Why does my short-haired cat get hairballs?

Short coats still shed, especially during seasonal changes, and indoor cats groom more than outdoor cats because they aren’t using that time hunting or roaming. So even a short-haired indoor cat can swallow enough hair to produce occasional hairballs. The shape and contents are the same as in long-haired cats: cylindrical, damp, with visible matted hair. Brushing helps in short-haired cats too, especially in spring and fall. A bathing or shedding tool used weekly cuts the swallowed-hair load noticeably.

When to call a vet: more than one hairball a week in a short-haired cat, repeated retching without producing, or hairballs alongside appetite or weight loss — vet.