Get ready for National Hairball Awareness Day

Ever since our new health team at the St. Petersburg Times got started a couple of months ago, we've been dazzled at the amazing number of National Days of This and National Months of That, times to honor any number of dread diseases, annoying conditions and Issues Requiring Public Attention.

Now, don't get me wrong. It's certainly important to raise public awareness of heart disease (February) strokes (May), Lyme disease (also May), and I can even go for National Salad Month (also May).

But I had to supress a giggle at National Hairball Awareness Day, which apparently is Friday, April 24. Yes, it's real. It even has its own patron saint, Romeo the Cat, who naturally has his own Web site, full of photos, and tips to help kitty avoid this most dreaded scourge. 

Interestingly, some of these tips are the same things we two-legged cats are supposed to do to stay healthy: stay hydrated, eat adequate fiber, and brush your hair with something other than your tongue. (If Romeo could swear, I guess he'd swear by the Furminator.)

Ooh, here's the cool part: You have until 9 p.m. Thursday to enter the "Who's Your Favorite Furball'' contest.

Ok, Romeo, you got me at ACKKKKKKK, or however you spell the charming sound a cat makes when it's coughing up a hairball.

Charlotte Sutton, health and medicine editor