Do you Groom your own pet(s)?

[mrspunkysmom]

Hi, I'm curious if others that are owned by cats groom the frisky felines or pay someone else to do it?

A friend or a vet trims the nails for me since I'm on anti-coagulants. Bathing and such gets done at the groomer. I have all short hairs so I don't worry about brushing, although I think we all would benefit if I did that.

Oops put cats in the titles because they can be so difficult to groom. Then I put "pets" on the poll. Dog owners and other pet owners can do the poll. Just let us what pet you have.

[Jessika]

Mine are both short haired so very little grooming is necessary. I will brush them and trim their nails myself, though.

I will add, I haven't attempted to bathe either of them since Voltron was very young. He would probably let me bathe him, but Pretzel would probably not... so unless I need to, I don't haha.

[mrspunkysmom]

Mine are both short haired so very little grooming is necessary. I will brush them and trim their nails myself, though.

I will add, I haven't attempted to bathe either of them since Voltron was very young. He would probably let me bathe him, but Pretzel would probably not... so unless I need to, I don't haha.

Wow, that was quick! I hadn't even finished the poll. Same here for me. I used to bathe, but it became hazardous to my health years back! :D

[mrspunkysmom]

I will brush their coats on occasion, a friend or the vet helps with the nails. A groomer does the rest when required. It usually isn't. :D

[krazyaboutkatz]

A long time ago I used to take all of my cats to the groomers to trim their nails. This got to be too stressful on them and expensive for me. Now I trim nails as needed and I try to comb them at least once a week. If they get severly matted then they go to the groomers. Both Storm and Sky needed kennel cuts because they became badly matted. Alani will also sometimes become matted but so far I've been able to get the mats out. I won't bathe my cats but I have had to give some of them much needed butt bathes before.;)

[Laura's Babies]

I clip their nails, clean their ears and brush them. The brushing is our one on one time together. Giz loves it so much that she gets frantic about it and grabs for the brush.... she will take the brush (or comb) from you and try to do it herself. I got her one of those cat brush things that you sit on the floor and the brush is like a upside down "U" and she LOVES that thing and uses it all the time. That thing need vaccuming often.

I have not ever, nor will I ever try bathing one of mine! I value my hands and arms to much to risk it! LOL!

[Randi]

Ten years ago, I never thought it would be possible, but I brush Fister, clip his nails and clean his ears - and recently I have brushed his teeth, too. He will only allow me to brush the front ones, though. I bought these little childrens toothbrushes - actually I think he enjoys it, at least afterwards. :D

Other than that, I give him paw massage. I know he likes that. :) Oh, and I scrape off dirt from his nails too.

[cassiesmom]

Cassie LOVES to be combed. She tolerates claw clipping-- she was front paw declawed when I brought her home, so we only have to do her back paws. She doesn't run kitty sprints very often anymore-- I used to find bits of her claws in the rug when she did them more frequently. I have never been able to touch her ears. I'd like to get one of those mitten things that looks a little like a pot holder- you can pet and brush at the same time. I think she'd like that.

[mrspunkysmom]

Cassie LOVES to be combed. She tolerates claw clipping-- she was front paw declawed when I brought her home, so we only have to do her back paws. She doesn't run kitty sprints very often anymore-- I used to find bits of her claws in the rug when she did them more frequently. I have never been able to touch her ears. I'd like to get one of those mitten things that looks a little like a pot holder- you can pet and brush at the same time. I think she'd like that.

Save your money. I've got two of those. One's a glove with tiny knobs. It feels good to kitties, but doesn't do much for the hair and shedding.

The other has small plastic spikes that give the impression that grooming takes place. Some does and the cats might actually enjoy it. Not near as effective as a traditional brush or a defurr-minator. :D

And my kitties are DSH's. I believe Cassie has longer hair? You can get the glove, but don't hold high expectations for defurring. Cassie still might enjoy it. :love:

[mrspunkysmom]

....

I have not ever, nor will I ever try bathing one of mine! I value my hands and arms to much to risk it! LOL!

LOL. Reminds me of one of my posts to freecycle: I was giving away cat stuff and cat shampoo was included. I stated that the shampoo was fine, but I valued my life too much to try again. Got a few funny responses.

Thanks for the reminder1 :D

[snakemama]

Yep yep....we do the occasional baths, nails, ears, brushing, even shaving Sherpa because he gets hairballs incessantly when his fur is long.

[Cataholic]

Of my ten- Minnie goes to the groomer for a near complete shave down once a year, right as it gets really hot here, and so that it is somewhat grown out when it gets cold again. She has very fine, cotton candy-like hair, and her reclusive, under the bed, always lying down, nature means more mats. She and Dakky, have no front claws. :( Dakky is medium haired, but he just doesn't mat. So, that is 2 out of 10 cats.

Of the remaining 8- 6 get their nails trimmed by me, and if I am feeling lucky, one more sometimes does. The other one, Gus, gets nothing. No grooming, nails, vet visits, etc. He simply can't adapt to it. :( The last visit to the vet was 4 years ago, perhaps, and he bit through the vets webbing on each hand, and scaled the walls. We won't ever repeat that.

Of the 6 that I do clip regularly, they are all pretty easy to do, and with that sort of practice, I am pretty fast at it.

