hairball

Plural: hairballs

Noun

• a compact mass of hair that forms in the alimentary canal (especially in the stomach of animals as a result of licking fur)
• A small wad of fur or mass of hair formed in the digestive system of a cat or other animal, from hair ingested while grooming.
• A messy, tangled, intractable issue.
• pl. -S a ball of hair

Examples

• "The contract negotiations are turning into a real hairball."

Synonyms

hair ball, trichobezoar, bezoar