We all get excited about holiday festivities and decorations—from the Christmas tree and holly berries to the Menorah and other Hanukkah trimmings during the holiday season. As you may see the sparkle in your family’s eyes when you bring out the tinsel, you may not realize that your cat also has a sparkle as well. Does this mean that to keep your cat safe that you can’t have your traditional holiday favorites? Not at all! As veterinarians, we always try to help you strike a balance between keeping holiday traditions intact while keeping your fur friends as safe as possible.

Matted fur is a condition that occurs mostly in longhaired cats when their fur becomes knotted and entangled. There are several reasons this can happen. When a cat sheds their undercoat, the fur can become caught in the top coat. If a cat’s fur becomes dirty or oily, it can also become entwined and matted.

Shedding is just one of those things that come with having a cat or dog, but how much shedding is normal, and when does excessive hair loss signify a medical issue?

Most people think cats can take care of themselves—and they’d actually prefer it that way—but even the most fastidious feline groomers could use a helping hand.

If your cat is like most felines, she spends hours every day grooming herself. Lick the paws, check. Use the damp paws to clean behind the ears, check. Your cat is capable of bending and contorting herself into all manner of funny positions to aim that rough tongue “just so” at a particular problem area.

In general finicky cats are pretty good at keeping themselves clean.  However, it turns out there are other reasons your cat grooms him or herself besides cleanliness.

Cats are typically fastidious groomers and therefore ingest a significant amount of hair. Hair is undigestible and usually sits in the stomach until enough hair is accumulated to produce a signal that induces vomiting. Even though people often say their cat is “coughing up a hairball,” this is not the correct terminology. The hair is coming from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, not the respiratory tract (lungs).