I do the occasional butt cleaning, and mat clipping of them, when necessary. But, half of my cats (Monte, Cali, Tuck, Sonic and Molly) are pretty short haired. Ari, Minnie, Gus and Annie-pants are very long haired. Minnie, she gets the shave down.

[moosmom]

I clean ears and clip nails of my "furred" babies. They don't require regular bathing as they're all indoors. I used to bathe the ones I showed in Household pet in the bath tub. It was pretty easy. Glad I don't have to do that anymore.

As far as Isis and Utchie is concerned, that's a whole other story. I just gave Isis a bath today and she is a DREAM to bathe. Stands in the kitchen sink till I'm done and then hops up on the counter where the drying towel is. Utchie on the otherhand, is a pain in the @$$!!!! He's awful. Every try to hold onto a squirmy naked cat while he's wet??? I've been forced wear a hoodie to prevent him from making mincemeat outta my chest and arms. That's why I've been forced to use "waterless" foaming shampoo most of the time. I only throw him in the sink when I absolutely HAVE to, like every other month. I don't understand why people think Sphynxes are easy to maintain because they have no fur, as they're not.

[jenluckenbach]

I do 99% of the above mentioned grooming, but then, I am a pet groomer.

With that said, I still do not bathe the cats at home in the conventional sink or tub, unless absolutely necessary. Simply seasier with the correct equipment at the grooming salon.

I do leave Calvin and Bonnie and Willow's nails either for their vet visit or do them as seldom as humanly possible. Too traumatic.

[Taz_Zoee]

I trim nails. I should brush them regularly, but am very lazy about it. Actually, I'm not even sure where the brush is. Taz would attack the brush when I used to brush him. :)
Years ago I had to bathe Taz when we had a horrible flea problem. 5 dogs in the house brought them in to Taz. My sister helped me and we both came out without a scratch.
I could clip Taz's nails by myself, he was such a good boy. But Paizly and Jax........Bruce has to hold (scruff) them for me. I tried just the other day to clip Jax's. I got one (nail, not paw) done and he was GONE!

[Karen]

I fixed the title to read "pets" to match the poll! We were very, very lucky with Miss Hoppy, as she decided after we tried clipping her nails, and then having the vet do it, to clip her own nails! It was not until she was an elderly bunny that I needed to do it! And brushes didn't work, we "groomed" her with extensive petting sessions for the most part, outside during the twice-yearly "big shed" season!

[Alysser]

Mikey has a very low maintenance coat aside from being a heavy shedder. I brush him maybe once a week at most, unless my mom guilts me into it. His coat fascinates me because its almost like he's waterproof. He never stays wet for too long!

[wolf_Q]

I do everything myself....but then again I'm a professional groomer so it would be pretty sad if I didn't.

[Litterati]

My Dorry is pretty low-maintenance, he's a classic silver grey short-haired tabby. Nonetheless (and I think that this is perhaps a bonding moment for us,) every day when I call him (I like to think so, although he probably hears me get out his grooming bag) he jumps up on the bathroom vanity counter and I brush and comb him tip to tail. And then he allows me to brush his teeth (vet impressed and so am I, considering that he likes to take little "nips" out of people, probably this works as I started when he was a tiny kitten.) :D

[Suki Wingy]

I am a groomer but I actually have a coworker clip and dremmel Nino's nails for me since he is MUCH easier to do at the salon on a table with someone supporting him. (I paint them sometimes too at that point)

He would really benefit from the high velocity blow dryer to loosen all of his undercoat but I'm afraid that'd set him over into seizure territory. So we give baths in the back yard for both dogs and I clip Eliza's nails at home. We have a furminator for Nino and a rubber brush for E. I clean their ears with ear wipes. I have to use cotton balls at work but at home I refuse to because I have sensory issues and cotton balls are pretty much the WORST texture in the world for me.

I am planning on getting a small, probably curly coated dog this fall or winter once I'm moved into my apartment and I plan on doing their grooming myself. I plan on doing some creative grooming at well. (I'm sure some of you remember when Nino was purple and then pink a year later)

[sallyandsnowx]

I do it all myself. Both Snow and Lucky have short hair, so brushing them is very easy and baths are only occasionally. I use to take them both to the vet to get their nails clipped, but my vet showed me how to do it and then I invested in some nail clippers. :) Even though nail clipping still can be a two man job. :p

[chocolatepuppy]

I groom my furkids myself. I don't bathe the cats and let the vet clip their nails as needed. I'm a chicken.:p

[Vette]

I do it myself.

i dont mind giving a cat a trim or brushing if the cat views it as an attention/petting thing but im always anxious/scared of getting bit or clawed when it comes to giving any cat a bath or nail clipping though LOL

[Casper]

I do the vast majority of it by myself. The only part I need assistance with is clipping Ethan's nails, in which I enlist the help of my sister.

[Taz_Zoee]

Well, since the title changed, my response is different.
I will bathe the dogs and clip their coat a little. But Zoee goes to the groomer usually for a good cut every few months.
I don't clip the dogs nails.......too scared. They go to PetSmart for that.

[IRescue452]

Old thread but what the hay, I do it all myself. Autumn just lays down and lets me move her whichever way I want so I can give her a haircut.