A Very Special Hairball Awareness PSA

Cat lovers, consider this a public service announcement: hairballs are a problem, and you should be aware of them. April 29th is National Hairball Awareness Day, meaning that your cat deserves a little more pampering than usual. Why? Because our furry overlords vastly improve our lives by the sheer virtue of existing.

Cartoons have long portrayed the hairball as a hilariously slapstick phenomenon, but they're no laughing matter IRL. According to WebMD Pets, these pernicious little fur knots can get caught in your cat’s throat and cause a number of health problems. It goes without saying that you'll do everything in your power to keep Cat-thew McConaughey from such unpleasantness, so you should really educate yourself.

On top of hairballs, there's another lurking menace to your cat's well-being you should be aware of. Research shows that cats are twice as likely to get cancer if their owner smokes. Smokers actually emit toxins from their hair and clothes. So when cats groom themselves, they ingest toxins from cigarette smoke that get absorbed into their fur. 'Cause we all love our cats, we've partnered with truth to bring you a PSA about all the things that you should do to show appreciation for your cat on National Hairball Awareness Day.

1. Stay Home & Spend The Day With Your Cat

What better gift to give your cat than the pleasure of your presence? Consider taking the day off from work to spend some quality time with Mr. Paws. He'll really appreciate it.

2. Give Your Cat A Nice Long Brushing

Not only does a luxurious brushing feel AWESOME for your cat, it helps prevent hairballs. Plus, it's pretty much the nicest thing you can do for him besides giving him a second helping of wet food.

3. Give Him Reign To Scratch Up Whatever He Wants

On a normal day, you're gonna shoo Cat Stevens away from your Ikea couch. (You spent half a month's pay on the thing, for Pete's sake!) But on national Hairball Awareness Day, your feline is in charge. Meaning, he's free to claw up any and all upholstery he darn well pleases.

4. Have A Cat Movie Marathon

If you're gonna have a cat movie marathon, today's the day to do it. Just to get you started, here are a few suggestions: Milo and Otis, to That Darn Cat, and Catwoman.

5. Get Him A Gift (No, Seriously)

Whether it's a new scratching post, a DIY feather teaser, or a heartfelt poem, a token of your undying love and appreciation of your cat is mandatory on National Hairball Awareness Day. Seriously, do I even need to tell you this?

6. Make A Cat Playlist & Spend The Day Shuffling Through It

Believe it or not, there's an entire genre of music composed specifically for the auditory pleasure of cats. Spoiler alert: it's a lot of running water sounds and sing-song meowing, but Constable Paw Pads is gonna LOVE it.

7. Watch Some Cat Videos

This holiday is all about appreciating cats, so feel free to dive deep into ALL the joyous cat media out there on the internet. 'Cause as we all know, cat videos make our lives so much more wonderful.

While reflecting, imagine how sad life would be without said cat videos. Sadly, that's where we could be headed. Research shows that our furry friends are twice as likely to get cancer if their owner smokes. So do your part in helping to prevent #CATmageddon. Long live the cats!

This post is in partnership with truth.

Image: Fotolia; Giphy (7)