free recipe is thoughtfully made without any gums, potatoes, corn, wheat, soy, artificial colors or preservatives—offering your feline a pure, nutritious meal in every can.

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5. Purina ONE +Plus Hairball Formula

This kibble is specially crafted to help your cat thrive while reducing hairball discomfort.

Featuring a SmartBlend of high-quality ingredients, this formula includes a natural, fiber-rich blend designed to minimize and control hairballs effectively.

Real chicken is the #1 ingredient, providing a delicious source of protein to support strong muscles.

With added vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, it offers complete and balanced nutrition for adult cats.

The crunchy kibble texture is one cats love, and it includes added calcium to support strong teeth.

As part of a veterinarian-recommended brand, this cat food is proudly crafted in Purina-owned U.S. facilities with no artificial flavors or preservatives, giving you peace of mind and your cat a healthy, flavorful meal.

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6. I and Love and You Hairball Support Salmon + Whitefish

Let's take quick break from all the chicken recipes, shall we? Here we havea deliciously wholesome recipe designed to support your cat’s overall health while keeping hairballs in check.

Featuring sustainably sourced salmon and whitefish as the #1 ingredient, this fish-first formula delivers irresistible flavor and high-quality protein to fuel your feline’s active lifestyle.

With 34% protein, it helps maintain strong muscles, while being packed with natural fiber to support healthy digestion and reduce hairball formation.

Crafted with a blend of prebiotics and probiotics, it promotes gut health and smooth nutrient absorption.

Plus, this recipe is made with non-GMO protein and vegetables, giving your cat clean, balanced nutrition with every bite.

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7. Iams Hairball Care with Chicken & Salmon

Last item on the list is from the popular brand Iams. This dry food offers complete and balanced nutrition specially tailored for indoor cats.

Made with 100% nutrition and 0% fillers, every bite delivers the essential nourishment your cat needs without any unnecessary ingredients.

This premium formula is enriched with antioxidants to help support a strong immune system, while a proprietary fiber blend with beet pulp works to reduce hairballs before they start.

The crunchy kibble is also formulated with L-carnitine to help your indoor kitty burn fat and maintain a healthy metabolism.

Packed with vital nutrients like calcium and potassium, this tasty chicken and salmon recipe supports overall health, helping your feline companion thrive every day.

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Hairballs Are Normal

It's expected that your feline will cough up at least one hairball every week or two. Long haired breeds like Persian, Burmese and Maine coon cats may have more frequent hairballs.

Kittens and cats that are careless about their grooming don't experience much in the way of hairballs. A mama cat with kittens to bathe might experience a few more hairballs than usual.

If your cat is lethargic, has loss of appetite and suffers unproductive retching or diarrhea, that means a hairball is blocking her digestive tract and she needs to see a veterinarian right away. Surgery may be necessary, but more commonly, the problem will be corrected over several days with laxatives and intravenous rehydration.

This is uncomfortable for your feline friend and expensive for you, so it's a good idea to stop hairballs before they start.

How Can I Stop Hairballs?

First, see what's causing the hairballs. Has your cat been grooming more often than what's strictly normal? If your cat is grooming excessively, it could be because she feels stressed out. It could simply be anxiety caused by a change in environment or being bothered by other animals. It could also be a skin irritation or parasitical infestation.

A change in seasons can cause shedding that has the result of more hair being swallowed, especially in long haired felines. A more serious problem would be a condition that causes hair to be unable to pass through the gastrointestinal tract.

Motility disorders, inflammatory bowel disease and neoplasia lymphoma are all ailments requiring veterinary care.

There are other options to help reduce hairballs in your cat. A laxative might help lubricate the hair through your cat's system. Do this only if your veterinarian recommended it and DO NOT give your cat medicines meant for human use.

A little spoonful of petroleum jelly or mineral oil can also make things easier for Kitty. Just make sure to dose her on an empty stomach and make sure Kitty doesn't inhale the oil. You may have to flavor it with something she likes to get her to take it.

