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My cat has human hair sticking out. Should I pull it or let it pass?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

My cat has human hair sticking out of her butt and its long. I’ve tried to pull it out but I’ve seen that it could injure them. Should I keep trying to pull it out or will it come out on its own?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Catherine Stecyk

Veterinarian

Published on July 13th, 2018

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I would not pull on the hair and I would let it pass on its own. If it is just a single piece of long hair, your cat should be able to pass it on his/her own. If your cat ever becomes inappetant, vomits or has diarrhea, these may be signs of a gastrointestinal obstruction, which is a surgical emergency. It is possible the hair is attached to something else inside your cat's gastrointestinal system which could potentially cause an obstruction. If your cat is otherwise healthy and acting OK, I would simply monitor his feces for the passing of the hair. I hope this is helpful!

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