Conference misery::feline_v1

      OH YES!! Do I know about THIS!! I have an 18 pound ex-Tom that we
    rescued a year ago...and he has long, black hair. About 3 inches
    forward of his tail on his back is where the problem usually
    occurs..and since he had been injured in the pelvic/hip area, he
    absolutely HATES to even be touched there. 
      His mats were terrible when we discovered them, simply because we
    sort of avoid touching him there...and when we did discover them it was
    time to take some action. My wife decided that she would hold him and I
    would clip the mats out with s small "child-proof" scissors...(you
    know...the kind that first &second graders get with no points...)
    Well, I hadn't even opened them when he sunk his teeth into my
    hand...(luckily he's been de-clawed on his front feet, or I'd have
    been in the I.C.U. at the local hospital!!) So that procedure got
    reversed in a second!! I'LL HOLD..Julie'll clip!! 
    
      You know something??  I NEVER would have believed how STRONG a cat
    is!! I'm SURE looking back on this that poor Lukey was CONVINCED we
    were going to kill him!! He fought like a veritable maniac...It got so
    we had to literally flatten him out on the floor, and I was holding him
    firmly but without hurting him with one hand behind his neck and the
    other around his rear-end just forward of his tail, with his four legs
    splayed out flat. He was groaning and yowling like he was being
    murdered, but more ANGRY than anything else... We DID get the darned
    matted fur clipped out, but he was NOT a happy camper about this whole
    scene. 
    
    
       However...he was back looking to have his chin 'sckritched' in less
    than 20 minutes...
    
    John Mc
      

    It might be easier to just shave the area rather than use scissors.
    It depends on how bad the matt is.  IF you can't handle it then
    take him to the vet or to a groomer.   If you were in my area
    then I'd suggest my friend who is a professional groomer, but she
    lives in Mansfield Mass and works in Roslindale and I doubt that's
    convenient for you.
    

    Why is it the short haired cats all like to be groomed and the
    long haired cats hate it?
    
    I would suggest the area be shaved at this point. It sure won't
    do anything for looks but she will have instant comfort. If 
    you don't get those matts out large sores form underneath.
    
    My Ragdoll matts terribly and hates to be combed. We take him to
    the groomers every 6 weeks. They say he is good for them and he
    feels/looks so much better. (We have recently tried a new groomer
    and his fur has stayed beautiful and isn't matting, and it's been
    over 2 weeks now.)
    
    DON'T use scissors with points. It is so easy to cut their skin.
    
    Let us know how you make out.
    
    Barbara & her 3M's

    Ah Yes..  Happy my Persian hates to be groomed as well. Knots can be
    very uncomfortable for them. It is difficult to hear them cry, so
    I know what you are going thru. I am a softie as well. I have my
    vet "do Happy" when things get out of Hand. Happy  can manage
    to amke the best CURLYQUES  I have ever seen.   I have been
    combing Happy nightly and I find it is working a little
    better for us now.I do her in stages.. when she starts to cry
    I let her down and let her go play.. and then in little while
    I go and get her again and we comb some more.. it takes a
    while  to do her grooming, but once you can get the
    knots out, and brush her every night.. she will
    kinda accept it..  I now can groom Happy for 5-7 minutes
    before she starts to cry and carry on.   ;^)..
             So first have someone take the knots "out"
     and then try to comb her just a little, when she wiggles
    just let her down and try again later on.
      Good luck..
    Kate.. Happy(oh no.. the Comb..) Preschie( oh boy.. my brush and
    comb..)

    
    I have the same problem with a 18 lb long hair and put a note
    in the notes file couple of years ago.  Someone suggested using
    a "seam ripper" found in the sewing notions department and I
    find it works very well.  Its hard to describe but it you can
    "rip" across the  bottom part of the mat just before the skin line
    and doesn't pull on the skin and whole mat comes off quite easily.
    
    Patrick still hates to be groomed but I find if you just do
    a few mats every day or so its not too bad.
    
    Wish I could remember what note number that was but I as I said
    that was acouple years ago and I just don't remember.
    
    Try the "seam ripper" - I think you will be pleased with the
    results.
    
