Cats are very clean creatures; your new kitten will spend approximately five hours a day grooming herself. In doing so, she'll pick up any loose hairs from her coat. These are difficult for her to spit out, so she'll probably just swallow them. Most of the time, this will cause no problems whatsoever and the hairs will just pass through her digestive tract. Sometimes, however, the hairs can remain in the stomach and form a fur ball.
Fur balls may not be desired, but they're rarely anything to worry about. Seeing your new kitten struggle with a fur ball can be upsetting, but it's important to remember that most cats have problems with them from time to time and that there's hardly ever reason for concern.
Once a fur ball has reached a certain size, your cat will vomit it up, although some hair will still pass in her stool. Fur balls rarely cause much distress. Every now and again, though, a fur ball can be difficult to get rid of and the affected kitten may have repeated bouts of gagging or vomiting. If you are at all concerned, don't hesitate to call your vet.
In some very rare cases, a cat may be unable to pass the fur ball naturally and surgery may be required. Thankfully, this is very unusual.
One of the best ways to help prevent fur balls is to groom your kitten regularly. Get into the habit of doing this when she's very young, so that she gets
used to it.
There is some evidence that a high-fiber, dry food such as Hill's® Science Diet® Hairball Control can help reduce the formation of fur balls in the gut. Ask your vet for advice.