It's Hairball Season!

And I'm not decorating for it! To tell you the truth, my cat Button's on her own on that one, and she's doing a fine job too!

Of course, if you own--or HAVE owned--a long haired cat, then you're probably already familiar with the season's "festivities." One of my favorites is performing the Mexican Hat Dance as I negotiate my way around a hairball or two--it kind of gives the season that party atmosphere. And serving up some Hairball Salad is always good for a few giggles.

If you have a cat, you also probably know that peak hairball season's likely to last a good six months or more--from the first sign of winter weather to the heat of summer. This is the time of year when the savvy cat owner does NOT energetically leap out of bed in the morning. Not without looking first. And even then, he or she is best advised to gingerly step out of bed with the utmost caution.

Since I'm not a morning person, there's very little danger of me leaping out of bed at the best of times, and with the colder temperatures, I'd just as soon pound on the snooze alarm a couple times and hunker down further under the covers. But eventually there comes a time when each of us must arise and face the day. Being morning-challenged, though, means that once I DO get out of bed, I'm pretty darn oblivious to most everything around me for the first hour or two. Such inattention can be dangerous and may lead to mishaps.

I know that some of you are probably reading this in the morning. I know--because you've told me--that you may be drinking your coffee or eating your cornflakes, so I'll spare you the details. It wouldn't be pretty. But I will say this: Let's all be careful out there! Wear some kind of non-slip protective foot gear at all times, including when you're sleeping. Keep paper towels and rug cleaners handy, and locate them at several central emergency clean up stations around the house. Having an odor-eliminating carpet powder on hand is a bonus as well--you'll be glad you made the investment. Together, we can all get though this people!