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combing a cat video

post #1 of 9
1/12/11 at 7:02pm
Thread Starter 
this is what works for me

http://s116.photobucket.com/albums/o...5-20-34-02.mp4

this is the comb i find most useful

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...g/R0012029.jpg

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...g/R0012028.jpg

it was labeled as a comb for Alsatians but I find the long teeth of the comb are the only thing that combs my Persians properly

when I started combing these cats I had been slack and the cats were not used to combing but because I nicked them trying to cut a knot out I resolved to teach my cats to take combing and put up with it

this is what I did

I cuddled my cat and kissed it on the head and talked nicely to it and just reached out with the comb and combed one little section

as soon as I got opposition I moved my comb to where I know the cat likes it - under the chin

I repeated this 'sucking up to my cat' procedure each time getting away with combing a little more of the cat

as you can see I now have the cat conditioned to take a gentle combing

I do it every day so there is never a lot of matting there now

I bribe my cats - if they put up with the combing i give a nice belly rub afterwords

some of my cats love the belly rub afterwords so much they line up to be combed as soon as they see I am combing one of the other cats lol
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post #2 of 9
1/12/11 at 7:13pm
None of my cats would ever lay nicely like that while we comb them. Luna and Midnight always put up a fight.
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post #3 of 9
1/12/11 at 8:09pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by My4LLMA View Post
None of my cats would ever lay nicely like that while we comb them. Luna and Midnight always put up a fight.
none of mine did either but i kept sucking up to them and bribing with tummy rubs and this is the result

but hey - you have to do what works for you

the other huge tip is - never ever allow what the cat does to end the grooming session

no matter what tantrum the cat is putting on - you take cat and make pretend combing action if need be so that you have the last word always

it takes a few sessions of the cat swearing its head off at you and the cat will figure out that the fastest way to end the session is take it quietly

this is a process - you condition the cat to let you comb it and the best way is to bribe with touches the cat likes to make the combing touches the cat does not like and then try and do the most gently that you can

as i said - this will not work for all cats and owners so do what works for you
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post #4 of 9
1/14/11 at 5:53am
You are right, it may not work on all cats. But, I agree with the patience it takes to get the confidence of the cat and weaken it's will to take your eyes out.
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post #5 of 9
1/14/11 at 11:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by initforlove View Post
none of mine did either but i kept sucking up to them and bribing with tummy rubs and this is the result

but hey - you have to do what works for you

the other huge tip is - never ever allow what the cat does to end the grooming session We don't! We make sure they get combed. Their long hair, they'll get matted if we don't comb them.

no matter what tantrum the cat is putting on - you take cat and make pretend combing action if need be so that you have the last word always

it takes a few sessions of the cat swearing its head off at you and the cat will figure out that the fastest way to end the session is take it quietly I don't think my kittens have come to that conclusion yet. Since their 8 months and 5 months now, and we've been doing this since 12 weeks, and 3 weeks old I don't think they'll ever come to that conclusion!

this is a process - you condition the cat to let you comb it and the best way is to bribe with touches the cat likes to make the combing touches the cat does not like and then try and do the most gently that you can We have

as i said - this will not work for all cats and owners so do what works for you
Even treats don't work with these 2
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post #6 of 9
1/14/11 at 9:03pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by My4LLMA View Post
Even treats don't work with these 2
you have kittens from hell!!!!!!!

good luck with them - if all else fails have them shaved

some cats fur is that impossible

it is genetics and mine are silver Persians and I understand that the blue Persians have impossible fur to comb

if you have a cat that genetically has inherited really tough fur to keep combed then I dont know what else you can do but to shave them 2 times a year

good luck hun

for those considering buying a Persian - please know that they do have different fur quality and some families of cats have fur that is easier to comb and some families of cats have difficult fur and you should look for a cat from a family that has easier fur to manage

breeders out there - I know cats are bred for temperament but when I last talked to an animal shelter they told me that cats with difficult fur end up being dumped and therefore eventually put down so perhaps it is time to breed for temperament AND fur quality and thus ensure that the kittens you sell never ever end up dumped to an animal shelter or put down
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post #7 of 9
1/14/11 at 9:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by My4LLMA

I don't think my kittens have come to that conclusion yet. Since their 8 months and 5 months now, and we've been doing this since 12 weeks, and 3 weeks old I don't think they'll ever come to that conclusion
A few months doesn't mean never. They are still kittens.

My Mazy cat is one who does not allow any type of brushing or combing but I never give up trying. I can get one swipe down her back now and then, which is progress from not even getting close to her with it.

She's almost 7 and has been with me since she was 6 months old, so she still has plenty of years ahead to learn.

initforlove: terrific advice in your posts on how to get cats accustomed to grooming. I wish you wouldn't call cats "it" though.
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post #8 of 9
1/15/11 at 3:43am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by otto View Post
A few months doesn't mean never. They are still kittens.


initforlove: terrific advice in your posts on how to get cats accustomed to grooming. I wish you wouldn't call cats "it" though.
sorry

to their faces I call my cat 'she; because she is a girl and i tell her she is a good girl as often as I catch her doing what is right [yes I have 7 cats right now]


ok another technique for my cat to start combing her tummy after some years of not touching her tummy [she was pregnant and breastfeeding and got a painful condition that dried up her milk and she could not feed her kittens so you can see there was a time no one could touch her tummy]

i cuddled her on the bed in this position - with my cat on her back leaning against my breast

http://s116.photobucket.com/albums/o...5-22-20-46.mp4

use this for affection time and slowly de sensitise your cat to being touched with comb or brush

go back to affection touches in between combing touches

you will find you need to focus on affection touches more in the beginning and in the end you can focus on more combing touches and fewer affection touches - persevere
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post #9 of 9
2/11/11 at 6:42pm
Okay, I'm jealous. You've certainly got a good technique. You've managed to convince your cat(s) that they just need to accept (?and enjoy?) the grooming.

However - there's no way that I could tangle with the Big Guy without heavy duty armor. Alas, someone else more willing and capable will have to take him on - maybe even more than one person.

I often wonder who the person was responsible for raining such havoc on cats by breading them for long fur. Sure they're beautiful - but how do they manage as a stray, or as a feral? .

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