# Cat doesn't like to be brushed



## grrawritsjordi (Dec 29, 2012)

I have tried two different kinds of brushes on Moosey. 

One is the generic cat brush with the thin bristles. I don't like the sound it makes because it seems that it pulls at her skin and scratches her, so we tried a shedding blade (it is a handle with a looped metal piece on the end).

She didn't like either and will bite at me when I use both. Ziggy on the other hand loves them both. I use the shedding blade more because I hate the sound of the regular brush, and again, I am afraid it scratches her. She will lay down and purr and roll over and he coats looks and feels amazing after.

Moosey doesn't shed all that much, but it is enough to be annoying. They were eating Innova, which has grains, which I think made her shed more, but now that they are back on grainfree TOTW, I am hoping it gets better.

Is there any sort of brush that she might like? Or am I out of luck with her ever letting me brush her?


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## purr machine (Dec 17, 2012)

I find with Teddy the most important thing with brushing is timing. He will only like brushing when he is falling asleep, or just waking up from sleep. I start with petting him, and when I see that he does not mind it I slowly start to brush him, and he enjoys it like a good massage. We have 3 different brushes and he loves them all. He also lets me know when he is done with it by biting the brush  He would not tolerate brushing and grooming any other time, he has too many things to do.


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## snowy (Aug 23, 2012)

Many seemed to have good success with Zoom Groom, but not ET, he hates it. I am currently using slicker brush, the one with the stainless steel pins. ET didn't like grooming too till now. I tolerated with biting and scratching for many months before I finally subdued him, lol. Though he doesn't bite or scratch me now, but looking at his body language, his vigorously swishing tail, I know he still didn't like being brushed. I went around it by brushing a few strokes, then 1pc of treat. All he is interested in is the treat, to make him stay through the grooming. The grooming sessions went about very cautiously, lol. Its easier brushing his teeth then combing him, lol. He seemed to enjoy getting teeth brushing.

Another alternative if non of the brushes worked, is to use a sticky lint roller, not the best, but better than nothing at all.


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## Ravenne (Feb 1, 2013)

What about those "brush mitts" that you wear like a glove and just rub down the cat with? They kinda look like oven mitts. Maybe Moosey wouldn't think of it as brushing but just "love the Moosey" time.


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

I bought a cheap hairbursh from the dollar store and that has turned out to be a favorite brush. The tines of the slicker brush, no one likes. The bristles of the cat brush only one of the cats like, but they all seem to like the cheap little hair brush I bought. It's worn down to nubs in places!! Try that.


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

I find a wide-toothed comb works better than a brush, although both my girls are long-haired...not sure how well a comb would work on a short-haired cat.


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## Blakeney Green (Jan 15, 2013)

Zephyr hates being brushed too, but I found a grooming tool that is flexible rubber with large teeth, like a curry comb for horses, and he likes that. (I bought it at an SPCA fundraiser, so I'm not sure where it retails unfortunately.)

Your cat may or may not like that particular tool, but it's one option you could try.


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## Merlin_Guinevere (Sep 2, 2012)

I just bought a 16$ deshedder from Walmart (in Canada...probably less in the USA because everything is cheaper there!) I don't remember the brand, but the handle is black and the tip is squarish and purple. The teeth are all on the bottom of the square, and do a WONDERFUL job at removing hair. All of my cats were a bit unsure of it at first, but now they all seem to enjoy it PARTICULARLY Guinny, who I also happen to be having the most trouble with (for shedding and hairballs). In 24 hours I've brushed off enough fur to make a ball the size of my fist. Best thing about it though, she just LOVES it. The teeth are small and really tight together (all triangles in two pointed rows, made of plastic I think), and it seems to be like a good massage for her. I have a metal deshedder as well, and I can barely touch her with it, so maybe the materials. This one was more expensive, but definitely worth it.


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## snowy (Aug 23, 2012)

Marcia said:


> I bought a cheap hairbursh from the dollar store and that has turned out to be a favorite brush.


I bought one from a $2 shop too, its rubber brush. ET seemed ok with that, but just 2 or 3 usage, the whole thing came apart. Didn't wanna get another one.


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## cat owner again (Dec 14, 2012)

I used one of my old hair brushes with rubber ends on one cat that won't accept a pet brush. He will put up with that for awhile.


