Rescue cat dislikes being brushed???

[Red Rock]

To all cat people:

What suggestions do you have for a new cat (+/- month in new house). She does not like to be brushed. Basically, she runs away from you as you try to catch her to be brushed. Ms. Kitty as we call her, is a white persian. I have never owned a cat that did not like being brushed. How do I help change her behavior toward this.

Her current situation is that she has mats, and some severe ones on her back. Before we took her over, the person before us shaved off some of the really bad mats, so she is partly growing back new hair so skin is quite close.
We were thinking about taking her to be totally shaved, so she could "start off new". Would it be to soon to take to the groomers for this, or wait a little while longer?

I am attaching a picture so you might see what she looks like.

Thank you,
Red Rock

[Eden]

Some of them never like getting brushed. Few of my cats ever have tolerated it well.. (fortunately I've only ever had one who had longer fur).

Cats have very sensitive skin, so any brush that pulls or is pokey will totally put them off. The Furminator brushes seem to be pretty nice and gentle and very effective, though I understand they are pretty expensive. The rubbery ones seem to be a bit better tolerated too - but they mainly only remove the long guard hairs.

I've seen some people who get their long haired cats shaved every summer. They look a kind of funny for a while, but it does take care of any matts.

[Red Rock]

Thanks Eden.

So should I aviod trying to brush until all the hair grows back?

How do I know if this something that she just totally dislikes? Something from the past she is reacting too?

I have tried to avoid the areas of skin that are more exposed, so as not to hurt her.

Would it be worth speaking to a groomer about the situation?

Thank you,
Red Rock

[Eden]

I've never take an cat to a groomer - so no experience there...

I know at the shelter I volunteer at, they feel when there are multiple matts its pretty much impossible to do anything else besides shave them off. Brushing them out is just too painful for the cat and can actually damage their skin if you are not really, really gentle. (scissors are not recommended either unless the matt is really far away from the skin - its too easy to nick them).

Your new kitty may have been brushed hard in the past and has bad associations with it, or she might just not like it. My one medium haired cat *never* liked being brushed and wouldn't tolerate it at all on the backs of his legs, which was of course the only place he ever matted.

A lot of them like having their head and neck brushed even if they don't like it on their back and legs - if you start there you might be able to get her a little more tolerant. My old boy would also tolerate kitty wipes - they took off a little fur (not nearly like a brush, but at least a little) and cleaned him up a bit too, since he was getting a bit less fastidious about it in his old age.

[badger]

a coworker of mine has a persian and every year or so she has her shaved completely as the mats become too much for her and the cat to deal with.

I'd have her shaved and start from there, like you said.

One of my cats was hit by a car and he had numerous lacerations where they stapled him up. I think as a result his skin is full of scar tissue that makes his skin very sensitive and he HATES being brushed. I think he actually hates anything near his skin because he doesn't even groom that well to the point he'll have mats (he's short haired).

Anyways, long and short, he hates being brushed. He does tolerate the Zoom Groom (http://www.companyofanimals.co.uk/zoom.php), which is this soft plastic pronged brush thing. It gets the undercoat out, but you should get the mats dealt with first.

[Red Rock]

Thankyou all for your help.

I will go speak with a groomer Monday and see what they say.

Thankyou once again,
Red Rock

[malkin]

Give her treats while you groom her. (tuna? chicken? cheese? canteloup? whatever she likes best)
Save the treats for grooming time. Start slowly and trim out the mats.

Looks like she needs you!

[tctrek]

In my younger days I used to breed Persians and I competed in championship cat shows all over the world. I groomed so many Persians -- 5 step baths and blow drying their coat to a beautiful perfection.

10275

When a Persian doesn't like to be brushed it's usually because someone didn't do it when they were young, then they got matted and the brushing became a bad experience.

I would definitely go to a groomer and get her totally shaved and start new. Then get a nice "soft" brush to start. Lots of baby talk "What a pretty baby, you are such a pretty girl!" lots of petting along with the brushing... treats might help too.

Also, if she's shaved you can start out with one of those hand mitts that you put on and just pet her with the mitt on to get her accustomed to that sensation -- then go to a soft brush -- then when she is no longer adverse to it, go to something a bit more sturdy.

