Long haired cat - grooming help please

[FluffyMuff]

Hi,

My long haired moggy (19months old) is the lumpiest (matted) kitty around.

I have been grooming her at least once a day with a dog brush (I know, but she loves it and it gets some knots out) The bad bits of matted fur I am having to cut out. I can only do this when she is eating and max 2-3 mins at a time.

Problem is she isn't the most friendly cat - she hates being handled - have tried, she tolerates it sometimes but not others and can be quite nasty.

This has only been a problem the last couple of months, I've tried to stay on top of it but I have to admit defeat.

So - I was wondering would a cat groomer take a hissy/scratchy cat? I worry that I'd have to take her to the vets and get her sedated :(

Next question - once I have the matt situation sorted, what's the best grooming brush (or kit) you can recommend.

Thanks in advance

Sorry, no ideas but can you not treat it the same way as your Muff? . Sorry

Ah, my muff takes hours of carefully applied conditioner and combing, then precision blow-drying (with a hair dryer - mind out of gutter please )

I doubt my moggy would tolerate such 'pampering'

hoping I haven't alientated too many people with my rudeness

I'm nice really

My fault. Sorry!

whispers I'm very easily led though.

just don't tell anybody else

Hello - right I had a similar cat. The secrets to my success were:

(1) Invest in a gentleman's trimmer which is designed to cut sideburns. They look a bit like a ladygarden trimmer and they make it safe and easy to cut off deep tatts without freaking the cat out (and they are low noise).
(2) Shower the cat. Oh yes I did just say that - they get used to it pretty soon - makes the tatts more evident and also gets rid of the general detritus your cat is too lazy too.
(3) Learn to use a bath towel to hold the cat still. And build up the grooming.
(4) Trim the hair which is worst (and yes I do mean round the cats bum if you cat is reluctant to groom) but also the sides of the neck used to get awful without trimming.

My long haired cat died at 16 last year, but she was looking fab when she died at least.

And get a fricking cat brush. Dog brush indeed the indignity of it

I know, am ashamed at the dog brush thing BUT I was so shocked when she let me do it that I just carried on. She adores our dog you see, I think that as the brush smelled like her she was ok with it (or it was just luck of the draw!)

mmmm....showering.....I may end up with serious injuries.....

However, cat in towel - great idea. NO claws :) It's a 2 man job then, I shall have to get my SIL round as she's not scared of FluffyMoggy (everybody else is).

My dad has a trimmer...I'll see if he'll lend it to me.

I make my cat sound horrid, she really isn't. She is so lovely as long as you don't pick her up or take her to the evil vets

She also likes to sleep on my head

Thank you :)

As a last resort, you can get your vet to do it. They sedate the cat (no food from about 9pm the night before) and then shave all the clumps off. Or they'll do a "lion cut" (which leaves fur on head, tail and paws only). They do look funny

Thank you - that's what I was thinking it's going to come down to.

I think at this points with the matted fur as bad as it is, it is the immediate option to resolve the problem. However, towel + SIL + CAT brush = no more matts!

Her fur is matted around her neck/behind her ears - she is fine elsewhere, I think it's the bits she can't reach.

Mine (Maine Coons) get clumps behind their ears too. They seem to be fine for ages and then they're just a mass of clumps and it's off to the vet's. They won't let me groom them at all though. They hate it. And I'm lazy!

ha ha, yeah - I think mine is a bit lazy actually!

My aunt used to have MC's - both absolutely loved to be groomed and would lie on her lap while she did it!

I'll give the vet a call next week, see what they say.

Pets At Home this weekend for grooming essentials methinks!

Have a look at the furminator. It takes off a handful of hair twice a week from my short haired cats and their website has photos of whole ROOMS full of hair from long haired cats! It specifically says that you have to get rid of any matting first though. At first my cats wanted to attack the Furminator but now they love it and purr all the way through!

Furminator

oooo - that looks good! I wouldn't normally buy that but it's only £5!!!

Am off to mooch around Amazon now ('tis payday after all )

Thanks

Strangely my short haired cat loses more fur than my MC.

My MC has a similar problem which has recently got worse with her starting to get poo stuck in her fur at the back. Also being pregnant I don't really feel up to handling her backside to get it out so predict its going to be cut out and brushed back to normal. For her though I have special de-tangle shampoo and de-tangle grooming spray to help clear any mats I can. Both bought at Pets at Home along with a hypo-allergenic shampoo for my other cat It did occur to me that my shampoo wasn't as expensive as theirs. Biggest mistake I made though was allowing my MC to run and hide after being showered, made some of the mats worse but at the time I was only interested in getting out the lump of poo that was attached to her and she had attempted to removed by wiping it across my dining room floor.

LOL at this thread and muffs!

I have a long haired cat too who tolerates a quick bit of grooming but not enough to really get the knots out. He is a nightmare in the summer when he lays in the neighbours long grass and comes in covered in prickly grass seeds. These get knotted in his fur and start big clumps and matts.

Only way I keep on top of it is to clip him with my hair clippers to get the matts out (much safer than using scissors) and for some reason he doesn't mind this as much as a brush. I give him the occasional shower and it does help to get the dirt and grease out that makes the coat harder to brush. I showered him yesterday in fact and he looks and feels all silky and fluffy today .

If your cat won't let you do any of that then yes a trip to the vet to sedate is probably better than leaving them to get in a right mess as that will make him miserable and seeing how tight the matts pull on the skin must hurt.

You have my sympathies though, these mogs have to learn we are trying to help them lol!!

I'm so relieved that I'm not alone. I thought I was a bad owner because of her lumps and bumps, but it appears to be part and parcel of having a long-haired cat!

Didn't buy the furminator in the end, going to attempt a comb and call vets in the week - just to get her sorted out as she has 2 big matted lumps and she must be in discomfort with them.

Thanks!

:)

I've always found a slicker brush good for detangling long fur - easier than a comb.

Thanks for the link - I shall head down to PAH and have a mooch.

Moggy is booked in at 8am to be 'groomed' I have warned them that she is feisty and they didn't seem too fazed!

I will report back (hopefully with amusing pictures of my incredibly pissed off Moggy!)

Yay, I have a de-fluffed Moggy!

I could not believe the amount of fur they got off her - it was piled on the floor and easily the same size as her!

I tentatively asked how she was (ie: Did she try to eat you, am I looking at a law suit?) They said "she is a really lovely cat, we had lots of kisses and she really liked the other cat that was in here".

and

I think it's just the vets that she hates then! It would appear she's very much up for a bit of pampering!

(Oh, and bargain price - £20!)