Question for Miss Edwina and Furry Friends like her

[2kitties]

Miss Edwina,
My name is Rocky. You and I haven't formally met. But, I've noticed your photos and enjoy your hats. You are very sophisticated.
But, what caught my attendtion was your recent haircut. It's quite becoming for you.
You see, I believe that you and I have similiar fur. We're short haired kitties, but fluffier than most. My fur is beginning to drive my mom nuts. She says I shed like crazy and the fur is now floating through the air. (I think she is looney.)
She bought this brush that she thinks does a great job. But, it's quite uncomfortable for me.
So, I'm wondering what you can tell me about your new haircut. Did it help? Are you cooler now? What type of clipper did your dad use? Should I have mom take me to a vet or groomer for this type of cut?

Or are there any other tools out there that mom can use instead of that rubber brush!

Thanks for listening,
Your friend, Rocky.
Here' s my photo so you can see my fur.
http://www.kericommunications.com/images/kittypics/rocky_poses.gif
http://www.kericommunications.com/images/kittypics/rocky_on_bed.gif

[Edwina's Secretary]

Dear Rocky,

You have described my fur exactly! Short but VERY fluffy. I get that complaint about my fur being everywhere -- especially in the Spring. Then momma reminds poppa that he promised if he could get a cat he would keep her brushed because of momma's allergies, blah, blah, blah!

Anyway...I didn't really get a hair CUT. Poppa got this brush....I'm sure it has a technical name. It is a round strip of metal with a handle and teeth on both outer edges. The teeth are small on one side than the other. It takes out far more of the loose hair than a regular brush -- especially the under hair. Then he uses a metal fine-toothed comb.

I won't say I like it but I sure get rid of TONS of hair this way. I look skinner and feel better too!

Good luck....

Edwina

[jenluckenbach]

Dear Rocky,
My name is Monte and I am a short haired cat. I shed a wghole lot and I like to bathe myself VERY regularly. I have been getting those very uncomfortable hairballs that cause me to throw up. My Mama, who is a pet groomer, decided that I needed my fur shaved off. I have been very comfortable lately and not a single hairball in 3 1/2 weeks. Your mom might just want to take you to a groomer to see what they can do for you. Here I am with my short hair:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid65/p45d4283e10ee43178724704b37201dd7/fbebe318.jpg

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Edwina, is this the "brush" your poppa uses?
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid67/p8870107567d52ab7523678044cebe8c3/fbd4b4e3.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid67/p43fad99554fa9af96a3e98b82664aa97/fbd4b4e5.jpg

I've seen these around, but never thought about using one. I thought they were more for dogs, but I guess I'll have to invest in one because Tubby is getting a little ridiculous with leaving his hair everywhere. I particularly hate it when I'm petting him, then my nose itches and I forget :rolleyes: that I have fur all over my hands when I touch my face. :mad: I think fur on your face is kinda like sand in the house. All you need is one grain/strand and it magically multiplies all by itself!

Amazingly enough, Tubby with his short hair, loses much more than Peanut with her long hair....then again, Peanut loses her share of it too. :rolleyes: :D

[Edwina's Secretary]

Edwina, is this the "brush" your poppa uses?

Exactly!!!

[NoahsMommy]

I am so going to go get one of those things!! We can no longer take Noah to the groomers for his haircuts (my grumpy "old" man likes to bite the poor girl!) and we've had to do what we can at home. Will that help a long haired cat too?

[auggie]

Amazingly enough, Tubby with his short hair, loses much more than Peanut with her long hair....then again, Peanut loses her share of it too. :rolleyes: :D [/B][/QUOTE]
Tubby and Peanuts Mom,
My black short hair cat also sheds much more than my two long hair cats. I can brush and comb her forever and there is always loose hair all over her body. http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid31/p0754b853074e572478a757f0bc230bce/fd48625f.jpg.orig.jpg

Jen, I dare you to groom this one:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid31/pf54203abc5d5c8f3657db9966d71b5c7/fd4b3772.jpg

I can't even brush him without him attacking me and the brush.:rolleyes:

Rocky, your mom is not looney! We also have fur floating through the air, how else would it get into my coffee cup?:D

[zippy-kat]

Originally posted by Tubby & Peanut's Mom
Edwina, is this the "brush" your poppa uses?


It's a shedding blade!

I've used 'em on horses (and they work miracles) but have never heard of using 'em on kitties or pups!

[Cinder & Smoke]

Originally posted by zippy-kat
It's a shedding blade!

I've used 'em on horses (and they work miracles)
but have never heard of using 'em on kitties or pups!

Yep! They "Work Miracles" on medium to long hair Dawggies, too!

We've got a "horse style" one - has three *rings* of tooth'd blades - 3 different ring diameters from large to small - all mounted to the same handle.

