Hairball

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Christina Websell - 17 Oct 2004 22:47 GMT

Well, wasn't I boasting the other day that my cats had never hawked up a
hairball? And indeed they hadn't, for years I'd never seen one at all,
ever.
I was out most of the day today sharing meals with relatives.
I came home, lit the woodburner, sat on the rug in front of it to feed it
and...I put my left hand down flat on the rug and felt something wet
underneath it.
It was something about as big as my middle finger, damp. It looked like wet
compressed hair.
This was a hairball, right?
I wonder whose it was?
Serves me right, eh? <g>
Do I need to groom them more?

Tweed

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Seanette Blaylock - 17 Oct 2004 23:13 GMT

"Christina Websell" <spamfree@tinawebsell.wanadoo.co.uk> had some very
interesting things to say about Hairball:

>It was something about as big as my middle finger, damp. It looked like wet
>compressed hair.
>This was a hairball, right?

Yep, that's a hairball. :-)

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"The universe is quite robust in design and appears to be
doing just fine on its own, incompetent support staff notwithstanding.

:-)" - the Dennis formerly known as (evil), MCFL

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Christina Websell - 17 Oct 2004 23:39 GMT

> "Christina Websell" <spamfree@tinawebsell.wanadoo.co.uk> had some very
> interesting things to say about Hairball:
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
> Yep, that's a hairball. :-)

Thanks, Seanette. Why don't I just keep my big mouth shut about my cats not
hawking up hairballs? They never fail to surprise me, they never did it
before, honest. Not in all these years.
I think they must be reading the group.

Tweed

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jXwXeXrXmXoXnXt@sonic.net - 18 Oct 2004 03:53 GMT

> Why don't I just keep my big mouth shut about my cats not hawking
> up hairballs? They never fail to surprise me, they never did it
> before, honest.

Just don't say that your cats have never attacked a human before...

Joyce

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Christina Websell - 18 Oct 2004 17:58 GMT

> > Why don't I just keep my big mouth shut about my cats not hawking
> > up hairballs? They never fail to surprise me, they never did it
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
> Joyce

Aaargh...
Okay! ;-)

Tweed

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Seanette Blaylock - 18 Oct 2004 12:21 GMT

"Christina Websell" <spamfree@tinawebsell.wanadoo.co.uk> had some very
interesting things to say about Re: Hairball:

>>>It was something about as big as my middle finger, damp. It looked like
>>>wet compressed hair.
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>before, honest. Not in all these years.
>I think they must be reading the group.

Wouldn't surprise me :-).

Reminds me of the scanner I have to fight with on my current temp
assignment. Every time I say to someone else, "it's working pretty
well tonight", it starts acting up.

Signature

"The universe is quite robust in design and appears to be
doing just fine on its own, incompetent support staff notwithstanding.

:-)" - the Dennis formerly known as (evil), MCFL

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O J - 17 Oct 2004 23:24 GMT

On Sun, 17 Oct, Tweed wrote:

>I came home, lit the woodburner, sat on the rug in front of it to feed it
>and...I put my left hand down flat on the rug and felt something wet
>underneath it.
>It was something about as big as my middle finger, damp. It looked like wet
>compressed hair.
>This was a hairball, right?

Oh yes!

>I wonder whose it was?
>Serves me right, eh? <g>

Once again, cats have made a liar out of their human. It's part of
their job. Apparently, yours take their duties very seriously.

>Do I need to groom them more?

Yours are short-hairs, right? An occasional combing is a welcome
treat for most of mine and helps with the hairball problem. For some
of mine, a combing is pure torture and they let me know it in no
uncertain terms. If it feels good (to the cats), do it!

Regards and Purrs,
O J (Old John) Gritmon

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Christina Websell - 18 Oct 2004 00:06 GMT

> On Sun, 17 Oct, Tweed wrote:
>
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> Oh yes!

First one ever :-(

>>I wonder whose it was?
>>Serves me right, eh? <g>
>
> Once again, cats have made a liar out of their human. It's part of
> their job. Apparently, yours take their duties very seriously.

<g>

>>Do I need to groom them more?
>
> Yours are short-hairs, right?

Yes.

>An occasional combing is a welcome
> treat for most of mine and helps with the hairball problem. For some
> of mine, a combing is pure torture and they let me know it in no
> uncertain terms. If it feels good (to the cats), do it!

I have a brush that they don't seem to mind if I sometimes smooth it across
them. I combed Kitty a while ago to get her underhair out and she hated it.
She wasn't taking proper care of herself so I had to do it. Firstly, she
growled for me to stop and when I continued she slashed me quite seriously.
It didn't stop me though. I kept on until she had a lovely black coat again
and now she seems to be able to deal with her coat herself.

First hairball I ever saw today!

Kitty or Boyfriend?
I think Kitty, she's taking care of her coat more than she has for years.
I wish I could get for myself whatever the vet gave her, she was springing
round the house this morning, chair to table, carpet, outside, inside, onto
worktops and off like she was crazy. They say she's 18.
I think not. Or maybe that injection did the trick.

Tweed

Tweed

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Marina - 18 Oct 2004 05:15 GMT

> Well, wasn't I boasting the other day that my cats had never hawked up a
> hairball? And indeed they hadn't, for years I'd never seen one at all,
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> compressed hair.
> This was a hairball, right?

Oh, yes, that was a hairball. :o)

> I wonder whose it was?
> Serves me right, eh? <g>
> Do I need to groom them more?

Shorthaired cats seem to take care of that pretty well themselves, but
some do need a little help. This time of year they're shedding a lot and
changing into their winter coats, so may be getting more hair into their
system than usual.

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Adrian - 19 Oct 2004 11:33 GMT

> Well, wasn't I boasting the other day that my cats had never hawked
> up a hairball? And indeed they hadn't, for years I'd never seen one
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Tweed

I'm sure you were being punished for leaving them all day. Figaro, the
cat I grew up with, would often deposit a hairball if she was annoyed
about something. I don't know why they're called hairballs, has anyone
ever seen one that's ball shaped?

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Adrian (Owned by Snoopy & Bagheera)
A house is not a home, without a cat.

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Christina Websell - 19 Oct 2004 22:40 GMT

>> Well, wasn't I boasting the other day that my cats had never hawked
>> up a hairball? And indeed they hadn't, for years I'd never seen one
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> cat I grew up with, would often deposit a hairball if she was annoyed
> about something.

Oh, please don't say that. In only a few weeks I'll be going back to work,
and will leave them 8.15 until 4. Does that mean I'll get a lot of
hairballs?

> I don't know why they're called hairballs, has anyone
> ever seen one that's ball shaped?

This is what made be ask if it really *was* a hairball. I expected one to
be ball shaped, not long and exactly the size and shape of my middle finger.
Marina said it might be to do with their winter coat coming in. That seems
very sensible. Thanks, Marina. They are definitely getting their winter
coats. Kitty's now stands out from her body - her winter coat always does.

Tweed

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