Grooming a Cat

**NoahsMommy** · 02-04-2002, 07:16 PM

OK, Noah's long hair is proving to be too much for us (and him) to handle. Now that I saw Spencer's new do, I am thinking I need to get Noah groomed.

We gave him a bath on Sunday becuase I was petting his belly and found that he had a tangled ball of fur. I rushed it out, but it took all day and a bath to get it out. Does anyone else get their cats groomed? Does it cost a lot? Will he absolutely hate me? Do you think I should try and cut his hair on my own?

**zippy-kat** · 02-04-2002, 07:52 PM

We comb (& sometimes bathe Tinker). Clarice just gets brushed!

**michelene** · 02-04-2002, 07:58 PM

Actually, in our house, it differs by cat. All are indoor cats. Once a year, when they get physicals and shots, they also get baths and claw clips.

Purrdie, female, DMH, welcomes brushing because she never gets a lot of grooming from the boys, and she is too heavy to groom some areas effectively. Her fur is coarse in texture, with a very dense, cottony undercoat that sheds all the time. She only fusses when I brush through her skirts when stuff is matted on it.

Buster, male DSH, has fur like mink, with the silky sleek guard hairs over the soft underfur. He will allow me to brush him, but he doesn't shed so much as to need daily brushing. He grooms Tiger when they sleep together and occasionally coughs up dark colored hairballs. He is fastidiously clean, so his black and white contrasts are always sharp. He has also figured out how to make himself smell good to me, probably by rubbing against the dryer sheets in the dry laundry.

The tabbies have very soft, smooth, glossy fur. They groom themselves meticulously and routinely cough up dark hairballs. We feed everyone Nutro Hairball management cat food about once a week.

Spot will allow me to brush him a little bit and then walks away. Not much comes out in the brush.

Tiger will extend all his razor sharp claws if I touch him with a brush and try to bite me.

I think it costs about $45 per cat for the vet office bath. I think there is some anti-flea medication in it. They come home all fluffy and I sneeze at their smell for days!

**yorkster** · 02-04-2002, 08:21 PM

We never used to have to brush our kitties, and never had a problem until we got Wylie (M. Coon, 1 yr. old).

He plays in water all the time, so his whole underside and around his neck got badly matted.
We TRIED to cut some of them out, but they were so close to the skin and would not brush out either.
We finally had to take him in to be shaved...............not NAKED like Spencer, but quite a bit was taken off the underside & neck area.
He looks scruffy now, but it will grow out eventually. We have been trying to brush him a bit every few days so that he gets used to it and does not squirm...........he's getting better.

**NoahsMommy** · 02-04-2002, 08:56 PM

I was wondering if we could get Noah a "puppy cut", he wouldn't be as fluffy, but I bet he'd be happier not having to lick all that fluff on his tummy and under his tail.

**AvaJoy** · 02-04-2002, 09:40 PM

Elderly Lily likes to be groomed, but is not a self-groomer. I use a comb and also brush her . . . lately she is growing somewhat intolerant when I try to brush her underbelly.

Our youngster Debra is an avid groomer . . . she goes over herself thoroughly before retiring each night. When I try to brush her, she thinks I'm tempting her with a toy, so . . . I mostly let her take care of her own coat.

Former User · 02-05-2002, 03:05 AM

Casper and Kitty haven't had any baths so far, why bath them, they're not filthy. We groom them few times a week with a brush, and it works fine. Kitty doesn't seem to lose much fur, but Casper

it's really bad! If we didn't brush him, all the fur would be on the floor...ugh! Well, of course there's fur now too, but not so bad. Have to hoover twice a week though, and I'm thinking we have to start doing it 3 times a week.

**lynnestankard** · 02-05-2002, 07:09 AM

These three all adore being brushed - but Ketchum gets very jealous if he sees me brushing either of the others - 'cos he's dead daft!

It's a case of - brush - good - NOT HIM/HER - MEEEEEEEEEEEE NOOOOOOOOOW!!!!! Usually the fact that he's just been done doesn't strike him

Yee Gods he's potty.

Lynne

**Pam** · 02-05-2002, 07:15 AM

Both of my cats do a good job of grooming themselves but I do brush them a couple of times a week. They are short haired cats and it is very easy, and Trevor especially just LOVES being brushed. When he sees me get the brush out he literally runs after me, meowing all the way. He just can't get enough and the purring is deafening!

Andy tolerates it but not for long. When he's had enough he bites the brush.

**yumyum6970** · 02-05-2002, 11:48 AM

Dutchess is a birman and thus has long hair. She hates to be brushed so after she sheads her winter coat we are going to get her groomed. I hope she will do allright because she has a bit of an additude problem when someone brushes her. So it could be interesting. Yum Yum is a semi short haired cat and hates to be brushed as well. She thinks it is a toy and will try to bite it. : )

http://pepeirce.tripod.com/thekittycorner

**Edwina's Secretary** · 02-05-2002, 12:06 PM

Oh my how Edwina HATES being brushed. My husband does it outside (my allergies) and she loses LOTS of hair no matter the time of year -- although even more in the Spring. She growls, she hisses, she uses language I don't know where she learned

The squirrels use her fur for their nests (better than the lining on the furniture covers or stuffing from cushions which they snatch.)

She has never coughed up a fur ball.

**NoahsMommy** · 02-05-2002, 01:24 PM

That is my main worry, Noah tried to cough up a fur ball and I thought he was dying!!

My husband had to assure me 800 times that Noah was just trying to get the fur out. I don't want him feeling like that, I can only imagine how that feels! (yuck!)

She growls, she hisses, she uses language I don't know where she learned

hee hee, my hubby and I have a joke that the kitties pick up bad language.... too funny!

Former User · 02-05-2002, 01:39 PM

I'm so glad that Casper and Kitty aren't throwing up any hairballs

**NoahsMommy** · 02-05-2002, 04:08 PM

Its yucky Niina! I felt so helpless, not knowing what to do. They eat Nutro Kitten Complete (has hair ball stuff in it) so I thought it wouldn't be a problem...Noah has proven us wrong...

**Heather Wallace** · 02-05-2002, 05:36 PM

I have to cats, Tatty sometimes needs a helping hand wih the grooming process as he is a bit overweight and can't get to the hard to reach areas. Max on the other hand is very short haired and does fine on his own. They have only had a few baths in their lives, the last one was August last year.