best way to groom long-hair cats ?

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HW-K - 01 Jan 2007 20:45 GMT

I guess often is best.

However, a couple of cats I 'know' are in need of special care. They
are starting to develop matted clumps on the back and rear quarters.

Should i bath and attempt to comb out the lumps of matted hair or it
better to have the animal shorn like a sheep is and then allow
re-growth with proper attention to regular combing etc.

Thanks for the advice ..

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Buddy's Mom - 01 Jan 2007 21:10 GMT

I would try to cut out the mats and then try to comb them every day or
every other day at least to prevent mats from happening again. If you
aren't comfortable cutting out the mats yourself, take the kitty to a
groomer. No reason to shear the entire cat - just remove the mats. It
is much easier to give a quick once over with a comb daily than trying
to fix it when it is matted.

> I guess often is best.
>
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> Thanks for the advice ..

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HW-K - 02 Jan 2007 10:25 GMT

>I would try to cut out the mats and then try to comb them every day or
>every other day at least to prevent mats from happening again. If you
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
>> I guess often is best.

Thanks to all for the variety of opinion and experience. I am not
actually guilty of neglect, but sometimes I just can't organize a
muster and as other's have mentioned, if the puss does'nt trust one
and learn to enjoy the TLC it can become a time consuming battle of
wits.

Happy New Year to all , and again, thanks.

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Claude V. Lucas - 01 Jan 2007 21:40 GMT

>I guess often is best.
>
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
>Thanks for the advice ..

When I got Bubba from the pound he had a severe case of matting
in his underside. In order to not have him associate *me* with
the torture of combing out the mats I took him in and had his
belly shaved and the rest of the clumps combed out by a professional.

Even though it took the better part of a year to grow back, I don't
regret doing it that way. He *hates* being combed, but I try to do
it once every week or ten days to avoid kitty dreadlocks. He never
fails to wiggle, bite and hiss and cry like I'm sticking pins in him
when I comb him out, even though I make every effort to be as gentle
as possible. Plus I get the evil eye until he forgets what happened,
which is usually the next meal time.

It's not easy wrestling a 25 Lb cat. but it needs to be done.

Maybe a Lion cut...

:^)

Happy New Year

http://www.sonic.net/~claudel/Bubba/Bubba.html

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Buddy's Mom - 01 Jan 2007 21:51 GMT

I think the trick is to start them young!! The one I have now was
adopted two years ago and he is very curious and follows me around
watching my every move. He watches me get dressed in the morning and
from there I started using my comb on him a little at a time. He even
discovered the joy of the toothbrush by watching me! He, too, is a
Maine Coon and they are VERY intelligent and curious!!

> >I guess often is best.
> >
[quoted text clipped - 29 lines]
>
> http://www.sonic.net/~claudel/Bubba/Bubba.html

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Claude V. Lucas - 01 Jan 2007 22:06 GMT

>I think the trick is to start them young!! The one I have now was
>adopted two years ago and he is very curious and follows me around
>watching my every move. He watches me get dressed in the morning and
>from there I started using my comb on him a little at a time. He even
>discovered the joy of the toothbrush by watching me! He, too, is a
>Maine Coon and they are VERY intelligent and curious!!

You're probably right about starting them young. I didn't have the
option with Bubba as he was mostly grown when I got him. I don't
believe that he ever saw a comb or brush until I assaulted him
with one. He's very curious and intelligent as well and follows
me around like one of those other, less intelligent, 4 legged
critters but he starts to head the other direction when he sees
the comb. He seems to like being brushed, but the brush doesn't
really clear all the mats. I *really* do try to be as gentle as
possible with the comb and I've followed some good advice I got
here in the ng as far as starting in the backs of his legs and
working my way towards his head, but he has it in his mind that
combing=torture and most of the time it turns into a wrestling
match... At least he's figured out that biting me hard enough
to draw blood is not going to make the process go any more
smoothly for either of us.

>> >I guess often is best.
>> >
[quoted text clipped - 29 lines]
>>
>> http://www.sonic.net/~claudel/Bubba/Bubba.html

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Lynne - 01 Jan 2007 22:16 GMT

on Mon, 01 Jan 2007 22:06:37 GMT, claudel@sonic.net (Claude V. Lucas)
wrote:

> but he has it in his mind that
> combing=torture and most of the time it turns into a wrestling
> match... At least he's figured out that biting me hard enough
> to draw blood is not going to make the process go any more
> smoothly for either of us.