[smilingcat]

Ferminator is really good. but they are around $30.00 for the small one. Some how, the ferminator is able to work through some "loose" mats without upsetting some of the cats.

My experience with matted fur, cats will not tolerate getting brushed. The matting just pulls their skin and the cats really hate it. If it is matted and close to skin, best to have it shaved off and start a new.

+1 on tctrek has to say. Get the cat used to being "brushed". Some cats like it other cats hate it. It seems like an individual preference.

smilingcat

[Red Rock]

Once again, thankyou for your suggestions everyone...

tctrek, thank you for your experience with this. I will look into one of those hand/glove brushes. Also doing the treat thing too.

I have a furminator. Its been tested on a local Maine Coon and has proved its worth. I have a small Hartz brush that has plastic balls on the end. I also have a cheap human hair brush w/ plastic balls on the ends. What do you consider a "soft" brush?

Thank you for your continued support and answering my crazy questions.

Red Rock

[tctrek]

See how one side of this brush is pins and the other side is soft? http://www.petco.com/product/14587/Four-Paws-Ultimate-Touch-Cat-Combo-Brush.aspx

The soft side won't work on her if she has a lot of coat, but it will while it's short. And it's a pleasant feeling. You have to work up to using the ones with the pins when she trusts you more.

[Eden]

The silicone ones - like the Zoom Groom that badger linked to are very soft. Even my non brush liking cat would tolerate some brushing with that, but it really only takes out the long hairs. OTOH - its a multi-tasker. It works great for taking fur off of furniture - much better than a sticky roller and reusable.

[tctrek]

+1 on using the brush to get fur off of furniture. Works great!!

[Blueberry]

+1 on talking to a pro. You may be better to start from scratch. Then, start with a nylon bristle brush (very soft) fairly soon to get kitty used to it. That way, you can use what you need to when the fur grows back in.

Have you tried catnip while brushing? My cat will let you do darned near anything with catnip...

CA

[Kano]

KC's not fond of brushing. He doesn't get mats, but gets hairballs from self-grooming, so I like to give it a shot now and then. I've got a furminator for him, and he kind of likes it. FAR more than he's liked other brushing. And INFINITELY more than having his toenails trimmed!

The trick has been to sit on the floor, lure him in, and brush a few strokes on whatever part(s) I can get at until he decides he's had enough and runs away. Interestingly, sometimes he'll come back over and over for a few more brushstrokes through an evening.

The job's never really done, but considering how cat hair gets everywhere when I'm brushing him, I don't mind working at it a little at a time now and then.

Karen in Boise

[tulip]

I don't think you should use a furminator on mats, at least that's what the instructions say. My mother's cats seem to really like the furminator, for a little while, then they hiss and spit and it's time to put it away.

Go to a pro, but I wonder about shaving her at the beginning of winter. Even if she's an indoor cat, she could get out and would be very cold without her fur.

[Biciclista]

Longhaired cats were always heart breakers for me. I had two different long haired cats, each was part Maine Coon, supposedly mat-free hair. That's true until they hit 10 years or so of age, and then both started getting mats. The older they get, the worse the mats and their skin itself is so delicate that it's easy to hurt them.
I started brushing both of them as kittens, but as they got older, neither liked it. IF you can give your cat a lion cut, i think you'd both be better off.

[Red Rock]

I just wanted to say thank you for all of your helpful comments. I will take them all into consideration.

Off to go talk to some people.

Red Rock

[bmccasland]

".... I started brushing both of them as kittens, but as they got older, neither liked it...

Bonnie cat is 16, longhair, and now I'm finding mats. Fortunately they're small. I've brushed her weekly (or more) all her life, and she loves the attention, but when I hit a mat, not so much. She growls or bites - just teeth on my hand to let me know she doesn't like it. I usually resort to my fine scissors to snip out the mat. Treats help. And taking your time. Once you have a good coat, then short grooming sessions, with treats, should help teach your kitty that a grooming session is fun, where he/she gets all the attention they know they deserve.

[arielmoon]

Oh my she is gorgeous! I hope you are able to figure something out for her!