Lion Cut for mats your views.

OHHH poor kitty - this is awful. You try to pick the right thing and wind up with problems again. I do hope he feels better soon. I would never go to the vet again.

You took the time to explain everything. But you also didn't question the vet's opinions either. Hope you can find a better vet/groomer in the future.

Here's some vibes for both of you.

I am sorry that you had such a bad experience again, poor boy. Some vets that I know don't agree with the lion cut in the colder months as your cats fur is its coat, take it away and there is no warmth which we all know cats love, apart from the central heating! That is the only reason that I know of that a vet would not do it. I would ask your vet, if you still have any trust in her. If only the americans could shunt a little nice weather over here, please How is he now? Is he okay?

I thought for a second about the cold weather maybe being a factor, is your cat only indoors? Mine is, and when the vet told me to go ahead and shave him, I asked him if he thought that was a good idea since it was cold outside. He said he'd be just fine. I can maybe understand if he is not strictly indoors, .. but I don't know. Here's vibes for your baby to get relaxed and for everything to go back to normal I personally don't agree with combing out mats, even under sedation. That's just me, though. A shave would be so much quicker and easier, I'd think. I would be finding another groomer/vet if it were me. hope your baby is okay, please update us

Thank you everyone again for all your support and positive vibes.

I picked him up yesterday straight after i had come off and when i got there he was completely spaced out, i asked the woman behind the desk whether i could speak to the vet but was told he was with another patient and had been very busy that day??

She was actually very nice and explained that although Dexter still yowled loudly he didnt feel a thing and was in another place.....i am still not happy with this though as why would he yowl if he wasnt in pain?? I asked her why he didnt approve of lion cuts and she said that he had two Main Coons and wouldnt want his cats to look like that so he didnt feel it necessary to do it to anyone elses cat as it goes against nature (?), maybe he thought when he saw me that i was precious about how Dexter looks, the truth of the matter is i dont care how he looks as long as he is happy and healthy. She also said that the vet has done it so that Dexter has been stripped of all the dead fur and without having to have it all taken off, so that all the natural oils are left in the fur. I asked what he used to do it and she said it was a special comb with a blade that cuts through the knots, i didnt bother asking whether this would have been more painful tugging at the knots then to just have a simple lion cut as i think i already know that answer.......

Dexter and i sat quietly through the car journey home, i got a taxi so that i could sit with him in the back. When i got him home i put the carry box on my bed and he tried to walk out but he was dragging his back legs because the Ketamine hadnt worn off yet. slowly he was able to have a wander round sniffing things and looking a bit stoned, eventually he went back and lay in the carry case and went into a deep sleep

For the first half of last night i slept with the carry box on one side of the bed with him sleeping in it and the second half got he tapped my arm with his paw to wake me up and got into the bed with me, he slept curled up into me under the covers with his little grey head on the pillow next to me like a little person.

His fur is without the dreads and just looks like a thinner version than before....has it all been worth it....nope....although i am pleased the matts arent pulling and i WONT be going back to that vet ever again, i am not saying the vet has necessarily done anything wrong but i think you will all agree that communication is the main thing you need to have with a vet. He probably thought that his day consisted of many more drastic things happening than just some cats matts and a crazy lady who was overly worried, but Dexter has still had to undergo something that would have been scary and a bit bewillering to any little cat, a little empathy goes a long way.

Thanks again to you all for being such a great support over the last 24hours.

I am glad he is doing better and it's so sweet that he tapped your arm and laid down with you. He sounds very special As far as the vet goes, I still can't see how shaving would adversely affect a cat, but different strokes for different folks I guess I figure spaying is technically against nature, too, so his line of thinking is beyond me. In ANY case, I am glad your baby is okay and you two are together again! Hopefully you guys won't have to go through this again anytime soon

Oooohhhhh! Poor little Dexie!

Yeah, I wouldn't be going back to that vet. He sounds like a jerk. "Goes against nature?" So using ketamine to knock out a cat just to untangle mats goes WITH nature? Uh.......

If he's not a show cat, who cares?

Awww what a sweet Mommy you are! Getting a taxi so you can sit in the back with him and making sure he slept with you. You are a great Mom!

Youâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]re Vet on the other hand… He doesnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t do Lion cuts because he thinks the animals wont like it? Who cares, itâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s the humans that are superficial, the cats donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t care, its not abusive to the cats. When my Bugsy got his Lion cut he loved it! Everyone wanted to touch him and either say how beautiful he was or laugh at how goofy he looked. Whether they swooned or laughed Bugsy got so much attention he was king of his world.

That vet has no right to not do something because HE doesnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t agree with it for superficial reasons. I would check out some other vets, I hate when people try and put their views on you especially on something that doesnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t hurt anyone like a Lion cut.

Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m glad your baby is safe and happy at home.

Glad things are better. Now you have your work cut out as far as grooming. He has to be combed every day so no more tangles/knots form.

SO glad Dexter is ok and good for you for not going back to that vet again! I would definitely speak to some vets about their opinions on various things like that before choosing another one.

Dexter

At least the knots are out but I don't think I would be going back to that vet again either. I have heard of hand stripping being done on some terriers once or twice a year but I thought it was something just done on a certain type of wire coat.

What an ordeal!

How are you and Dexter doing now that a few days have gone by since the trauma?