Do you give him a treat when you are done combing him? I find that when
I have to do something unpleasant to a cat on a regular basis (give
medicine, trim nails), that they are much more accomodating when they
know a treat ALWAYS follows said unpleasantness. You could start combing
a little each day, just a little, and follow with a treat. If you do a
little each day, your cat may remember that a treat is coming and put up
with it. Also, I suspect that in the long run a daily combing will help
with the matting problem overall, even if you do a small area at a time.
If you only do it once a week or so, his memory may not be so good about
what's coming. It also takes you longer each time you comb him.

In order to get my 4 month old feral used to nail trimming (once he
calmed down a bit), I did one nail a day, followed by a treat. Now I can
do all of them and he just lays there, but it took a long while before he
got to that point. As soon as the clippers get put up, he's purring at
my feet waiting for his reward. The same is true for his once a month
heartworm pill and Interceptor application.

Your cat is smart, he'll probably pick up on it relatively quickly.
Also, depending on his reaction to catnip, you could give him some to
roll around in while you comb him.

Signature

Lynne

http://picasaweb.google.com/what.the.hell.is.it/

"First get your facts; then you may distort them at your leisure."
-- Mark Twain

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Claude V. Lucas - 01 Jan 2007 22:40 GMT

>on Mon, 01 Jan 2007 22:06:37 GMT, claudel@sonic.net (Claude V. Lucas)
>wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
>my feet waiting for his reward. The same is true for his once a month
>heartworm pill and Interceptor application.

Yeah, I give him a handful of Greenies after unpleasant grooming
activities. I wish there was a larger size. Supposedly they are
supposed to get chewed to have any benefit as far as dental hygeine,
but Bubba just gobbles them. That's why I wound up feeding him the
Royal Canin Maine Coon Formula kibbles. The pieces are large enough
to force him to chew a bit. When I got him the pound sent him away
with a bag of some other brand and the pieces were small enough for
him to swallow whole which led him to a bunch of unnecessary puking.

I wedge him in between the arm of the couch and my butt, upside down
to do the nail trim. He seems to mind that less than combing. We have
a new deal that as long as he doesn't destroy anything, scratch me,
or have ingrown nails then he can have sharps. So far it's working.

I suspect he had a bit of a rough life before the pound. He acts as
if he's starving if the dish is empty for more than an hour or so.
He's gained from 22 lbs when I got him to 25+ in 19 months, and is
a bit overweight so I don't free feed. I generally give him a half
a can of premium every day or so diluted into a soup so that he'll
get plenty of water. I also suspect he's acquainted with coyotes
or had some other bad outdoor experience because he absolutely
refuses to go outside. If I leave the door open he'll go up to
it and look out for a few minutes and then walk away. If I take
him out on the porch he heads for the door and makes it very
clear that he'd rather be inside. Weird.

>Your cat is smart, he'll probably pick up on it relatively quickly.
>Also, depending on his reaction to catnip, you could give him some to
>roll around in while you comb him.

I got a starter catnip plant from Pet Labyrinth when I got Bubba and have
more catnip than 100 cats would use. He loves it, plus the outdoor O.P.
cats hang out in the patch. He hates other cats too. When he sees one he
hisses once or twice and heads the other direction.

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Buddy's Mom - 02 Jan 2007 11:01 GMT

My Maine Coon from the shelter is the same way. No interest about
going outside at all. I thought it was because he was from the shelter
and decided he liked it here just fine.

> >on Mon, 01 Jan 2007 22:06:37 GMT, claudel@sonic.net (Claude V. Lucas)
> >wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 57 lines]
> cats hang out in the patch. He hates other cats too. When he sees one he
> hisses once or twice and heads the other direction.

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Buddy's Mom - 01 Jan 2007 22:41 GMT

My guy was 3 when we got him. But, as Lynne says, I started out doing
a little every day. And yes, the comb is the best for getting the
tangles out before they become mats. A brush does nothing for his fur.
Actually I just sit on the floor and hold the comb and he comes over
and loves it and I sort of comb him wherever I get the chance. Forget
the belly though - that almost never happens! He seems to have little
tangles every morning. Getting them out on a daily basis keeps them
from becoming matted and also helps with the hair balls!

> on Mon, 01 Jan 2007 22:06:37 GMT, claudel@sonic.net (Claude V. Lucas)
> wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 34 lines]
> "First get your facts; then you may distort them at your leisure."
> -- Mark Twain

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