Conference misery::feline_v1

    Sounds kinda like a commercial!  But it really works.  Wonder 
    what other problems Pounce could cure.
    
    I'd like to add a question to this note:  How often/long do you
    brush your fur faces, and do you ever take them for professional
    grooming?
    

    
    Mielikki is a long hair who has never liked brushing but now that the
    summer months are coming I've decided it's a must.  Unfortunately,
    she is reacting to it like I'm torturing her.  She howls, she growls,
    she spits, she bites, and she scratches.  I've tried every method
    and have found that stroking her ego about how beautiful she is before
    brushing is the best method.  But that only works for brushing her
    back and sides, I still can't get to her stomach.  Last night I
    tried and she put her teeth through my hand, her claws gashed
    my SO's hands, and then proceded to attack Ishtar out of spite.  I don't
    know what to do.  I do it softly so I won't hurt her nipples (she's
    never had kittens, but they are there) but she still acts like it's
    torture.  Is there a special way to hold a cat to brush the stomach?
    Or is there something down there I could be hurting even though
    I brush lightly?  She's kinda plump so she has plenty of padding...
    
    Sharon,
    soon to be in Littleton, MA USA
    
    

    I hear you!
    
    Billie will let me brush her head, back, tail, and sides, but *not*
    the stomach.  So twice a year, I take her to the vets for a complete
    grooming.  Since she's so orney, they have to put her out;  so during
    that time, they not only groom her, they do her teeth, nails, and
    anything else that needs "doing".  It's well worth the money--kitty
    is clean, neat, and comfortable for the summer months, and YOUR
    nerves (and hands) are in good shape.
    
    Jane

    Boy, am I glad I have short haired cats.  I don't think I could
    handle a long haired cat (although they ARE BEAUTIFUL!).  I have
    this neet grooming glove.  It has little plastic pieces all over
    it.  I just put on the glove, pick up a cat and start to pet it
    with the hand that has the glove on it.  No problems with either
    cat! 
    
    Holly
    
    

    What is the average price of a grooming????

>    I'd like to add a question to this note:  How often/long do you
>    brush your fur faces, and do you ever take them for professional
>    grooming?
    
Mine are not show kitty's and are indoor only.  My schedule for grooming
is:

for Samson (silky long hair) brush or comb AT LEAST every other day, if not
every day..petromalt twice a week.  Groomer's bath twice a year...I don't
envy those people trying to bathe Sam.  It costs, but is worth every penny.

for Nick, Hannah, and Tabby (short hair) brush and/or comb once or twice
a week...petromalt once a week.  Groomer's bath twice a year.

The boys are 10 years old now and we've had no problems with hair balls, etc.
with this schedule.

NOTE:
If I let my cat out, I'd be sure to brush and flea comb DAILY...this would
be my only hope of controlling fleas - they are bad around here...and it
would be a way to check for injuries before infection set in.

    Tiggy loves to be brushed!  My only problem is getting her to quit
    playing with the brush long enough to let me do the job.   Sometimes
    she will let me brush her belly, othertimes she can't sit still
    long enough.  I've tried brushing Al, but so far the brush is bigger
    than he is!!!  And he never sits still!
    
    Lesa
    
    Ps.  I just formally "introduced" my cats in note 2.163!!!

    I groom Pookie 3times a day.. for about 15 to minutes each time..
    she would let you do it forver.. she loves it!!!.. she purrrrrrrs,
    and drools , then whne I comb her she will, inspect thme, and
    if she feels tey could be done better , she will give it back to
    me to do gain, same with her tummy , tail and back, we use mummy
    mirror
    on the bureau to check this all out of course.. then of course
    we put on our kitty giorgio perfume... we have our treats.. and
    curl up and relax. Pookie goes the groomer ervery six weeks..
    and she is very good for desiree.. she likes it..comes home
    wearing her bow!!!!!... Happy, well that is a very different
    story.. wiggle ,wiggle squirm ,squirm, talks a blue streak
    none of which is quite complementry I 'm sure.. but we are getting
    better, I have been able to get her 1 and 1/2 times a day!!!!!..
    grooming costs me $16 or so... plus toys!!!!!
    regards
    kate

