Conference misery::feline

Debbi,

You may want to consider clipping his claws.  By keeping them trimmed, you 
reduce the severity of the scratches you may receive.  Other benefits include
- cat doesn't/can't hook his/her claws in screens and rip them
- cat doewsn't get claws stuck in carpet
- allows cat to move silently - I know when Simon's claws get long cuz they
  'click' on the floor
- helps minimize destruction of furniture (nothing to hook into the fabric or
  gouge the wood)
- minimizes 'pricks' when cat decides to knead a tender part of your body that
  is not well protected

As for long-hair hints, I'll leave that for the folks that deal with it  (both
my kids have short hair)


kathy

    Yes, keep the claws clipped!
    1. Bathing helps to keep the fur clean and therefore easier to manage.
    2. If no bathing, get a "greyhound comb" (metal with long wide teeth at
    one end and closer together at the other)
    3. Comb your cat rather than brush it.
    4. Use the flea comb around the facial area and for short hairs.
    5. Hold a section of the fur with your fingers and gently work from the
    end of the hairs to the skin, working through and tangles.
    6. If mats are discovered, use a sewing seam ripper VERY carefull to
    rip through the mats but not stab the skin!!  
    7. Work one area a day until the cat is calmer and realizes you won't
    hurt her.
    8.  Don't let em get away with murder!!
    9. When all hair is worked nicely through, comb backwards against the
    grain very gently and in little areas at a time.  This will give you
    the "finished puffy look".
    Good luck, and be firm but gentle.
    Karen

    One tool I think is great for both my Himalayan and Ragdoll is the comb
    with rotating teeth.  It was a great investment, and really works
    through the coat and lifts the tangles, with minimum discomfort to the
    cat.  My Himmy will let me comb him forever with this.
    

    Another tool that is great for longhairs is called a "slicker" brush. 
    It's the best thing for working out mats.  It has a whole bunch of
    little bent wires on a small pad.  I've seen them at some pet shops but
    usually see them at cat shows.  
    
    Also, when clipping her nails, it might be best to wrap her in a towel
    and take one paw out at a time.  This way she can't fight you as much.
    
    And remember, only clip the tips of the nail.  
    
    Holly
    

	Clipping claws - it depends.

	I have two ginger moggies, they both use the scratiching post, and go
	outdoors.

	However, I only have to clip one of them, the others claws don't get 
	so long. I can tell if they are too long on Yoda, they start to catch in
	the carpet when he walks.

	For groming - Yoda is the one that doesn't like it, I had him as a 5.5
	month stray, and I believe he was hardly handled at all. He's 4.5 years
	now - and still doesn't like being handled too much, although he's
	loads better than he was.

	Yoda does like being stroked on the side of his face, so I give him 3-4
	strokes with the brush or comb on the side of the face, and one down 
	his body from the top of his head. He'll put up with the one down his 
	body, if he thinks he's going to get more face/head rubs.
	Just keep going, 4-to-1.

	Cider will come over and beg to be groomed, I just have to keep him 
	busy tickling his tummy whilst I groom Yoda.

	Heather

    I never used to clip JFCL's claws until I got Nebula.  Neb's claws grow
    real fast, and quickly become long and sharp.  But if I clip just Neb's
    claws, she notices that she is being "picked on" and goes and does
    something to bug me (like doing her business in the corner of the study
    instead of in her box, same thing as she does when we have houseguests
    that frighten her!).  If she gets equal treatment with her companion
    kitty, she accepts it better, and is even usually willing to forgive
    her mean human slaves after an hour or so and let herself be petted.
    
    Siamese cats are smarter than you think!
    
    It does help spare the furniture to clip JFCL's claws, too, and it
    doesn't bother her as much as it does Neb anyhow - she just looks
    unhappy, and growls at me while I do it.  She recoveres fast because
    she loves to be brushed, so I brush her after I clip the claws, and
    that calms her down.
    
    /Charlotte            

    Once a week I cut my 3-year old's claws, but entice her to stay put
    while I do it by rewarding her with her favorite treat. I leave a
    couple in full view in a ziploc bag, open enough so she can smell it
    and knows if she is good and doesn't squirm or scratch me, she'll get a
    treat.
    
    This is followed by a fairly fast brushing session (she tends to get
    overstimulated very quickly from too much grooming). I found the wire
    brush that is flat and has a handle sticking out of the middle of it
    the best. This picks up most of her loose fur, plus I tickle under her
    chin with it and she loves that. Once you see the tail start flicking
    from side-to-side you know the cat has had enough.
    
    The trick is to train them with treats so that grooming becomes a
    pleasant experience (I learned this the hard way by not starting
    grooming sessions when she was a kitten). They can learn to enjoy it as
    an adult.

    
    
    Any advice on where to get a decent set of clippers for home grooming?
    
    What should I look for?  How much will they cost?
    
    

    Most of the catalog companies sell many different kinds of clippers for
    home use.  I know that Foster & Smith does.  Check the addesses note
    for their # and address.
    