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## EmmaFay (Nov 27, 2012)

I've had to work out a battle plan with mine :]
He's a massively fluffy orange tabby, who HATES being brushed. He'll immediately jump up and stalk off, swishing his tail, which is terrible because he matts pretty easily. 
What I do is I start off by just petting him, scratching under the chin and behind the ears, getting him all happy and relaxed. Completely unsuspecting. Then, I go in with the brush. BUT I let him brush himself. I hold it out, and he sniffs it and starts rubbing his cheek against it. After that, I alternate between cheek brushing (which he can't get enough of), and working the tangles off his legs and belly (which he detests). You can't stay on the bad areas too long....the second the tail starts flicking, back off. It ends up taking me about twenty minutes instead of five, but it's worth it. If you get too bored, try brushing while talking on the phone.


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## EmmaFay (Nov 27, 2012)

It's psychological warfare!


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## snowy (Aug 23, 2012)

Yes! lol. I have to feed treats and brush him all at the same time and must complete by less than 5min. I kept drilling into him, "_no brushing, no treats_" and grooming session is the only time he gets his treats and he loved his Greenies Dental Treat and Evo kibbles.


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

I use a small flea comb (the part that you grip is round; the kind with the long handle didn't work as well) and that gets enough fur off. 

One cat absolutely loves being brushed; the other will only tolerate it when she's in the mood, which is rare. And then she gets hairballs. 

Some posters had mentioned that their cats who wouldn't tolerate any kind of brush made specifically for cats did tolerate a regular human brush, the kind with the plastic nibs on the end. I haven't tried it yet, but it's worth a try!


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## grrawritsjordi (Dec 29, 2012)

Wow, there are a lot of great suggestions here. I wasn't on the boards yesterday, so I didn't get to see this.

I am going to try a regular comb again and also a regular human brush. Also, the mitt thing sounds great. I will have to try that as well.

I tried to brush her again last night, she wasn't having it and ended up biting me with no warning.


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## dt8thd (Jan 7, 2013)

None of my cats really love being brushed like some cats do, but most of them seem to either tolerate it or kind of enjoy it. Dante is a different story. He's got a lot of loose undercoat hair that I've been trying to get at with the furminator, but I get two, maybe three strokes in before he takes a swipe at my hand. It's not the furminator either, he's just a really tempermental cat. He and I don't always see eye to eye--he often lashes out at me (other people too, because he's insecure and standoffish, but me most consistently) though I have no idea why. Dante really responds to odour, so brushing may be a lost cause for now, as there has been a mink in the yard recently, and the smell seems to be making him even crazier than usual, but I was thinking that something like a feliway collar might mellow him out enough to allow me to get him groomed.


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

Whether your cat is longhair or shorthair, I've found combs work the best and the cats love them. Wire brushes can scratch and feel uncomfortable on a cat's thin skin and make them hate being groomed. For medium or longhairs, a steel/chrome "Greyhound" or "Oster" type of comb with rounded teeth (will not scratch skin) with wider teeth on one half of it and narrower on the other half. You will have this comb forever. Get a "finishing" comb with narrower teeth, somewhat wider than a flea comb for shorthair cats. Always feed a treat after grooming session with lots of praise.

Combs, Brushes & Rakes | PetEdge.com


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## grrawritsjordi (Dec 29, 2012)

catloverami said:


> Whether your cat is longhair or shorthair, I've found combs work the best and the cats love them. Wire brushes can scratch and feel uncomfortable on a cat's thin skin and make them hate being groomed. For medium or longhairs, a steel/chrome "Greyhound" or "Oster" type of comb with rounded teeth (will not scratch skin) with wider teeth on one half of it and narrower on the other half. You will have this comb forever. Get a "finishing" comb with narrower teeth, somewhat wider than a flea comb for shorthair cats. Always feed a treat after grooming session with lots of praise.
> 
> Combs, Brushes & Rakes | PetEdge.com


I haven't had a chance to get to the store to grab a new comb. I have one that I am not using right now, so I may try that and just by myself a new one.


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## Tokkaebi (Feb 5, 2013)

My cats very much dislike it, too, but I brush them when they're eating and they hardly notice I'm even there!


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