Hi, I’m Dr. Karyn! Read my introduction to learn more about me and meet my five funny cats: Clutch, Cyril, Alex, Zelda, and Zazzles.
By now, you may be familiar with “da boyz” in my home, Clutch, Cyril, and Alex, but we haven’t seen many of my female cats, Zazzles and Zelda. They are definitely more timid than the young, sometimes really elusive, especially if there is a brush or nail clippers within ten miles. As a shorthaired cat, Zazzles rarely needs more than a vigorous petting to help keep her coat healthy, but Zelda has luscious long fur that she likes to leave in clumps around the house. It’s not only a nightmare to keep on top of cleaning-wise, it leads to many a hairball being unceremoniously ejected onto the carpet, bed, computer keyboard…you name it! To make matters worse, one of my “always on the mind” chihuahuas has developed an appetite for Zelda’s furry offerings, meaning I now have two vomited hairballs to contend with!
Now the only way to completely remove cat hair, other than getting one of the naked breeds, is to remove the cat – which is obviously NOT an option! But regular grooming can help limit the amount of hair left on your clothes and furniture, as well as reduce the formation of hairballs. But what do you do if your cat HAS to be groomed?
The Problem with Zelda
Zelda is one of those cats with a very limited window of tolerance when it comes to interaction and affection; happy for a pat or a smooch, but it is always very on his terms. My husband and I are usually able to trim his nails with little or no blood, but for some reason, he seems to think that brushing will cause him severe physical harm.
I have, from time to time, used a chemical restraint to give him a full body brush and trim, but I want to be able to groom him without the aid of sedation.
At this point, you’re probably wondering who Bailey is, and where he fits into my problem solving.
What does a dog have to do with grooming a cat?
Bailey is our 10-year-old Labrador, who Zelda has a crush on. Sadly, his is an unrequited love. Our raven-haired beauty regularly embarrasses herself with her wanton displays of affection, showering the vain Bailey with head bumps and body aches, even curling up with her when she sleeps, but the yellow lab remains indifferent to his shameless advances. But that doesn’t stop me from using the situation to my advantage.
In an attempt to reduce stress and maximize my chances of success, I gathered some of Zelda’s favorite things – catnip, treats, and Bailey’s.
Interesting Factoid: Only about 60% of cats respond to catnip, a statistic that can be seen in my own home. Zelda, Cyril and Alex are all obsessed with it, while Clutch and Zazzles treat it with the same level of indifference that Bailey shows Zelda. |
Having created a calming environment, the trick is to arrange discreetly, but not intimidatingly. It’s really hard when you’re dealing with the most suspicious cat in the world. Another ace up my sleeve is my new brush. For years, I’ve used FURminator style grooming tools because, well, they work. But Zelda knows exactly what it looks like, and I think the harder surface of the comb may be part of why she hates it so much. So I turn to the Hepper Deshedding Cat Brush, which is lighter, a different shape, and, as a bonus, cheaper than my old brush! The bristles feel strong but soft, and the angle of the bristles should help gather up all the dead hair.
Keep it Short and Sweet
One of the most important aspects of dealing with a nervous cat and their least favorite activity, is knowing when to go away. Sure, I could stop him and brush, but that would only traumatize him, and make the next attempt more difficult. Fortunately, she didn’t seem to mind the feel of the new brush, and I was pretty happy with it too!
Because I’m trying to recalibrate the way Zelda feels about grooming, I have to accept that success may be weeks, even months away, and if the first session is me, Zelda, and Bailey calmly sharing of space with a brush, then that’s our starting point. And every time we end on a positive note, we’re one step closer to a longer session. Who knows, maybe she’ll start enjoying grooming “Clutch style”…but probably not!