    Jo

    I've had a quick look through the conference and can't find anything on
    grooming.
    As you may already know, I've found a long-haired cat. He's due at the
    vet on Monday to have all the knots and matts cut out of his fur.
    However, I've only ever owned short-haired cats and have no idea how to
    brush or comb a long-haired cat.                                       
    Can anyone offer advice on the best (and least bloody!) way to do it?
    Thanks,
    Julie

    What's the latest advice on getting out mats?  My two cats have been
    neglected lately (sorry, I know I'm at fault) in the grooming
    department, and even the short-haired cat has some mats near his tail. 
    They are the original "slob brothers", NEVER groom themselves.  I
    usually comb them every other night during non-flea season, but I have
    been sick lateley and let it go.  Now I'm not sure if I should try to
    work them out or snip them off.  Some of them are very tight and
    extremely close to the skin.  I've managed to work some out, a little
    at a time, but the poor guys whine after a while.  Their skin is
    getting sore from being worked on.  Any ideas?
    Sarah

    I took in a longhaired stray a few months ago and his fur was badly
    matted and covered with filth. I combed out as much as I could (he was
    extraordinarly patient, even when I pulled) and snipped away the worst 
    mats, but I was afraid to cut those near his skin in case I hurt him 
    (you should have seen the moth-eaten effect after I'd finished with 
    the scissors - I'll never be a hairdresser!).
                                                     
    Anyway, I eventually decided to let the experts have a go. I booked him
    in with the vet for a day and she put him under a general anaesthetic
    whilst she removed the mats that I couldn't and generally cleaned him
    up for me.  
    
    So, my advice (for what it's worth) would be to comb out those mats
    that you can, snip out those that you can't (the fur does grow back,
    they just look a bit peculiar for a few weeks :-)) and, if there are
    any close to the skin that you don't feel able to handle, take the
    cat(s) to the vet. 

        Look for one of those combs that have the rotating teeth.
        I saw a good selection at Just for Pets, and have used these on
        both cats and dogs with good results.
        
        

    >she put him under a general anesthetic whilst she removed the mats
    >that I couldn't 
    
    I just took my Persian in to be "groomed".  We usually have him shaved.
    Although pedigreed, his nose is flawed so he isn't allowed to breed or
    show (not that I have interest in either).
    
    The groomer (who is a new hire) asked me if he is normally anesthetized
    while being bathed.  I was quite surprised by this question, and
    replied not to my knowledge.  I asked my wife, and she said she has
    been asked that before, but always said no.
    
    Is anesthetizing an animal for grooming a common practice?  I found
    this thought quite disturbing, since I understand that anesthesia is
    always risky even under ideal circumstances.  My father took his German
    Shepard in for a routine operation (spaying?), and this young and
    perfectly healthy animal died under the anesthetic.  The doctor claimed
    heartworm, but the dog had been to the very same vet recently for a
    check-up and showed no sign of problems.
    
    My wife hypothesized that since the groomer is co-located with a vet
    that getting anesthesia is simple to arrange, but I still feel uneasy
    about this.  Somebody tell me you've had this done regularly for the
    past 15 years with no ill effects.  Please?
    
    Jim
    

    It probably make slife a lot easier for the groomers, but I would
    hesitate, myself, to have a cat anesthesized just for grooming.  Though
    after spending a bunch of time yesterday convincing my Maine coon
    kitten that I was going to snip out the mats she had developed behind
    both hind legs regardless of how she felt about me doing so, I might be
    more easily convinced!  Thank good ness the coon kitten usually manages
    to keep her own fur in shape by herself.  She isn't at all fond of
    being combed out, so I only do it once a week or so when I clip her
    claws.  Every once in a while she develops a mat in a hard-to-reach
    spot, usually behind a leg, and I have to comb or cut it out of her
    coat.
    
    /Charlotte

    I have no expertise in groomers, but I would think that if a
    groomer needed to use something to calm the cat, that a mild
    tranquilizer would work oppose to anesthesia.
    
    Sandy

    I used to work for a vet where we did some grooming.  Cats who
    got "nasty" when they needed grooming were tranquilized -- not
    anesthetized.  Tranquilizing them wasn't just for the "convenience"
    of the groomer. Cats who don't like to be groomed get very stressed
    when you try to do it anyway. And, to be perfectly honest, I don't
    think its appropriate for the groomer to risk being clawed to death
    in these cases. (We had one technician who was ripped up pretty
    good and ended up in the hospital for intranenous administration
    of antibiotics.  Granted, he didn't take very good care of the
    scratches, but his hand was shredded by the cat.)

    
    This was in the newspaper last year: A dog died of heart attack
    while being groomed. 
    
    As far as I can remember, the story was like this: The couple who own
    the dog leave him at a grooming house for a whole day grooming. After
    many hours of grooming, towards the very end, the groomers notice that
    the dog is highly stressed. They call the parents up and inform them
    of the situation and ask them if they should stop or go ahead with the
    rest of the 30-45 minutes of left grooming. The couple don't understand
    how serious the situation is (they later blame the groomers for
    misinforming them) and give the ok to go ahead with the rest of the
    grooming. They continue and that's when the dog has a heart attack and
    dies. The couple then sued the grooming house for not telling them the
    risks and downplaying the stress the dog was in. I don't know what came
    out of the lawsuit. 
    
