If you’ve ever seen your cat gagging and eventually cough up a hairball, then you know the situation. You know they’re no fun to clean up, and worse, they can cause health problems for your cat. What you might not know is what causes hairballs, what symptoms to look for and what you can do to prevent them.

Whether you're relocating or considering taking your pet on vacation with you, flying with pets presents interesting challenges.

According to the Veterinary Oral Health Council, periodontal disease is a big problem. In fact, most cats have dental health problems by the time they're just 3 or 4 years old! This is because your kitty's teeth are subject to tartar and plaque build-up just like yours, yet, many cat lovers don't think about cleaning their cat's teeth.

If there were a safe and pain-free way to treat your cat, wouldn’t you want to know about it? Of course, you would!

Have you ever wondered what you’d do if your cat was lost? If you’re like many people you’d post pictures of Fluffy on Facebook and make an announcement. That’s a good approach to spread the word with or without a microchip. However, microchipping your cat is so simple and effective, there’s no reason not to do it. It only takes seconds to place the chip under your cat’s skin and yet, according to Petfinder, it increases your odds of being reunited with your cat by more than 2000%. “Less than 2 percent of lost cats that entered the animal shelters were reunited with their families.

You and your pet both know the rule: No table food! On occasion, however, your vet may actually recommend human fare for your furry friend. What’s the deal?

Vegetables are an excellent source of antioxidants—dietary substances that can repair and prevent damage to the body’s cells—for both humans and animals. While antioxidants in tablet form only contain a handful of different antioxidants, vegetables can contain hundreds, many of which work together for an even more powerful effect.

Creating a cat-friendly home requires an understanding of normal cat behavior and how humans may inadvertently create stress for feline companions. This is important not only because it is nice to keep our pets happy, but also because multiple studies now show that stress can lead to a variety of chronic medical conditions. Ensuring that our pets are well adapted to an indoor environment is a vital part of preventative medicine.

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.