Preventing mats

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---MIKE--- - 20 Oct 2006 01:10 GMT

>>In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
>> (44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')

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Kathryn - 20 Oct 2006 19:08 GMT

I had to have Tiger shaved back in June to get rid of a lot of bad mats.
I want to get a grooming brush that will help me to prevent future mats.
What is the best one for this purpose (Zoom Groom)? TIA

Sesame had some mats clipped on her back as she is a bit arthritic and can't
reach to groom herself anymore. The vet recommended a particular brush, I'm
not sure what brand it is but it has short metal bristles. She didn't like
it at first but like everything she tolerates it well. The other day i
suspect she may even have enjoyed it!

I would ask your vet what kind of brush you need. Sesame is short hair
anyway so its unusual for this type of coat to get mats as far as I am
aware, this brush may not be suitable for a longhaired cat.

Kathryn

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Jack Campin - bogus address - 28 Oct 2006 01:01 GMT

> I had to have Tiger shaved back in June to get rid of a lot of bad mats.
> I want to get a grooming brush that will help me to prevent future mats.
> What is the best one for this purpose (Zoom Groom)? TIA

I've tried a variety of "officially approved" tools for this, but the
last time Splodge got matted I happened to be using a seam ripper -
a sewing tool for cutting seams open. It has a U-shaped blade which
is sharp in the concavity, one of the prongs pointed and the other
covered with a bead. It sliced through the mats very easily, and with
less stress since only one blade at a time was doing the cutting. The
shreds of felt it left were easy to comb or pull out.

Splodge is exceptionally laid-back and trusting - some of our others
would have your hand off for trying this - but it might be worth a go.

http://www.purr.demon.co.uk/Cats/

============== j-c ====== @ ====== purr . demon . co . uk ==============
Jack Campin: 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland | tel 0131 660 4760
<http://www.purr.demon.co.uk/jack/> for CD-ROMs and free | fax 0870 0554 975
stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, & Mac logic fonts | mob 07800 739 557

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Debbie Wilson - 28 Oct 2006 10:12 GMT

> Splodge is exceptionally laid-back and trusting - some of our others
> would have your hand off for trying this - but it might be worth a go.
>
> http://www.purr.demon.co.uk/Cats/

Hello Jack :-)
Brilliant photos - I particularly liked Zeke's BIG miaow and Ishmael's
BIG belly.

Deb. (uscm)

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http://www.scientific-art.com

"He looked a fierce and quarrelsome cat, but claw he never would;
He only bit the ones he loved, because they tasted good." S. Greenfield

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Jack Campin - bogus address - 30 Oct 2006 01:41 GMT

>> http://www.purr.demon.co.uk/Cats/
> Hello Jack :-)
> Brilliant photos - I particularly liked Zeke's BIG miaow and Ishmael's
> BIG belly.

I regret that I never recorded any of Zeke's sayings for posterity.
He had a LOT to say.

His brother Mingus wasn't as loud but could be even more voluble.
Every day when I came hom he could hear me coming half a block
away and would run to meet me. And would follow me home telling
me all about his day.

Ishmael probably doesn't have long to live. Some sort of abdominal
tumour and he's got very thin. But he's still happy, jumping up on
the bed for cuddles at what he regards as one of the Official Ishmael-
Smooching Times (most importantly 2am).

============== j-c ====== @ ====== purr . demon . co . uk ==============
Jack Campin: 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland | tel 0131 660 4760
<http://www.purr.demon.co.uk/jack/> for CD-ROMs and free | fax 0870 0554 975
stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, & Mac logic fonts | mob 07800 739 557

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sriddles@aol.com - 28 Oct 2006 16:06 GMT

We had to shave Biskit back last May for matts also. The problem is,
she doesn't *like* to be brushed. The Zoom Groom helps a lot, because
it's so soft it just feels like "petting", not brushing. It isn't very
good for taking out tangles or existing matts though. It's only helps
maintain a tanglefree coat and keep the loose hairs out.

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