Groomin' with your Human - Getting Help Staying Tidy

You've probably noticed that humans' tongues are vestigial at best, and that they're always wearing clothes and mushing soap into their hair. But you have to realize, that's normal for them. They don't understand the kind of grooming we need. But they can be taught!

For example, if you need to be brushed or combed, sit where your human can see you and wash high up on your chest, right next to your chin. Or if you're particularly heavy, purposely wash the bits that you can't quite reach, so that you fall over. Squeak pitifully when this happens. When the human says the word "brush" or "comb," purr loudly and hurry to the location where she normally grooms you.

If your ears feel icky, get cuddly with your human, and when she pets you, maneuver your head until her finger lands in your ear and she feels how messy it is inside. Now that she knows you're uncomfortable, she can run hot water over an old inside-out sock and rub it inside your ears. It feels really nice, almost like a tongue!

Likewise, if you have goo coming out of your eyes, butt your face against her fingertips, and purr when she wipes it away. She'll learn to keep an eye out for it in the future.

If your nails are getting too long, or if one of them is bothering you, sit where she can see you and lick it, stopping now and then to look at her. This can take a while - after all, we wash our paws a lot! - but be persistent; she'll catch on.

Humans may seem reluctant to help us groom, but they just need a little help to understand what we want. Be patient, and when you get the grooming you ask for, be extra cuddly and purr really loud! Soon your human will be looking for opportunities to groom you. Be patient if she follows up by taking lots of pictures - that's normal for them too.

Love, Smudge

This is excellent advice, but I've found that if your nails are getting too long a faster way to get them trimmed is to cuddle up to your human and make very sharp biscuits in their legs. Alternately, during your evening zoomies as the humans are preparing for bed you can run over their feet a few times, this usually clues them in!

-Charlie Bear

Very good advice. You both have such smart kitties. ;)

Thats great advice Smudge.
Our Humans love us, but sometimes need subtle and not so subtle hints, especially about our ears!!
Thank You for giving Our Old Dad a hears up!:love:
We Found Cats apprecaite that so much!!!:love:

Dear Smudge,

I don't really like it when mom tries to get the stuff out of my eyes, or when she squeezes my feet to clip my claws. She says it's because I don't lose them in the carpet as much as I used to, so she wants to clip them for me. I really like it when she combs me! I purr to show her how much I enjoy it. Mom has never done much with my ears so I will make sure she sees your tip about the sock. I do paw at my ears sometimes and she always wonders why.

That's all for now, think I will hop up to my favorite spot and meow, and see if she will comb me! Aaah, kitty massage!

Purrs, Cassie

If you need brushing, pretending you have a hairball will result in a nice gooey treat followed by brushing!!
-Charlie Bear

Dear Cassie,

You're lucky that your "eye goo" doesn't bother you! I just find it really uncomfortable for some reason. For ages I used to wait until my human was in the kitchen, then try to wipe my eyes on the broiler-pan handle. (It took her forever to catch on.

I actually hate having my claws clipped too, or even my feet touched! I only did that once, when one of them had grown the wrong way and was really hurting me. She was pretty amazed that I let her cut it, but she saw right away that it was messed up.

Enjoy your combing!

Love, Smudge

P.S. Bear, I hardly ever get hairballs any more, because I can't eat those gooey treats! They made me really itchy. I get some powder mixed in my tuna now that keeps me from getting hairballs. But I do get treats! My human wipes some stuff in my ear every other night from a clicky-pen, to keep me from getting itchy again. I hear her clicking the pen and hurry into the kitchen. She goops my ear, then puts "Kitty Kaviar" herring flakes in my dish. Mmmmmm, herring flakes...

Dear oversee friends,

Purrrsonnally I hate brushing and combing. Yesterday evening though, my hooman caught me and I had to stay quiet. Of course I growled because hoomans have to remember they are not the boss and they should not treat me like this. When they released me, they were pretty surprised because I did not run at all to escape. Instead I meowed loudly and begged for my treats. Silly hoomans, they thought they could brush me and just let me go :rolleyes:

My sister Jasmine has another strategy: she enjoys brushing but she is very shy. So, she challenges my hoomans to catch her first. When they succeed, they are allowed to brush her. She purrs, but as soon as it's over she runs under a chair, and licks her fur again and again. She is a princess and she does not want anyone to touch her Royal coat :D

About the nails, we tolerate trimming. Purrrsonnally, I never draw attention of my hoomans on the length of my nails, but no way, they always remember sooner or later! Jasmine is not as tacful as I am and is scratching sofas so my hoomans always end up trimming her nails. But you know, she is a girl, she can't help but having sharp and clean nails :rolleyes:

Love, Peppito