Why you don't de-mat your cat with scissors

[Killearn Kitties]

Poor Smudge. I'll bet you got the fright of your life too.

The same thing happened to us once. Jessica had a mat that we thought we could easily snip out. We did get the mat out, but in the process gave her the tiniest nick. It really was a small nick, but seemed to open up afterwards. It was a Saturday night and entailed a call to the emergency vet. Poor Jess got several stitches.

She feels your pain, Smudge!

[columbine]

He's also going to get the Human Comb a lot more often (he'll put up with his own brush & comb, but for some reason he'll actually sit still for being combed with a plain old oversize plastic comb). I think I was slack about brushing him because it entails chasing him around the house bent over, so the Human Comb it is.

Now, to get that last dose of painkiller into him. Maybe some cheese on the syringe...

Love, Columbine

[Killearn Kitties]

Very similar to us. There was a bit down at the base of her tail that I don't think Jessica could reach when she was grooming. Jessica raised at least two litters as a feral mother, so she never came quietly! After the snip incident though, we caught her fairly regularly for a brush. Always involves a big chase and a lot of hissing and growling, but we no longer have to wrap her top half in a towel. Progress!

[Freedom]

Oh Smudge! So you didn't feel badly when it happened, you just returned begging for food? WELL! Don't let mom know, milk this for everything you can!

I am sure you feel terrible about this; I know I do when I nick any of my crew. Sounds like Smudge is going to recover more quickly than you will. No to mention that bill staring at ya.

[columbine]

Smudge did manage to gack down (under protest) his pain meds last night, so he slept well. At least wine tastes good! He got his last yucky dose this morning, along with the tasty antibiotic tuna drops, and is now sitting placidly in front of the fan. Which isn't on. He's high.

With things resolved, I'm going with a friend out to George's Island, to check out the fort and a Native American festival and see what interesting stuff we can find to photograph. Smudge isn't disturbing his stitches (they're on his bum, so there's no way he can whack at them with a hind toe) so he doesn't have to wear the cone the vet gave me. VERY glad I'd arranged to have the weekend off.

Love, Columbine

[pomtzu]

Aawww - poor Smudge. Hope you're feeling better soon - altho with your pain meds, I guess you're feeling no pain!

I've used nice sharp scissors to attack mats on the dogs with no problem, but it's easier to get them to be still, unlike a cat. Fortunately, I only ever had one cat that would get mats, and he was a very mellow fellow, and I could de-mat him without too much trouble other than an occasional little nick.

[Medusa]

Oh I'm so sorry! I can only imagine how you must feel but I think most of us have gone the scissors route for mats. I know I have but ended up taking Pidge in for a lion cut. Smudge knows how much you care for him and I'm sure he isn't holding a grudge. No Smudge grudge. (Sorry, couldn't resist it.)