How often is too often for hairballs?

More than one a week is too often. An occasional hairball is normal cat life, especially in long-haired breeds. A long-haired cat producing one every few weeks is fine. A short-haired cat producing one a week is not. Frequent hairballs mean either too much hair is being swallowed (overgrooming, heavy shedding, lack of brushing) or the hair isn’t passing through the gut properly. Both are worth addressing. The simplest first step is daily brushing for a week to see if frequency drops.

When to call a vet: weekly or more frequent hairballs, repeated unproductive retching, or any vomit with blood — vet.