so my dear little Isis, the light of my life, cries and meows every time I try to brush/comb/furminate her. If I even pet her back by her tail for too long she turns and looks and my hand then cries. Last night we tried to Furminate her, and one of us had to hold her while the other brushed, and she cried and her voiced cracked a little. we only did it for a few minutes, then we let her go. she never bites or scratches us while crying, just cries and leaves us when she gets the chance. how can I get her used to being groomed? my other cat has no qualms about being brushed, and even seems to enjoy it.
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Isis cries when being groomed
- Thread starter twobananaz
- Start Date
Hmmm....most cats DO like being groomed, although if they have painful mats, they wouldn't. Also, if they are very bony around the spine that's not comfortable. Has she been to the vet recently? I wonder if she hurts by her tail or if it just feels "weird" like a tickling or something...
Is she long haired, or short haired? Also, I noticed my girl hated anything other than the very softest baby brush, or, go figure, the Furminator. But in any event, maybe lessen the time you're grooming, and make sure she gets the yummiest treat after you start, but before she starts crying. Maybe just lay off grooming by her tail, until she's been to the vet and you've mentioned this to the vet at her next check up.
I also wonder if she hurts by her tail or it's just too sensitive. Does she put her rear in the air when you pet by her tail, or just cry? I wouldn't force her, in any event - if she's getting mats there, I would talk to your vet about possible causes/resolutions.
I also wonder if she hurts by her tail or it's just too sensitive. Does she put her rear in the air when you pet by her tail, or just cry? I wouldn't force her, in any event - if she's getting mats there, I would talk to your vet about possible causes/resolutions.
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- #4
she's a long hair i guess, but not thick long stuff, and it sort of sticks out like little bird feathers all fluffed up. she doesn't really put her bum up in the air when we touch it, just sort of looks at us with a "stop that!" look and sound to her. she's not matted at all, I just like to brush them to get the loose fur off them and keep it out of my bed. She went to the vet right after we adopted her, back in may, but she's always doen this. She got a clean bill of health from the Vet too. her fur does feel thinner than my other kitty, but the other kitty is very long haired and fluffy in comparison to her. Isis' fur is more like downy fluff in places. I've tried all kinds of brushes/combs, to see if she just didn't like certain ones, but she still cries out each time. she lets me rest my hands on her back, but doesn't care for anything that scratches down into the fur, so no back scritching for her.
I wonder if just a grooming glove would be good for her? Sounds like she is just very thin skinned. (Like the princess and the pea, LOL)
She is so pretty!!!! Maybe she is just a princess and the pea - I know my boy only allows a tiny bit of petting near his tail til he warns me off. Yet my girl adores being rubbed gently near her tail.
Next check up, I still might mention to the vet, just as an aside - but if she's happy and healthy otherwise, I wouldn't worry. I had one of those gloves - wasn't a big hit at my house, but might be worth a shot, just to see.
Next check up, I still might mention to the vet, just as an aside - but if she's happy and healthy otherwise, I wouldn't worry. I had one of those gloves - wasn't a big hit at my house, but might be worth a shot, just to see.
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- #7
i will have to go pick one up some time. i feel like I almost own every tool a pet store has..... I will bring it up at the vet's when we go in for her yearly check up. I just need to remember to do that!
I second trying the glove, or maybe try a zoom groom; they're softer rubber or plastic so it may not be as pokey as a normal brush. here's a link to the amazon page for the zoom groom
http://www.amazon.com/Kong-CZG-KONG-.../dp/B0002AR18M
http://www.amazon.com/Kong-CZG-KONG-.../dp/B0002AR18M
Oooooh, she's lovely! And I sure love the name, "Isis" (says Bastet's servant).
She must be The Princess who had that problem with that pea. Which means she is a real princess!
Lots of people here have said that a comb is the thing to use with long-haired cats. I always used a wire (or pin) brush, but I have been trying a comb lately. Have you tried one?
I use an inexpensive human comb, but there are special metal combs that some recommend.
Robin
She must be The Princess who had that problem with that pea. Which means she is a real princess!
Lots of people here have said that a comb is the thing to use with long-haired cats. I always used a wire (or pin) brush, but I have been trying a comb lately. Have you tried one?
I use an inexpensive human comb, but there are special metal combs that some recommend.
Robin
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #10
I've tried a flea comb (bought for the bunnies, their fur is too fine for anything else), a slicker brush, a regular hair brush, and the furminator. i have a rubber "hair magnet" brush that is similar to the zoom groom that I'm going to try on her tonight. out of my two kitties, I never would have guessed her to be the fussy one about getting brushed. i refer to my two kitties and the princess and the pauper, because my other cat always acts so regal, and Isis is a little scrapper hehe. if my all rubber brush/curry brush thing doesn't work, I have a gift card from xmas that I can use towards that zoom groom. more animal supplies! hurray! DH will be soooo excited!
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- #11
update: epic fail on the rubber glove brush thing.... she just hates having things touch her that aren't hands! I don't know what else to do! I can literally pull the loose hairs from her, and 5 or six come out at a time from a little pinch. she sleeps in my room, and I'm allergic, so I need to get this loose stuff off her as much as possible. when I try to sleep without her, she just cries every night in front of the door for hours. any ideas?
What I would do at this point is call in a professional cat groomer (specific to cats) and get them to groom her, and get advice from them. To find a good groomer, I'd get a referral from my vet, or people who raise long haired cats. Have you discussed this problem with your vet?
Probably she just needs to be desensitized to the grooming. But that could take some time. Changing cat behavior is a long term proposition.
But in the mean time, a pro groomer can deal with her issues and give you advice. If you are allergic, it is probably not the hair that is the problem, but dander. She may need to be bathed to control this (which a groomer can do). Or, there may be a pre-made cloth to wipe her down with to help.
