"It's hot, brown and plenty of it."

Day 250

Why do my cats go outside to eat grass, then wait to come inside to vomit the offending plant along with the other contents of their stomach, onto my carpeting?

I am especially grateful if I let them out in the evening, to save me emptying the litter box, only to step in the offending offal when I get up to use the toilet during the night.

Here's what I have been told. Cats will eat grass when their stomachs are upset (usually from hair) to cause them to regurgitate and relive their stomachs of the indigestible matter.

Lately I have taken to brushing both of my cats with a wire pet brush. It is amazing the amount of hair that come from them, especially the tomcat. I suspect that this is due not only because he is much bigger, but he also spends more time outside. During the winter his fur gets thicker. Especially the last few winters which have been colder than normal.

Over the last few weeks, I have brushed and brushed and still I pull gobs of hair from him after just a few strokes. Although I assumed I was making headway.

Then this morning, as I am just waking and putting on my slippers, I notice something wet and cold through my sock. I take a breath and pull the slipper back off to examine the bottom of my foot. I already knew what I would find there. A single blade of grass, sticking out of a brown hairball.

Looking at it from the glass is half full point of view.

I have heard of cat owners finding something cold, slimy and resembling cat food in their shoe...only it came out of the other end of the cat. Punishment it would seem, for a perceived wrong committed by the owner.

I am such a lucky man.

Until tomorrow,

Ken