Home & Lifestyle Summer 2019

What Causes Hairballs in Cats?

H airballs in cats are unpleasant. And they’re not just disagreeable for the person who has to clean them up -- they can cause intestinal blockages, which can be a serious health problem for your cat. It’s a given that your cat is going to groom herself, so what can you do to keep hairballs to a minimum? When your cat grooms himself, tiny hook- like structures on his tongue catch loose and dead hair, which is then swallowed. The majority of this hair passes all the way through the digestive tract with no problems. But if some hair stays in the stomach, it can

Kids are natural gardeners

C hildren love to play in the dirt, explore their surroundings, and are hungry to learn. Gardening is a healthy hobby that helps parents incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables into their children’s diet more easily. Eating healthy food is vital for brain and body development but it can be hard at times to get kids to eat those fruits and veggies. By having themgrow their own string beans, carrots and lettuce, they will have a sense of pride in eating what they have “created.” This, in turn, will emphasize the importance of healthy eating. Kids will soon learn to love eating strawberries, blueberries and even broccoli! Gardening is a wonderful introduction into the world of science especially botany, biology and chemistry. When kids plant their first seeds they become curious about what will happen next. They make their own hypothesis and monitor the progress D uring the summer months, this heartbreaking situation is all too common asdog owners often underestimate just how quickly temperatures can rise within a car, and inadvertently put their pets in danger while running a “quick” errand. “Cars heat up very rapidly in hot — or even

each day. Without even realizing it, kids are learning the basic steps of the scientific process. As kids get older, they learn about the impact of sunlight and water on the growth of a plant. They learn which plants need more sunlight, which need less water and how long they take to grow. Gardening offers wonderful science lessons right at home and allows your child time to enjoy being outside. If you live in a unit you can plant herbs and vegetables in pots. Kids learn best when engaging all their senses. With gardening, kids can touch and feel the dirt, seeds and flowers, see the vibrant colours and varied sizes of the plants, hear the sound of the vegetable when it is taken from the plant and smell the amazing scents of the flowers. Now the warmer weather has arrived, what better way to spend your time than enjoying some gardening. warm — weather,” the RSPCA said in a press release. “Air conditioning can disguise the danger that a dog will face once the engine is turned off.” Shade alone can’t keep the heat out, and cracking a window isn’t enough to cool down a car, even when it seems like a comfortable temperature outside. What’s more, dogs don’t sweat like humans do. “Unlike humans, dogs pant to help keep themselves cool,” the RSPCA said. “The effectiveness of panting is reduced at high temperatures and humidities.” Last summer the animal welfare charity received over 625 calls — about two calls an hour — regarding animals in hot environments, most of which were dogs left in cars and many times the animals do not survive. Heat can pose an even graver risk for senior and very young animals, dogs with heavy coats, dogs suffering from obesity or with underlying health issues, and flat- faced dogs. Please leave your dog at home in the shade where it is lovely and cool with lots of cool, fresh water to drink throughout summer.

form a hairball. Usually, your cat will vomit the hairball to get rid of it. Because hairballs pass through the narrow esophagus on the way out, they often appear thin and tube-like, rather than round. Hairballs in cats are more likely to appear in long- haired breeds, such as Persians that shed a lot or who groom themselves compulsively are also more likely to have hairballs, because they tend to swallow a lot of fur. You may have noticed that your cat didn’t have hairballs as a kitten, but developed them as she grew. This is quite normal -- as cats get older they become more adept groomers and therefore more proficient at removing fur from their coats with their tongues, which means more hairballs for you to clean up. What you can do to help: 1. Groom your cat regularly. The more fur you remove from your cat, the less fur that will end up as hairballs in her stomach. Combing or brushing your cat on a daily basis can be an effective way to minimize hairballs, and it can also provide a fun way for you to bond with your cat. If you can’t get your cat accustomed to brushing, think about taking her to a professional groomer for a grooming and hair cut (especially for long-haired cats) every six months or so. 2. Give your cat a specialized “hairball formula” cat food . Many pet food manufacturers now make hairball-reduction cat foods. These high-fibre formulas are designed to improve the health of your cat’s coat, minimize the amount of shedding, and encourage hairballs in cats to pass through the digestive system. 3. Talk to your vet about using a hairball product or laxative. There are a number of different hairball products on the market today, most of which are mild laxatives that help hairballs pass through the digestive tract. 4. Discourage excessive grooming. If you suspect that your cat’s hairballs are a result of compulsive grooming, try to train your cat to do another enjoyable activity instead of licking his coat. This might include teaching him to play with a new toy on or finding a fun toy you can play with together. Nothing can be done to totally prevent hairballs in cats, but there are things you can do to reduce the likelihood your cat will have hairballs or reduce their frequency.

10 minutes to Death from overheating in the car

& Lifestyle Magazine | Summer 2019 45

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