Cat Facts
August 19, 2025
compiled by Nancy Kerr
H is for …
Halitosis is commonly referred to as bad breath. Cats can develop it for a number of reasons. In some cases, it may be caused by the smell of their food. It can also be caused by diseases that cause ulcers in the mouth, cancerous tumors, stomatitis, broken teeth, and foreign objects lodged in the mouth or nose. Poor oral hygiene can cause a buildup of plaque and tartar leading to bad breath. It can also be caused by small particles of food building up in the pockets in and around the teeth, dead tissue in the mouth, and bleeding in the mouth.
Haws Syndrome is when a cat’s third eyelids (the haws) become visible across both eyes, however there are no other eye abnormalities present. It does seem to occur most often in cats suffering from diarrhea, due to a number of underlying inflammatory gastrointestinal conditions. Haws syndrome has been linked to certain parasite infections such as tapeworm, as well as gastrointestinal viruses. However, these are not present in every case and neither is the diarrhea.
Heat (estrus) cycle is the reproductive cycle of a female cat. It last can 14-21 days on average; during this time a female cat can become pregnant. Cats that have not been spayed will go into heat (estrus) for the first time when they hit puberty, which is generally around 4-6 months old. They will then have multiple heats each year, during the breeding season. Shorthair cats may experience this sooner than longhair cats. During this time many cats may vocalize loudly, seek attention constantly, and may spray urine while actively seeking a boyfriend.
Hematoma is generally caused by an infection or other inflammatory ear condition that causes excessive scratching and head shaking. In some cases, there may be a piece of foreign material lodged in the ear canal, such as a tick or piece of grass. Ear hematomas may be treated in one or more of the following ways: drained with a needle at the veterinarian, surgery to repair the space between the skin and cartilage of the ear flap, or no treatment if determined to be insignificant. An ear hematoma when left alone will eventually be reabsorbed by the cat’s body.
Hernias can occur when some combination of intestines and fat (and sometimes other organs) protrude through the cat’s abdominal cavity. This can be caused by trauma or injury, but most often they are congenital, which means the cat is genetically predisposed to developing them. Hernias are often caused by a damaged or defective muscle.
Herpes Virus (also known as feline viral rhinotracheitis – FVR) is a contagious respiratory infection caused by feline herpesvirus type-1 (FHV-1). It is only known to cause infections in domestic and wild cats, and is not transmissible to humans. The virus can infect cats of all ages. Many cats that have been infected with FVR become carriers of this virus; however, most carriers will be latent, meaning that the virus will survive as an inactive form within the cat’s body. Stress and illness can cause the virus to reactivate; when this happens, the cat can shed the virus and infect other cats. In most cases of viral reactivation, the cat will show symptoms of a respiratory infection.