Tiger has surgery to remove 1.8kg furball...

It's not unusual for a cat to get a hairball, but a 180-kilogram tiger has needed help from veterinary surgeons when he couldn't hack up a soccer ball-sized furball by himself.

The 17-year-old tiger named Ty underwent the procedure on Wednesday at a veterinary center in the Tampa Bay area of Florida.

Doctors said in a statement that they safely removed the 1.8-kilogram obstruction from Ty's stomach.

The tiger, which is cared for by Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation in Florida, was brought to veterinarians after not eating for nearly two weeks.

Doctors said they detected the hairball using a scope with a camera.

Ty is said to be doing fine after the operation.