Regular Brushing

Get your cat used to being brushed regularly when she's still a kitten and she may even lie quietly and purr while you brush her. There are brushes and mitts that are specially designed to remove as much loose hair as possible. Remove the loose hair before Kitty ingests it and no more hairballs!

Change Diet

There are cat foods and treats with fiber added to bind the hair and stimulate the intestine thereby eliminating hairballs. Be choosy in selecting a high fiber cat food as not all of these foods are good for cats. The crude fiber content should not exceed 3% and neither should it come from grains or cheap fillers. You can also add some pureed fruits and vegetables like pumpkin, carrots, apples or sweet potato for extra fiber.

Cat food that's too dry can also cause a problem. It would be good for your cat to eat wet foot, but if she won't eat anything but dry food, it should have a moisture level at a minimum of 10%. Always make sure your cat has access to fresh water.

Alternative Exercise

If your cat is grooming excessively because of nervousness or anxiety, maybe you can make her feel better by paying a special attention to her and get her focused on something else. Use one of her toys to engage her in some playtime.

Exercise will also stimulate your cat's digestive system and get things moving along. This is the most natural way to get the hair in your cat's stomach to just flow out of the system like it's supposed to.

Are Hairballs Dangerous?

For the most part, the odd hairball now and then is more of a nuisance than anything to panic over. It's when the hairball becomes big enough to block the digestive tract that a hairball becomes life threatening.

The symptoms of hairballs are also very similar to respiratory troubles such as asthma. Reducing hairball occurrences in your cat will make it easier for your vet to make diagnoses when examining her.

How Can Cat Food Help Prevent Hairballs?

There are plenty of cat foods on the market that tout themselves as being able to control or even completely prevent hairballs. Take this with a grain of salt. (You, not the cat!)

What should you consider when shopping for best cat food for hairball control?

Read the label. Look at the list of ingredients. Read the guaranteed analysis. Watch the crude fiber level and try to stay away from grains and cheap fillers. You should be on the look out for products made with premium animal proteins and healthy animal fats.

There should be low to moderate amounts of dietary fiber and digestible carbohydrates. Wet food is always best, but there are dry foods that can help your cat if that's all she'll eat.

The ingredients Matter

The first items listed should be natural ingredients like whole meats, not anything with “meal” or “by product” or “rendered” in the name. Grains like corn, soy and wheat really won't do anything to help your cat. “Powdered cellulose” is just a fancy way of saying “ground up wood chips” and has no business being in your cat's food.

Artificial Flavors Preservatives

It is best if you choose a cat food that contains nothing artificial. This means no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. Natural preservatives like rosemary, Vitamin C and citric acid are not only acceptable but provide health benefits. Artificial preservatives like ethoxyquin have been linked to cancer.

Propyl gallate is also a possible carcinogen and can cause kidney and liver problems. Some artificial preservatives allowed in pet foods are banned from use for human consumption. Why make your cat eat something you wouldn't eat?

Artificial flavors are rarely used in pet food, but most will advertise this feature anyway. As for artificial coloring, just think about it a moment. Why do you need food coloring for an animal that's practically colorblind?

Quality Over Quantity

Remember that with cat food, you usually get what you pay for. Some of the pricier brands do allow you to save money by buying in bulk. Take care! If it's a dry cat food with no preservatives, it may go off before your cat is able to eat it. Keep in mind wet food in a can is able to keep for an exceedingly long amount of time.

Why Do Cats Get Hairballs?

If you feel fancy, you can always refer to hairballs by the medical term trichobezoar. It's a damp wad of undigested hair soaked by bile and other digestive fluids. They're usually more cylindrical than ball shaped, having had to pass through your cat's esophagus. Usually, they're about an inch long but some can be as much as five inches long.

Ever had a cat show love and affection by licking you? You probably noticed Kitty's tongue feels like wet sandpaper. A cat's tongue has tiny barbs slanted towards her throat that are not only useful for rasping meat off bones, but it makes a built-in comb. These papillae separate and clean the hairs as your feline beauty grooms herself.