    Grooming costs like everything else depend on where you go and what
    they do.  I would caution folks that have their cats "put out" for
    the procedure to look for a groomers that can handle fractious cats
    without drugs.   It's really bad for them, and my persian has severe
    reactions to most knock out drugs.  Here in Dallas I had a real
    hard time finding someone who would work on cats AT ALL without
    drugs.  I got really frustrated about it cause Corkie's a good girl
    and doesn't need to be knocked out.  I found a great place called
    The Cat Connection.  They say they can handle even the most difficult
    of cats without drugs.  All it takes is heavy duty TLC and the right
    atmosphere.  To give you an example..you bring kitty in for her
    appointment.  They assign you a "room" (their grooming cages are
    huge!) and in goes kitty.  If you go in early, they ask if kitty
    had breakfast.  If not, they ask you what to serve.  They carry
    just about every kind of food imaginable.  It was great.  Corkie
    got her bath, dematted and trimmed, nails done, teeth cleaned, and
    anal glands (icky) cleaned.  They kept her for the day until I got
    off work..total bill $52.00.  Worth every penny to me, and she's
    ready for summer, except she looks like Cindy Lauper cause she was
    badly matted on one side, so her hair is shorter on one side than
    the other!
    
    Pat
    

Re:  .2  not my stomach Mom

    < she put her teeth through my hand, her claws gashed
    < my SO's hands, and then proceded to attack Ishtar out of spite. 


    Please consider bringing just Mielikki with you into a room and
    closing the door -- no other people or pets.  Make this "her"
    treat room with special petting, treats, etc. for a week -- no
    brushing.  Then start intermingling a little brushing on her back
    with more loving.  Slowly increase the brushing.  Never attempt
    any treatments in that room that she would dislike -- ear drops
    or meds for example. 

    Lily runs for "her" room and meows for her daily grooming each
    morning.  She prefers and sometimes gets twice a day sessions. I
    use both a brush and a comb for about ten minutes total.  I get
    to her stomach by standing her up and gently brushing underneath
    sight unseen. Although, sometimes she rolls on her back and purrs
    while I brush her tummy. 

    Most metal American combs are rough on their skin and hurt.  This
    might be why Mielikki reacts so violently to having her stomach
    done, or do you only use a brush there?  My comb is from Belgium,
    I believe, and has smooth tooth ends.  Sold to me by a breeder of
    Persians. 
    
    If she has mats maybe she needs a professional grooming before you
    attempt any further efforts. 

    Good luck,
    				Julie

RE: .10 

A GOOD IDEA...and I've tried it....HOWEVER, don't be too disappointed if
your cat simply doesn't like having YOU choose when grooming can occur.
I have Hannah to the point where she knows I'm not going to HURT her so
she doesn't bite anymore, but she still growls, howls, and spits...
she simply does not like giving me control over when and how she gets
groomed.  As I have 4 cats to see to, I simply insist that one thorough
grooming occurs each week for all short hairs and the only way I can
be sure everyone has had a thorough going over is to do it all at once.
So she complains.  She does allow me to brush her at other times, but
never a complete combing.  

About metal toothed combs (like flea combs) - the comment about them
hurting is SO right...when using the flea comb, I always make sure to
keep the comb parallel to the cat's body, thereby getting only hair
and not poking or bruising skin...And I confess to being a chicken,
I won't use the flea comb on Samson (long hair) as I cannot see his
skin well enough to know I'm not hurting him...I take him to the
groomers if there is a flea scare in the house.

    I'm a new mom - can you groom kittens?  My Mittens is so full of
    hullabaloo and wants to play all the time that I'm afraid he'll
    find this a new game!  ;-)  He's a short-haired kitty. Any suggestions?
    
    Judy                                     

    Well, you can "try."  Starting early helps - by the time he is
    older he may be used to it.  All most short-hairs need is
    brushing (which feels goooood) or combing with a fine-tooth
    comb (especially during the spring shed).

    Your little one is probably too big for this, but when my little
    ones are about a month old, I start them out with a very soft child's
    tooth brush.  Your idea to start early is great!  I think it is
    a very important step in "humanizing" them.  Good luck.
    
    Marion