Wiggly kitty, Fluffy bum

First off, I'm terribly sorry if I'm posting this in the wrong place or if there is already a topic about it (I just joined and am still working my way through all the pinned topics ect)

Adopted a rescue kitten last night. (will be more on that in the behavior area)

She's purrfectly sweet, so that's no issue.

Its that quite frankly, she's a long hair with a REALLY fluffy bum. Guessing her age to be anywhere from 4 months to a year (she was starving when the family I got her from first rescued her from the snow about 6 weeks ago, so she could just be stunted)

But I don't think her butt fluff has ever been trimmed.

I wouldn't think it an issue, except poop sticks to it and then she gets really annoyed trying to get it off. I know my old roommates with a long hair cat trim his fluff around there just so that it is more sanitary and doesn't bug him.

But I've never tried it. And also, he was already an adult cat when they got him, very calm, and used to being trimmed all his life. She (our kitten is currently unnamed as we're waiting a day or two to see her personality come out) on the other hand doesn't sit still, haha.

Facinated by everything, including the old hairdressing scissors I brought out for her to sniff so that she won't be scared when I eventually try. (for now I'm just routinely catching her after the litterbox to check her butt and wipe the fur with a wet cloth... she LOVES playing in water.)

I'll be taking her to the vet after she settles in a little more (stressful enough for her right now without having to go back into the carrier... she was terrified of it on the way here...) and I would hope/assume that they could do it for me, but since I live so far from a grooming station, I know that I will have to do all the grooming.

She also has quite the matt on her back near her tail that I'll need to get out. (but she's so sketchy with it that i'm not sure she'll let me)


I will wait until she trusts me more (under 24 hours is a bit much) but just so I have an idea, I thought I'd see if anyone had tips and tricks they'd like to share?

thats teh iffy bit of the groomer option. I don't drive and she is terrified of the carrier (working on that)

The nearest pet store with a grooming area is pretty much on the other end of the city.

But yes, definitely planning to do it that way if my vet (who is down the block) can't do it on site.. she needs nail trimming and butt fluff trimming...

the food is what I brand matched for her (made sure it was the same kind for that very reason haha)

Vet will be as soon as we pick a name and can get the appt (want to take her to the vet we take our other cat to)

And so far she's actually taking to me really quickly. I posted that this morning, and she's been snuggling with me since this afternoon, and taking to following me around the apartment

I was able to get the mat out (it was about half a cm away from her body, so I just snipped it slowly over a couple times where she was laying on me sleeping, taking a tiny bit at a time at its base with a comb between like a friend had also suggested)

And got the worst of her bum fluff trimmed down about a cm or so (just enough that it doesn't get as badly in the way.) So hopefully when i take her to the vet they can neaten it up and take it a bit further.

Figured out: kitty facinated with chinchilla = will stand straight and rivited.

Took a few goes, but I got her haha.

She's such a sweetie <3 I'm actually really surprised how quickly she's taken to me. (her and our other cat are still leery and grumbly at each other, and he's a daddys boy as thats whose cat he was exclusively for almost a year) so she'll hide behind my ankles and just growl from between them or to the side, poking her head out. And follow me from room to room. and has been curling up sleeping on my lap for hours.

Its adorable!