They work *great* as long as the "Brusher" is reasonably gentle when working on thinly covered areas - like legs, hips, heads.
Cinder has a "fluffy" coat - doesn't lay flat like most Shepherd coats do; and the Blades really pull out the dead hair.
Smokey has a very short coat - and it lays down flat over most of his body. The Shedding Blade digs through his coat quite nicely; but extra caution is required to not dig *too* deep or be too rough on his legs.

KAT - Nebber tried it on Him!
But we're sure Going To! ;)

Boots also has a medium length, VERY "fluffie" coat!
Horse Blade might be a little large on him - but if it works we'll find a smaller Kat-sized version. I've been using a small dawg brush on him - the kind with dozens of small, stiff wires protruding from a rubber base. It does a pretty good job removing his dead hair - but I'm curious to see if the Shedding Blade might do it either better or *quicker*! Boots has a rather *low tolerance* :mad: for extended grooming sessions. (And I have the scars to proove it! :( )
Memo to Self: Klip the KLAWZ First, Dummie! THEN do the brushing! :rolleyes:

[krazyaboutkatz]

My Cirrus is short haired and has been shedding a lot too. I may just have to buy one of these. :) It will also help me when Sky's fur grows back in. :)

[2kitties]

The shedding blade is now on my shopping list. Any idea where I can get one. I didn't see it on the petco.com site. And my pet store in town doesn't have them

What a great idea!!!
Thanks everyone.

Rocky thanks you too. He got a brushing again last night and was a very unhappy camper.

[catmandu]

Moose , Joseph and michael all got brushed yesterday! There was enough from moose The magnificent and Juke joint Joseph to make a Whole New cat! The Siamese are short haired but got brushed anyways! Edwina and Monte are so handsome now! Meeeeow til the ParrrTEEE!

[Denyce]

Any tack shope would have one. I never even thought about one for cats...but what a wonderful Idea! Kaliban has a super thick undercoat and it seems as if no matter how many times I comb her she still is constantly shedding and getting tufts in her haunches....shedding blade here I come!

Denyce

[2kitties]

Found it!!!shedding blade (http://www.petsmart.com/products/product_19464.shtml)

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Originally posted by 2kitties
Found it!!!shedding blade (http://www.petsmart.com/products/product_19464.shtml)

Yep, you guys are too fast for me. :D

I was going to say that the first pic I posted was from the PetSmart website and the second was from the PetCo website. I think they were both under $10.00.

Hmmmm.....seems there's going to be a run on Shedding Blades, better get mine today before they sell out. ;) :D

[zippy-kat]

psstt.... Stateline Tack has 'em for 3.99

Shedding Blade (http://www.statelinetack.com/viewProduct.do?prodNum=EI3-050340)

(if your walmart has a 'horse' section, they should have them.)

[Edwina's Secretary]

Your Wal-mart has a horse section????????????

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Originally posted by Edwina's Secretary
Your Wal-mart has a horse section????????????

That's the same thing I thought. ;) :D :D

Obviously we are much to urbanized around here to have a horse section in our Wal-Mart. Must be neat to live in a place where such oddities are the norm. ;) :D ;) :D

[Cinder & Smoke]

Originally posted by zippy-kat
psstt.... Stateline Tack has 'em for 3.99


Thanks, Zipp!
Dad wuz gettin :eek: frantik tryin to find a pix of "our" Sheddin Blade!
State Line Tack got wun reel close to ourz...

"Reversible Shed RING" (http://www.statelinetack.com/viewProduct.do?prodNum=EI3-050688)

Ourz got no name on it - and it'z got 4 rings like dis pix (we sed 3 rings affore). Not az fancee a handle az the State Line wun, either! MOST Horsey Storez sell em.

If ya look close at allua pix offered in this thread, you can see that the SIZE of the "teeth" in the rings or blades are different... The Horsey Rings have deeper and more aggressive teeth and work well with larger Dawgs with longer coats. Some of the Horse Shedding BLADES have much finer "teeth" and tend to glide over a dogs coat without doing much hair removal.

The Dawg sizes of Shedding BLADES (often available in Pet Shops) usually have these "finer" teeth.
And the "Cat" size shedding Blade will have the finest teeth.

Also - some outlets have *PLASTIC* shedding blades - :eek:!
Save yur munnie - they just skim over the outer hair and are about useless for serious coat conditioning and hair removal.

As said before - the DEEP, Wide, Aggressive "teeth" reach far down in the Dog's & Cat's coat and drag out the underlying dead hair -BUT must be used *gently*!! EXCELLENT for dogs with "Double Coats" (Husky, Shepherd, etc.)

Too "FINE" a tooth - and you may be disappointed with the action you get.

