Cat hates being brushed

[BitchHazel]

I have a lovely fluffy cat. He doesn't like being brushed at all - he either runs away or tries to scratch and bite your hands as your brush him.

He needs brushed every day or he pukes up horrible hairballs - I could cope with this if my whole house wasn't carpeted. I rent so don't want a huge bill when I leave. He has also brought up a hairball or two on the shared landing which is bloody gross for the neighbours although I clean up as soon as I notice.

Does anyone have any advice on how to get him to sit on his arse and let me brush him? He sheds alot of hair.

[Sleepycat91]

My semi longhaired LOVES the brush mit and will lie down in front of me for it but wont let me do her belly. I gently hold her scruff while shes on her side and she stays still, ive done it since she was a kitten. Im barely holding her but it works. My short hair needs a brush everynow and again too and i have to do the same with her

[Toddlerteaplease]

Trail and error with different brushes to find one he likes. Also a good going over by a professional groomer once in a while will help. My colleague who has a long haired cat swears by hair ball paste. My long haired Persians had Persian food and that has something in it to prevent hair balls. I have never had one from either of them so it must do something!

[Wolfiefan]

My semi long haired cat hated it. I had to trap her in the smallest room to do it.
Until I found out that catnip made her not care!
Gently. Stroke then brush. Then stroke again!
Experiment with different tools for the job. Old cat hated some and tolerated others.

[Toddlerteaplease]

My Persian likes a kids tangle teaser and a grooming rake. My short hair loves a slicker brush and a zoom groom.

[BitchHazel]

Toddler what Persian food did you use please? Mine is a moggy but I think he has a bit of Persian in him - so the vet says.

I have a brush that looks like a tangle teaser with a hand strap - have also tried a rake and one of my own bristle brushes. He hates them all!

Catnip might be a good idea, we has some when he first came home with us and it chilled him out alot.

[Allergictoironing]

You can buy specially formulated anti-hairball food, plus most kibble formulated for indoor cats has a bit of something anti hairball in.

[BibiBlocksberg]

Professional Groomer (clippers, yikes!) only if absolutely necessary in my experience OP

Otherwise its a game of patience i’m afraid, put comb (wide toothed to begin with) near to cat for sniffing & other investigations to start, then gradually move on to v gentle movement through fur. Stop as soon as you get ‘the look’

Repeat, repeat repeat while murmuring idiotic things such as ‘gently does it’ & ah ah ah, it’s gots to be done’ in a baby singsong voice :) :)

They do get there in the end when they build up enough trust that it will be a pleasant process for them.

Bribery helps too & a good carpet stain remover in the meantime :)

[everyrosehasathorn]

My very fluffy one loves being brushed. She know when I open a particular drawer she’s going to get a brushing. She runs over and just flops down

If there are two of you maybe one could distract him with a treat and the other slowly brushes? Get him to associate a groom with treats

[YetAnotherSpartacus]

Bribery helps too & a good carpet stain remover in the meantime

You mean one which removes blood?

[SoShere]

We use a tangle teezer.

how to get him to sit on his arse and let me brush

This will never happen, you need to come to terms with this

My cat will walk past me 50 times within 5 mins and let me brush her (I sit down) she loves it, but its a game!

Dont go for a full brush session to start with, pretend you are doing a normal stroke! Do it once or twice then again the next day.

Let them get used to the different texture in your hand.

You CAN do this.

We are behind you

You could get a plug in cat diffuser to set the mood for a day or two before!

[BibiBlocksberg]

:) :) YetAnotherSpartacus :) Quicker response times needed following THAT look i fear.

My lot have a warning system of uncomfortable twitch followed by a pawswipe (no claws) a gentle bite and then THE look that says ‘i’m warning you, stop taking the piss’

Followed by inflicting actual pain/damage to human flesh accompanied by a face that seems to say ‘you were warned, no sympathy’ :) :)

Dr Beckman Carpet Cleaner (with the plastic brush head) reliably gets out most stains including blood during the human adjustment period 😆

[MaudesMum]

Just to warn you that I've got an elderly long-haired cat who hates being brushed, and I wish I tried harder to overcome this when she was younger. As she's now a bit arthritic and therefore getting some matted areas where she can't groom herself. And matting is very hard to get rid of if you've got a cat that doesn't like being touched, responds violently, and hates the vets...So, persevere!