Today is National Hairball Awareness Day. Anyone who has lived with cats for any length of time is aware of the arrrff of an occasional hairball—usually on the carpet or a favorite piece of furniture.
To see a cat upchuck one of those ugly 
masses is a bit disturbing. You wonder if the cat has swallowed a tennis ball, the way she gags and convulses to get the thing out. The new and totally unaware cat owner might think the cat has vomited an entire kitten. How could that happen? Better call the Guinness World Book of Records.
Actually hairballs are common, if not a natural occurrence among cats. Cats do a lot of grooming, taking a lot of fur into their stomach and that which 
isn’t deposited into the litter box comes out the other end in what appears to be a huge eruption. If you fear for your cat at these times and gag at the thought of having to pick up one of those things and disposing of it, there’s hope. Here’s what to do:
Groom your cat regularly—help him remove that loose 
fur before he swallows it.
I just learned that stress is one reason for hairballs. Now that could be because a cat sheds more when stressed. Or maybe stress helps to activate the mechanism that catapults the fur ball out of his system. So providing a stress-free environment for your cat might help.
There are also petroleum-based treats that help the cat pass the hairball. I used to give my Himalayan cat a taste of one every day or so. She loved it, and she seemed to arf up fewer of those ugly hairballs.
On another note—Sunday is National Tabby Day. If 
you’ve ever loved a tabby—whether ticked, patched, striped, classic or mackerel, this is a good day to remember them and to celebrate those that you still adore. Our tabby, Lily, was one of our most precious cats. I will fondly remember her on Sunday as I do every single day.
I’m fortunate in that one of my daughters had a picture book of Lily made for me after we lost her. I love looking through that sweet gift and remembering the eleven years of wonderful moments with Lily.