Also, If she were mine, I'd keep working on the grooming, going slow and gentle, every day, for a brief time. I understand that you don't want to damage your relationship with her, and that it hurts you to hear her cry. But, really, you aren't hurting her.
My Ariel cries when I even touch her at times. But not as much as when I got her a year ago. And sometimes she doesn't act like it bothers her at all. She even comes to me to be petted sometimes. Then the next time she whines like I'm torturing her. Same with the combing and brushing. But, she acts like she likes it sometimes, too.
I'm not going to stop working on Ariel and I hope you don't stop the efforts with your cat, too.
Robin
Probably she just needs to be desensitized to the grooming. But that could take some time. Changing cat behavior is a long term proposition.
But in the mean time, a pro groomer can deal with her issues and give you advice. If you are allergic, it is probably not the hair that is the problem, but dander. She may need to be bathed to control this (which a groomer can do). Or, there may be a pre-made cloth to wipe her down with to help.
Also, If she were mine, I'd keep working on the grooming, going slow and gentle, every day, for a brief time. I understand that you don't want to damage your relationship with her, and that it hurts you to hear her cry. But, really, you aren't hurting her.
My Ariel cries when I even touch her at times. But not as much as when I got her a year ago. And sometimes she doesn't act like it bothers her at all. She even comes to me to be petted sometimes. Then the next time she whines like I'm torturing her. Same with the combing and brushing. But, she acts like she likes it sometimes, too.
I'm not going to stop working on Ariel and I hope you don't stop the efforts with your cat, too.
Robin
I forget, have you tried using Feliway around the house to calm her stress?
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #14
we did bathe her last night. always such a feat! who would have thunk that a tiny 8 lb creature could put up such a fight! we always end up soaked.... my sister helps. i get to hold her still and give her head kisses and talk to her, while my sister does the actual bathing. thankfully, i can blow dry Isis, and she actually enjoys it. i do have that allercat D stuff to put on the kitties, but I always forget, and you have to use it often, which sucks. I wish there was something that didn't require such maintenance...
i have not tried the feliway yet. I thought about it when I first got Isis, to help with the introductions to Saki, but it never got to the point where I felt I would need to use it. She's usually a calm cat when I'm around, but just doesn't like the stupid brushing... if only my rabbits would bond to her and they could groom her for me haha.
i have not tried the feliway yet. I thought about it when I first got Isis, to help with the introductions to Saki, but it never got to the point where I felt I would need to use it. She's usually a calm cat when I'm around, but just doesn't like the stupid brushing... if only my rabbits would bond to her and they could groom her for me haha.
I'd definitely consider contacting a groomer. At the salon I work at, we do have some people who have cats who just dislike being groomed, and so they pay us to do it.
One kitty, a BEAUTIFUL silver shaded Persian, comes in every two weeks for a full brush-out...she's awful for it but hey, that's our job.
And that way the owners don't risk getting bit or scratched, and they retain their relationship with their kitty. I found that grooming my elderly (and now deceased) Maine Coon stressed our relationship...he HATED to be brushed, yet he had absurd amounts of coat and he matted at the drop of a hat. I got sick of dealing with it and began bringing him in for someone else to do, and overnight he both improved in his behavior when being brushed, and didn't "blame" me for the grooming. He continued to be brushed out regularly at the salon by someone else until he passed this winter.
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- #16
good freaking news! I finally broke down, got off my lazy butt, and bought the zoom groom. i figured, if Isis hated this thing as much as all the other brushes and combs, that I could just take it back. well good news, good news! she actually does not cry! she doesn't sit still for longer than a few minutes, but that's still an improvement! as long as i am actively petting her, she will sit still and just purr while I run the zoom groom over her entire body, even on her back by her tail! it's awesome! now if only it had a vacuum sucker to catch the fur as it is let loose from her body, that would make it a miracle from the gods.....
I'm sooooo glad you figured out a solution. Isis is such a beauty. Maybe I should get one of those Zoom Groom things.
There is a vacuum attachment gadget that is supposed to take the hair away. I've seen commercials for it. However all the cats I know fear the vacuum cleaner like nothing else.
And, again, it's supposed to be the dander or dried saliva that people are allergic to, not the fur.
As far as praying to the gods for help, you could start with Isis, or Bastet. They listen to me.
Robin
There is a vacuum attachment gadget that is supposed to take the hair away. I've seen commercials for it. However all the cats I know fear the vacuum cleaner like nothing else.
And, again, it's supposed to be the dander or dried saliva that people are allergic to, not the fur.
As far as praying to the gods for help, you could start with Isis, or Bastet. They listen to me.
Robin
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- #18
yeah, I seem to be more allergic to her saliva and nose goo, since my skin automatically itches when she licks me or rubs her wet nose on me. but it is nice having a grooming tool that she doesn't automatically run away from she sees it. and it will keep the fur off my clothes and off my bed if I can get it all off her!
jericho has short hair and i use the furminater and he HATES it. he does the same thing just cries and cries until i let him go...then he ignores me for a few hours.
unfortunately it has to be done because of my allergies
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Leave as much of the brushed out fur in the zoom groom there as you can until you are done. It clings to itself. The way to curb the flyaway bits are to brush, pet over what you brushed, brush, pet, brush, pet, etc leaving the fur that you collect in your hand until you are done. The fur in your hand will collect together and eventually felt into a disc.
I have one that fusses when brushed, too. He's not hurting from it, has no mats (I'm not negligent enough to allow that to happen to a cat), and it doesn't matter what I use. The reason he hates it is that he doesn't like being made to hold still for a few minutes and because he was ~2 and likely never brushed before when I took him in. Thankfully he's a cat with no memory...
