2009.04.24
National Hairball Awareness Day is no joke, people
Today is National Hairball Awareness Day. Thanks to the good people at Furminator for reminding me of it.
Here's a link to the column I wrote a while back about hairballs. While I have indeed been known to make a few jokes about hairballs, it turns out they really are serious business.
If your cat is hacking up more than his or her share of the nasty little gobs, you do want to make sure to take kitty to the vet. Excessive hairballs can be a sign of stomach irritation or other digestive problems.
As long as the vet says your kitty's plumbing is in good working order, you can help alleviate the hairball burden by relieving your kitty of excess hair. Thai loves, loves, LOVES a good brushing and it is nothing short of amazing how much hair I can glean off that cat. Seems like he should be bald after I de-fluff him, but he has plenty of fluff left.
Just remember, every handful of loose hair you can brush off your cat is one less hairball that will be deposited directly on your route to the bathroom. In the middle of the night. When you are barefoot. And can't see.
Yeah, all you cat people know what I mean.
It's weird. We have 8 cats, but we rarely ever have an actual hairball. Only one of our cats pukes with any kind of regularity...and it's only when she's been outside for long periods of time and hasn't eaten. She comes in and eats far too fast and hacks it all back up. Gross thing is, our kittens usually eat it before we can get to cleaning it, the little fuzzy Hoovers that they are. I always found it strange that we didn;t get hairballs that often, I don't really know why...but we don't.
Comment by Other John — April 24, 2009 @ 2:45 pm
Yes, I completely know what you mean. Yuck!
Comment by Emily — April 24, 2009 @ 4:35 pm
I like other john have a cat that when he eats to fast, i hear that gross sound, hack,hack,hack, splat. he returns to eating and when done goes right back outside.
Comment by Mike T — April 24, 2009 @ 5:33 pm