When I got Ghost as a gift, I immediately noticed that something in his belly was not right; he had a little pink ball that I had not seen in any other cat or puppy. I asked the owner of my kitty's mother if she knew what that might be, to which she replied that it was his belly button and that he might have a hernia, but not to worry, because it would probably close on its own.

When he said "belly button" and "hernia" I was very surprised, first because (sorry for my ignorance) I didn't know that kittens have a belly button like humans, but after using logic I turned red with embarrassment because, ok, it's obvious they have one, how else do they feed while they are in their mother's womb? But hey, it's great to learn new things.

The other reason why I was so surprised is because I didn't know that animals can also develop hernias, so when I got home, I did what we all do when we want more information on a subject: I did some research on Google. And it turns out that kitties can not only develop umbilical hernias, but also "diaphragmatic hernias, perineal hernias, inguinal hernias and herniated discs", as Affinity Petcare's article on Cat hernia: what you should know.

Of course I didn't stick to the information I read on Google and when I took Ghost to the vet for his first vaccination, I asked the vet about the origin and the reason for the hernia. The vet explained to me that hernias occur when the mother cuts the umbilical cord of the kitten in a very abrupt way, causing it to not heal well and then, giving place to a little bag that fills with abdominal fat and in extreme cases, parts of the intestine, which is what we know as the umbilical hernia.

According to what the veterinarian explained to me, the hernial sac, which is the little bag that we can see and touch in the belly of the kitten, can close by itself and the contents of the hernia can be absorbed without any problem before 5 months of life of the kitten, if this does not happen, the hernia continues to grow as the kitten grows, which can be dangerous because at some point, the hernial sac can suffer an alteration and if there is part of the intestine inside it, it can be striated, If this does not happen, the hernia continues to grow as the kitten grows, which can be dangerous because at some point, the hernial sac can suffer an alteration and if there is a part of the intestine inside it, it can strangle, which would prevent the flow of blood in the area and the death of the kitten. Unfortunately, Ghost did not have his hernial sac close before he was 5 months old.

There is no other option but to submit Ghost to surgery, to avoid future complications that could put his life in danger. It's something that really makes me nervous, even though they tell me it's a simple operation, I'm afraid that something could happen to him. Other than that, while we are raising the money for the operation, the vet explained to me that I have to give him a little therapy to prevent the herniated disc from sticking to the abdominal wall, which would make the surgery more invasive.

The purpose of this therapy is to prevent the herniated disc from adhering to the abdominal wall. Whenever I have Ghost in my arms, I apply it to him, but I prefer to do it when he is asleep, so that it does not cause him discomfort.

I gently place my fingers over the umbilical hernia and apply light pressure, firmly enough to introduce the hernial contents into the abdomen. I repeat about 3 times.