INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Watch for excessive scratching, which may be indicative of fleas. If you see your cat scratching himself often, you will need to perform a spot check. Get a fine toothed comb and run it through your cat's fur. Look for little, fast-moving brown specks (which are fleas) particularly around your cat's neck and tail. You can also check for fleas by grooming the cat over a sheet of blank white paper. You may see fleas in the comb's teeth or flea dirt on the paper. Flea dirt is black and comma shaped. If placed on damp cotton wool it dissolves into bloody streaks. Many commercial products are available to kill fleas and remove them from your home. Ask your vet for specific recommendations. Hairballs can also cause bad breath or low appetite. Serious hairball problems may become Trichobezoars (hard lumps of matted hair and undigested foul-smelling food) and extreme cases may require surgery. Regularly groom your cat to reduce hairballs. Other effective home remedies include adding supplements to their diet such as: Slippery Elm Bark to lubricate the hairball passage or pumpkin pulp (canned) which adds bulk fiber to stools, easing the hairball out. These items can periodically be added to treats like fish or cooked chicken/livers as a preventative for hairballs. You should consult with the veterinarian to be certain that a more serious problem is not the cause. Symptoms include increased appetite or thirst, unexplained weight loss (particularly muscle mass), nervousness or irritability, frequent vomiting, lethargy and weakness, diarrhea, or a messy coat. If two or more symptoms are present, your cat will need to see the veterinarian. Hyperthyroidism typically occurs in middle-aged to older cats and is rare in a young cat. Increased appetite is a handy warning sign that your cat needs veterinary attention. The thyroid hormone that triggers appetite also raises the metabolic rate and puts organ function under strain. Signs of diabetes include vomiting, dehydration, weakness and loss of appetite, increased thirst and urination, weight loss, breathing abnormalities, and an unkempt coat. Feline diabetes affect cats of any age, but is most common in older, obese male/female cats. If your cat has any or several symptoms, take him/her to the vet where blood and urine sugar levels can be tested. Signs of FLUTD include inappropriate or difficult and frequent urination, appetite loss, listlessness, blood in the urine, or frequent licking of the genitals. This disease is a painful inflammation of the lower urinary tract that has the potential to quickly become fatal. FLUTD has a number of causes, from decreased water intake and urine retention to viruses, bacteria, or diet. Some dry foods can cause crystals to build up in the urine which scuff and irritate the bladder lining. If left untreated, they can form bladder stones which are potentially serious if they cause a blockage.

SUMMARY: Check your cat for fleas. Listen for dry coughing and vomiting that may signify hairballs. Look for hyperthyroidism, or an overactive thyroid. Watch for symptoms of feline diabetes. Watch for symptoms of feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD).

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: You can use any size jar, though keep in mind the number of Scobys you want to store in it. Wash your jar thoroughly with soap and water. You can squirt some soap into the jar and soak it, then rinse the jar to wash away soap residue. For example, you can use a a 0.5USgal (1.9L) glass jar. Over time, you will add more Scobys into the same jar to create your "hotel." This is helpful in case 1 of your brews goes bad. That way, you will have back up Scobys to use for new batches. You can place a few Scobys or several inside the same jar. You can use some of your recent kombucha brew or use a bottle of store bought kombucha. Pour in some kombucha, and then dump in a few cups of freshly brewed green or black tea mixture. This helps feed your Scobys in their hotel. To make your tea, you can boil {{convert|5-6|cup|L} of water and steep about 4 teabags. Then, pour in about 0.5 cups (0.12L) of cane sugar. Use a tightly woven cloth, and place it on the top of your jar. Then, screw on your lid so it fits tightly over your jar. If you don't have a cloth, you can use 2 coffee filters instead. You can place this next to other kombucha batches, if you'd like. Make sure your Scoby hotel will not be disturbed in whatever location you pick. Since you have multiple Scobys in your batch, it will ferment quicker than normal and will be much more potent. Because of this, replace your kombucha with a fresh batch after 2 weeks. To use up your kombucha, you can drink kombucha from the jar, pour some off, or discard it.

SUMMARY: Select a large, sterile glass container big enough to fit several Scobys. Put all of your Scobys into the jar. Pour in 1 cup (0.24L) of kombucha and 3 cups (0.71L) of freshly brewed tea. Cover your jar with a clean cloth and secure it with a lid. Store your jar in a dark, warm, and dry place. Replace the kombucha in your Scoby hotel every 2 weeks.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: They sit well at the base of your neck, even with very short hair. If you have longer hair, you can pull your hair up to the middle of your head, just behind your ears. If you have short hair, pull your hair closer to the base of your neck. On the third wrap, pull the ponytail into a bun. Pigtail buns will jostle when you run, so be sure to tie them tightly with elastic. Regular small pigtails are just as cute as buns, and you won't have to worry about them falling apart. Pair this with a headband to prevent hair from falling into your face.

SUMMARY:
Use pigtail buns for short to medium length hair. Pull your hair into two equal ponytails on either side of your head. Wrap your hair in an elastic a couple times. Don't force your hair into buns if it is too short.