# brushing a long haired cat that hates to be brushed???



## vickiw (Jul 29, 2010)

Hey,

So here is the story, a friend of mine had two long haired cats. one absolutely LOVES to get brushed, the other one meows and fights and attacks the brush as soon as he sees it.. Because he is a long haired boy he almost constantly has mats on his bum and behind his ears. He won't even sit still for her to cut them out. My question is.. How would she be able to get him comfortable enough to get brushed on a regular basis (he is NOT food oriented) and how can she get the knots out without the fear of cutting his skin (which unfortunately happened because he wont sit still)??

Any help would be awesome!

Cheers


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I think she will probably have to take him to a groomer. If the matts aren't caught early enough, they'll get bigger and knot up even more hair. The groomer can also shave a potty-patch on his rear which will help some with matts back there. She may even want to give him a lion cut, which would probably be a good option.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

If she is doing it herself, the method I use to ensure I don't cut skin is to wedge a fine tooth comb between the skin and the base of the mat, then cut the mat off the top side of the comb. Works like a charm, assuming he'll let her do it...

A big part if the reason he may not want to be bothered is because messing with the mats may hurt. Holly has had a lot of mats this summer and I notice that she gets irritated when I touch them and even whines/whimpers when I was working on getting them out. So it may be best for her to do the groomer thing and then start a regular brushing regimen to prevent it from happening again.


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

I too live in Mississauga and have a long-haired ragdoll, Muffs, who initially didn’t like being brushed. She developed mats on her underside. Your friend first needs to deal with the mats and, I agree with Marie, she should take her cat to a groomer. A number of vets in Mississauga also provide grooming services, and that’s where I took Muffs. Once the mats were removed, I did a few things differently and Muffs now tolerates (but doesn’t love) being brushed. Your friend can try these ideas.

First, I changed to a brush recommended by my vet. It looks like a small rake, with two sets of widely-spaced teeth. Muffs likes it much better than other bristle-type brushes I had previously tried. It’s called an “Ejay Rakom”. If you google that name, you will find info and pictures.

Second, I try to brush Muffs when she’s sleepy. Also, she likes to be petted and stroked around the ears and chin, so I do that with one hand while brushing with the other. That said, I can’t brush her constantly for long periods of time, since she would quickly get annoyed. So, I pet her, then sneak in a few brush strokes, pet her again, then sneak in a few more brush strokes, etc.! If I do just a little bit at a time, she’s not too bad. So, I try to break up the brushing sessions, and do just a little bit a few times in a day. I’ve also found that she will tolerate longer brushing sessions now than she would at first. She seems to get a little bit more used to it each time. So, your friend could initially try short sessions (even if it’s just a few brush strokes) and then increase that a little bit each day over time.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Good suggestion. I don't get all of Gigi at one time. She gets annoyed when I use the grooming comb - the brush isn't enough. So it takes me 2-3 different sessions a day to get her brushed everywhere.


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

I've always found that grooming a cat with a steel grooming comb works better for me (and the cat) than a wire brush. If you have a longhaired kitten comb it every day, even tho the coat really doesn't need it, so it gets used to this routine, as that is what you'll have to do with its adult coat. 
I found a "stitch ripper" a great little tool to break up a bad mat, by pulling it upwardly gently through the mat. If mat is bad just do a little at a time. The tool has a small sharp blade that cuts the hair. (available at sewing supply stores). Get one that has a ball or blunt guard on the shorter fork (if you "search" on _stitch ripper images_, you'll see what I mean).

#1 rule, don't bathe the cat before trying to remove bad mats! Oh, and always give cat treats after a grooming session.


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## Loves-her-girls (Jul 29, 2010)

All my past and present fur babies have long hair because of the breed, Maine ****. I've just accepted the fact that I get the girls groomed 3 times a year with a lion cut. I did not start early with my Samantha so she always hated to go to the groomer but loved her "Diva" self after wards. On occasion the Vet would have to put Samantha out for her groom because she got over stressed. I've started early with my 2 babies Majesta & Athena so they know the noise of the clipper and the process of bathing, drying, etc. We only bathed them and shaved their bellies(they are getting spayed tomorrow), they both did great and were feeling very "Diva" like after their spa day


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## vickiw (Jul 29, 2010)

These are all wonderful suggestions, that you all for you help. I'll be sure to pass it on to my friend. 

Thank you agian!
Cheers,
Vicki

ps. I love diva cats!!


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