Another tool that works well on both Cats AND Dogs is the "Pin Brush" (similar to "Slicker Brushes).
They come in MANY sizes, shapes, and Flavours...
Here's a reasonably good pix of one of many that PetsMart sells...
PetsMart - "PIN BRUSH" (http://www.petsmart.com/dog/shopping/grooming%5Fessentials/brushes/products/product%5F19608.shtml)

MANY different ones available - the diameter and length, as well as the Spacing, of the wires is the big difference. Some have rounded Tips (a tiny round ball) on each wire, some are just blunt. The wires are imbeded in a foam or rubber backing which gives some flex to each wire. The one we just used on Boots has Blunt ends - no lil round ball - and digs a lil deeper than the ones with the lil ball on the end of each wire.
"Slicker Brushes" are a similar wire in rubber design - but usually have very fine, short wires, very closely spaced... They Fill Up with removed hair very quickly!

Good places to shop for these grooming tools are stores that cater to Farmers and Rural folks - Horse & Livestock FEED outlets - like "Country Mark", "Farm & Fleet", Co-Ops, Tack Shops, etc. The further *out* of town you get - the cheaper the stuff usually gets!

[zippy-kat]

Originally posted by Edwina's Secretary
Your Wal-mart has a horse section????????????

lol Las Cruces has a *bigger* horse selection than here, but yes!

[Uabassoon]

In Tucson the Petsmart on the outskirt of town has a horse section. I think it's funny that the two in the center of town don't have a horse section but the third one does.

[tuxluvr]

Originally posted by 2kitties
Here' s my photo so you can see my fur.
http://www.kericommunications.com/images/kittypics/rocky_poses.gif
http://www.kericommunications.com/images/kittypics/rocky_on_bed.gif


All I can say is that is one GORGEOUS tuxedo cat!!! I'm in love! (again)

I brush Ritzy daily and she LOVES this routine...all I have to do is get the brush, say "Ritzy, kee kee brush" and she actually COMES RUNNING....this is a purrfest, and she even rolls over so I can do the tummy and, um...."privates".....I use a fine bristle hairbrush that was originally meant for humans....but it is all Ritzy's now - this has done wonders to keep the shedding down, especially in the months where there are temperature changes.

Ritzy sez now you know the seecrit tu my soooper model shiny fur!

[shais_mom]

Missed this thread the first time around!!
I have one that I found at Odd Lots for $2.99 I use it on both Keegan and Kylie. Works wonders!!!

Thanks for the great tip! I have seen that brush in the shop before, but didn't believe it would work on cats!!
Now tham dark t-shirts are ALWAYS covered by cat-furr, I need that brush, and real soon!!:rolleyes: :)

[RICHARD]

WOW!!!


I bought a shedding blade on saturday.

That thing ROCKS!!!!

I found one by Boots and Barkley-the handle splits so you can work larger areas......and it was only 6.99!!!!

I'm going to make a sweater with all the cat hair I took off Eddie!!:rolleyes:

[RedHedd]

Originally posted by RICHARD
... I'm going to make a sweater with all the cat hair I took off Eddie!!:rolleyes:
And you're going to post a pic on PT so we can all ooh and ahh over it! :D

[catcrazylady]

You guys are amazing! I'm on my way out the door to get one of those things! Kentucky is horse country so I shouldn't have any trouble finding one! Thanks for all this info because I was ready to start taking the hairball remedy myself!!!

[Barbara]

Originally posted by RICHARD


I'm going to make a sweater with all the cat hair I took off Eddie!!:rolleyes:

Knit or weave?

[slick]

Originally posted by RICHARD
I'm going to make a sweater with all the cat hair I took off Eddie!!:rolleyes:
OK. You bake. You knit. You are the Prince of Prose. Is there no end to your talents????

[ramanth]

I have a shedding blade for Kia and have used it on the cats now and then. Zam loathes being brushed..... actually all three don't care for it.

I use the Zoom Groom by Kong mostly on the kitties:
http://www.petsmart.com/images/product/large/inP026179.jpg
That's the handle side... the other side has the rubber "bristles".
:)

[RICHARD]

Originally posted by Barbara
Knit or weave?


Crochet!!!;)

I can also needlepoint.

Really.




I can't skateboard or take shorthand, tho...

[Maresche]

I have 3 cats and each one has their own brush.

Terra has the horse-type brush described in this thread. She's a double coated short hair and this brush works wonders. She also loves the way it feels.

Misao has the zoom groom. She's a single coat short hair who's still a little timid. I think this brush is soft enough that she doesn't know it from my hand petting her.

Hana has a straight comb. She's a long hair with a terrible tendency to mat. She's also fairly timid and this is the best we can do for her.

[Cataholic]

I cannot say enough about the shedding blades...for both puppies and kitties. It is amazing. I just bought the smaller sized one for the kitties on Saturday!

[RICHARD]

a hint.....


as you make a pass with the blade follow it up with a rubber dish washing glove on your other hand....it picks up the loose hairs and keep them from decorating your clothes.