    Lale

    Well, the good news is that Sampson (our Persian) didn't need any sort
    of anesthesia or tranquilizing, and apparently never has - which I had
    assumed would be the case.
    
    He is really very well minded, and will tolerate just about anything. 
    So the whole thing was just confusion because of the new person.
    
    WHEW!
    
    I can of course understand the need for anesthesia under certain
    circumstances, but I can't personally see risking my pet's life every
    few months so his fur is less tangled.
    
    On the other hand, I enjoy how docile he is after visiting the groomer. 
    He obviously thinks being taken to a place that smells and sounds of
    dogs (and other cats - a strange concept to our indoor one) is some
    kind of punishment, and so he tries to "be good".  Mainly that means he
    just doesn't talk as much as usual (usual being almost constantly - if
    he couldn't hear me coming from a mile away I'd think he was deaf).
    
    Jim
    

    OK, now I've read every reply and didn't find my answer that I was
    looking for.
    
    I have a Persian Boy.  He is *BEAUTIFUL !!!!*.  Aren't they all?  I
    brush and comb him a lot and take him to the groomer in the March/April
    time-frame to get him a bath and finish off the last bit of winter
    fur-loss.  This year, it seems awfully early.  My question to all you
    experienced show breeders of Persians is this:
    
    	When you have a cat bathed and groomed, do you also have the fur
    	trimmed as well?  I have taken Silver to two different groomers and
    	neither one of them knew the first thing about trimming.  I have a 
    	book at home about Persians but it doesn't tell me anything about 
    	grooming.  The first groomer took a *swipe* under Silver's chin
    	which ruined any chance of showing him for that year.  It was 
    	horrible.  The next one didn't how much or where to trim.  I just
    	think that his fur should be trimmed to even it off, especially 
    	around his face and paws.  Am I wrong?  Shadow, my other Persian 
    	doesn't have the long fur like Silver so she doesn't get groomed 
    	as often.
    
    Sandi who has two Beautiful Persians, 2 Turkish Angoras, 2 American
    Domestic Shorthairs, and 1 Maine Coon.  (lots of grooming)
                 

    Can someone recommend a good place to bring an extremely shy and
    heavily matted small cat to be groomed in the Littleton area?
    
    My gypsy was abandoned and only comes out for about an hour a day to
    eat, drink and do "her thing".  The rest of the time she is under the
    bed, or hiding somplace.  I have seen once or twice my devil cat
    cleaning her, but she is so timid that it doesn't help at all.  She is
    not spayed or declawed and hasn't had a rabies shot in two years.  She
    is a totally indoor kitty - as the other three in my house are.
    
    I talked to Carlson Vet in Westford but they said they had to give her
    a rabies shot, put her out and it was cost around $50.00.  Gypsy is a
    very small kitty and I thought that was a bit expensive.
    
    Thanks..
    cj
    

    
    Havine had a long haired rescue before I strongly suggest a vet.  I
    feel that it will be less stressful for the cat to be anesthetised to
    remove the mats.  I also found that when we brought the cat ome she was
    still groggy but that was a benefit as she was able to relax without
    hiding.  The grooming itself was like a miracle as the mats she had
    must have been quited painful.  She was like a cat trasformed and no
    longer hid.  I hope you have similar results.
    
    MaryAnne

Several years ago we picked up a stray DLH and she was matted so much that her
skin was bleeding. Anytime we tried to "CAREFULLY" pick out the mats she howled,
so off to the vet. He had to cut out the belly mats and was able to comb out the
rest. 24 hours later, with first shot battery under her belt whe was ready for
home. She's an indoor only, so we don't have the worries of brush and bramble
geting snagged in her belly fur, but we do brush and comb her religiously to
keep the hair ball potential down to a minimum. I don't like the idea of giving
her fur ball pills if we can serve the same purpose by brushing her. Besides,
she loves it, purrs very loudly and rolls endlessly, eyes clamped shut in joy.

Good Luck,

Jim

    I second the vet idea.  When she is out they will be able to check her
    over completely for any medical problems, look at her teeth, etc.  In
    my area, the price you were quoted would be extremely reasonable.
    

FYI, all  cats in MA are now REQUIRED to be vaccinated against rabies, so you
will  get that request from any vet you use.  If this cat has not been  to  a
vet  since  you've had her, it would be worth the $$ to take her, just to be
sure she's healthy. [and if you need to get her spayed, you'll have to get her
up-to-date on her shots anyhow]

kathy

I second all the previous replies re. taking her to a vet.  I'd skip the 
groomer altogether and have the vet knock her out for spaying and anything 
else that needs to be done, including getting her up to date with shots.  I'd 
also let the vet clip her fur very short to get rid of the mats.  She'll 
look funny, but she'll at least be up to date medically.  I'd leave regular 
groomers for a later time.

Out here I have a vet with a groomers attached so my options would be a little 
better depending on how she behaved at the vets.  My Tatoo, who is afraid of 
her own shadow and won't let me do any "maintenance" on her, is a little 
angel at the vets and groomers (makes a liar out of me every time -- just
like my kids did when they were little).

				SQ