    Patrick's Mom - Mary
    
     
    
    

When you use a seam ripper on matts, always work perpendicular to the cat's skin
rather than parallel to it.  That way you won't have to worry about cutting the
skin accidently.  Insert the seam ripper under the matt (next to the skin)
and then work *away* from the cat's body.  This is actually a good way to do it
without having to make your cat look like he was attacked by a rabid pair of
grooming shears too.   :^)  You can make several cuts into the matt, 
perpindicular to the skin, then work the rest of the matt out with a wide tooth 
comb.  

and once you get your "little darling" de-matted once, if your experience is
anything like my experience with Sam was, you WILL comb/brush the cat
thoroughly on a DAILY basis - I learned my lesson and it will not be repeated.
When Sam protests, I simply say, "tough, Sam, you are such a monster when I
have to take out mats, that YOU GET COMBED!" and get on with it.  He is used
to it now, and actually doesn't protest too much - the secret is that I
use the "magic rubber fingers" comb on him as a finishing act...it is a soft
rubber device that gives a nice stimulating rub down (and picks up the
undercoat he sheds as well)....he forgives much once the "magic fingers"
comes out.   8^}

    
    	Well some of the matts are out.  I took two of us to
    	hold her down and then after while she started purring
    	but it only lasted a little while...then the fighting began.
    
    	I think I will try the Seam Ripper as I have a few more matts
    	to do....she does have a "bald" back right now though.
    
    	Anyone have any thoughts on a certain Comb or Brush to use
    	I've always had short-haired cats that love to be brushed
    	but with Nilla's long fine fur she turns into a Static Ball.
    
    	Is a comb better than a brush?  Or use both and what types
    	do you recommend.....any de-static solutions out there?????
    
    
    						Janna & Nilla

A good quality metal comb is better for a long haired cat than a brush is.
There is even a comb on the market with movable teeth for removing tangles.
The moving teeth don't pull as much as a regular comb.  You can find the kind 
of comb with moving teeth, and a regular metal comb at a cat show. A good 
quality metal comb (Belgian) will probably cost you $10-15.  The detangling comb
with the movable teeth is around $5-7 I think. Brushes tend to create static, 
and they also do not get all the way through the fur, down to the skin.

While at the show, you can also find a detangling anti-static spray for her coat.
Ring 5 makes one and so does House of Anju.  I prefer the House of Anju spray to
the Ring 5, but either will remove static.

Jo

     Jo..  I also use the House of Anjou spray on Happy.. she is the Master
    of Curlyque Making.. smirk, grin giggle...!!! Cin  helped me pick out
    some great grooming tools.. the banana brush, the long greyhound
    comb at Haddleigh house.. HRH er um had her own set of grooming
    aids.. and she would not share them either.. She used to
    take a fit if caught me using her" beauty aids on Happy... I never used
    a comb on HRH she came with an assortment of brushes that Allison had
    actually labeled.. like use this one here.. etc.. Hmm.. I use
    that long greyhound Comb Cin told me about and it works very well,
    I spray the House on Anjou stuff on the comb.. then I comb
    Happy.. Happy and I do multiple grooming sessions.. as she is
    not into being groomed.. but thats ok.. what ever works..
     I also tried one of the combs with moving teeth,, and one of
    the things I found is that it scared Happy a bit,, cuz the teeth
    making a "clicking noise".. and that bothered her so I usually
    do not use it on her.  I am sure you just picture this
    very Chubby Blue Cream Persian.. being a tad  scared.. 
    Preschie is different.. she get right up on the grooming table..
    and sits right there..;^).. Must be those Cattyshack Genes,, and
    HRH lessons in "cleaniness is next to kittyness/rosettes" :^).
    Kate, Happy( EEK its that "time" again) Preschie( Purrpurr..)
      

    Having three long haired cats I use the comb that has the
    "revolving" teeth.  To me this is the best comb there is.
    My vet told me not too long ago not to use a steel comb on
    any of my three long hairs as it was too rough. (Hey, that's
    what she said.)  My three don't do well with brushes either.
    
    I am going to Boxboro show this saturday and one of the things on
    my shopping list is another comb with the revolving teeth.
    That way we can have one upstairs and one down. (Never can tell
    when you are going to find one of those little darlings all stretched
    out and dead to the world. (Especially Mocha, that is when I can get
    two or three swipes in before he really wakes up and bites me.
    (and that groomer says he such a good boy..!!)
    
    Barbara & my 3M's
    
    

    Barbara,, it is amazing isn't how "well behaved" they are for other
    people.. Happy was always very good for Desiree' when she used to
    go there to be groomed.. and she was  pretty good for Diane
     at DR Erics.. after I left of course. smirk, grin giggle..
    Or as MAMA CIN used to say.. Just go ahead and do it Kate..
    she/they will be fine.... just tell Happy you are the BOSS.
    Kate, Happy( well her 5 minutes of grooming are up,, time to cry..)
    Preschie.. comb over here mummy and fix my ruff...