Grooming Nightmare

[Amanda]

I have 2 Persian cats one 3 years old and the other is 2 years old (both are de-sexed).

When it comes to grooming the male 2 year old he turns from a normmaly placid loving cat into a crazed wild animal. He struggles with me bites me (sometimes drawing blood). Even if I hold the scuff of his neck it makes no difference. I keep trying to do it and eventaully it seems that every 4 months or so I end up taking him to the vet to be sedated to remove a few matted bits of fur escpecailly from his trousers (the back of his hind legs).

Help....Does anyone know what I can do to stop him acting like this and making grooming him a pleasant experience insteard of a dreaded nightmare????

[Hell603]

May you should try taking him to a groomer. They are experienced and maybe you can learn from them - I am sure they deal with a lot of unwilling subjects. Could he possibly associate grooming with being taken to the VET, which I am sure could not be pleasant for everyon involved. Good luck

[Sandie]

The only way I know how is to start as a kitten. I have heard that you can try to do a little section at a time and then give them a favorite treat. After time, they associate the grooming with getting a treat.

[Amanda]

As a kitten he loved being groomed....since he has gotten older it is more of a case of I am in here Bagpuss (the other cat) is out there what am I missing. And if I try and have both ot them in the same room together while grooming they are forever playing.

Thanks for the comments - Sandie I will try and do the treats thing.

[nena10]

I also have problems grooming Jake. He would struggle and cry as though he was in pain. Isn't grooming supposed to be something a cat enjoys since it is like someone is scratching his back? Or he will try and grab the brush from me. I do it as gently as I can so that it dosen't hurt him.
I groom him every day. You think is the brushes?

[Princess Lulu]

Amanda, it sounds like your cat now associates grooming with pain. Persians have very fine hair that knots and mats very easily and very quickly. I suggest that you groom him daily (fewer knots = less pain), but choose the right time such as right after he wakes up from a nap and before he becomes very playful. I know it can be tough, but believe me they get used to it if you just persist in brushing them daily. They even come to enjoy it. It helps to detangle knots with your fingers first before running the comb/brush through the hair. If he has a lot of knots, grooming is going to be painful and he's going to resist it with all his might. I see that you live in Dubai. Have you tried taking him to the groomer at Petland (Oasis Center)? He is exceptionally good with animals.

[Grapegal45]

I groom my cats when they are nice and sleepy. When they are wide awake they definitely have better things to do ....like play, look out the windows, chase bugs, etc. It seems that during kitty sleepy time I can do a lot of things I couldn't normally do, you know, like clipping nails, those sorts of things. Good luck.