how rough can i be with my cat when trying to groom him?

[bakhtin]

Hi, I just managed to adopt a cat that had been pretty neglected for the past couple of years. He is a Himalayan, and hasn't been brushed or groomed in quite some time. He had a dreadlock on his neck that i was able to cut out, but has several other mats on his back and sides closer to his tail. While he has been very loving and we've made great friends here in his new home, he absolutely hates whenever i try to brush him, and he bounds away or bites/swats at the brush (never me). i really would like to try and work out the mats on his back or cut them out if they are too much, but he won't let me get at them.

doing some searching around i've seen that its best to sort of "pin" him by placing my hand over his neck while he's on his front (obviously not strangling him, but keeping him down and unable to bite or swat. i try this, but he eventually freaks out and gets out of my grasp, as i don't want to be too rough with him and hurt him or have him hate me.

i know that there is the option of taking him to a professional and having him shaved in a lion cut type thing, but he's gorgeous and i'd like it if i could try and just get the mats out myself. just wondering how rough i can be with him? can i pin him down and overpower him, or if he reallly reallllly hates it should i just be nice and let him up?

i've tried combining grooming with treats... starting while he's relaxed and easing in to it with petting and stroking... all the usual tips. he just hates it (probably because he hasn't been groomed FOREVER and the mats feel unpleasant). any advice would be great!

note: this is my first cat, no experience.

[LAURIE]

This sounds like a job for a professional groomer and this is why. The mats are so tight that they are pulling at his skin causing severe irritation. When you try to groom him, it is causing even more discomfort and plain old pain. A professional groomer will be able to either comb them out or shave them. Make sure that you choose a good one as he should not end up with razor burn.

[Cinnamongirl]

Sounds like you have a wonderful new friend and it's wonderful he has a home and a Mom who cares about his welfare and is trying to groom him. Those mats on him hurt and when you try and brush him, it hurts him too. I know you want to do this yourself, but I think I would take him to the vet (if they do grooming services, and if not, to a reputable groomer. Your vet can recommend one to you.) because I would not want him equating me to causing him pain. You're the person he loves and you're his rock, and to cause him pain and then restrain him will panic and alienate him. Of course, he'll forgive you and life will go on, but he won't trust you and may be wary of you. Gaining a new cat's trust is a precious thing, and not to be taken lightly. Do both of yourselves a favor, and let someone else do his grooming, and just know you're able to have him groomed without getting the lion cut. Just ask that they bathe him and remove the mats in his coat. He may never like being brushed even after the mats are out, because some cats just don't care for it. There are other things you can do to be close to him, such as kitty massage. My recently deceased 19 year old diabetic cat adored her massages, and I know it helped her with her arthritis. I hope you have a wonderful life with your beautiful new Himalayan. They're so affectionate and mellow; I'd love to have one, but I only own rescue cats and so far, none of my strays/rescues/adoptees have been Himalayans. Good luck and I hope this helped a little.

[Bob N]

Take him to a groomer and have them deal with the mats.

His fur will grow out faster than you think and will quickly fill in any areas they have to cut short.

If you keep him combed daily, you can control future mats. I find a comb works better than a brush for grooming a cat and catching loose hair.

Also, it is very easy to accidentally cut a cat while you are trying to cut out mats.

I cut one of ours and that was after double checking to make sure I was not cutting to the mat too close to the skin - in spite of that I cut his skin.

My wife now takes care of mats, when necesary, with an trimmer -she is a cosmetologist (hair stylist) and uses one of her old, but quite serviceable, trimmers to slowly "eat" away mats.

We can control our cats fairly well. If we had to to apply a lot of force, we would take them to an experienced groomer instead of trying anything ourselves.

[Café Mocha Valencia]

You shouldn't be rough AT ALL!

Lose the brush!! A brush should NEVER be used on the coat of a Persian or Himalayan! They do NOTHING to remove the loose undercoat hairs and pull up and break the silky top coat hairs. You should be using a COMB on this cat's coat. Combs gently remove the loose hairs of the undercoat and leave the topcoat intact.

Since it's badly matted this cat needs to be taken to a groomer EXPERIENCED WITH CATS to have the mats clipped out. If he's bad all over the best thing to do may be to shave him down. Mats can be VERY painful. As they get worse they tighten and pull at the skin. Sores can also develop on the skin.

You should NOT be trying to cut these mats out yourself. Cat skin is VERY thin and you could injure this poor cat. If it's just a few bad mats your vet may also be able to shave these out for you. It'll take a few months for the hair to grow back in but it's the best thing to do for this cat at this point.

In the future, I hope you understand that cats like this require DAILY combing during shedding season and at least every other day all year long. Because these cats are so high maintenance is sadly why they so often get dumped at shelters.

[reenchilada]

Rough means hurting or discomfort for the cat. Don't get rough AT ALL. This a cat. He doesn't know why you'd be rough. I know you're trying to help but this poor guy doesn't know that and has obviously had a very hard time. Don't stress him out more over a brush...give him a break for while, let him heal and adjust to his new life. His body will right itself in time.
Was he or is he sick? Cats groom unless they are ill (or obese & just can't reach due to an abnormally large body). I'm sure you know this, but also be careful with cutting knots out as sometimes they are very close to the skin and you can wind up cutting him (especially if he jerks around). With knots & mats that are close to the skin, the cat definitely does not want to be touched or brushed there. Cats are very sensitive; imagine having your pubes knotted like that and then someone wants to brush it. What would you do?

You two are working out your relationship and boundaries now, so be gentle with him. He can groom himself and work out the knots or wait until they shed off (you will find them around occasionally). After that, you can work on the brushing bit by doing a tiny bit (barely a stroke) and then giving him a treat. Do that once every day, gradually increasing the stroke until you work up to a full brushing. But always remember the treat - and within 30 seconds of the brushing. (short memory! lol)

One of my cats refuses to be brushed & has the longest, thickest hair I've seen on a cat. I do not force her and she takes care of her own grooming. To avoid hairballs, I vaccuum constantly and give her a drop of olive oil in her food every couple days. I also mix some water into her canned food for extra hydration that helps to keep her skin & fur in good condition.
My other cat...she gets knots since last year and likes to be brushed but her knots get very close to the skin.
I observe them both closely so I know when new knots form and since we have the confidence of 12 years of cohabitation, they let me work out the small ones with my fingers (no yanking)...slowly. But still I have to talk to them while doing it and tell them why I'm doing it. Then it comes off, I show them the evidence and it's done. Maybe you could try that (in time) once he trusts you.

You should buy the book "Think Like a Cat: How to Raise a Well Adjusted Cat, NOT a Sour Puss" by Bennett-Johnson. It's an excellent book that I bought 10 years ago and still use as reference. Please don't take him to a groomer. They stress cats out big time.

[Traci]

Grooming a cat is no simple task. Is there anyone who can come over and help? Its often easiest if you have someone there to help keep him calm. Have them pull up on the scruff of his neck while you cut out the matted fur. This will usually relax cats, but in my experience it doesn't always work. If not, have your helper bind his front legs in one hand a hind legs in the other, turning him on his side. He can't put up much of a fight that way, but there is the risk of biting so if he is a rough cat, he/she may wanna wear gloves.


Your cat would probably be even more frightened by a groomer he doesn't know. Just be gentle with him and i"m sure it will work out.