Some of the saddest things I've ever seen working at vet clinics have been animals who weren't even really sick and just needed proper grooming. Hair matted so tightly to the skin that infections formed underneath, nails grown around into paw pads, eyes caked shut with goop. . .

But yeah, some of those longhaired cats are a nightmare. The hair mats so badly and so easily. Meh.

If your cat is food motivated, try getting some Nutrimalt (a yummy vitamin supplement) and leaving the tube open in front of the cat while you brush him. Serves as a distraction. You don't have to squeeze much out; what keeps the cat busy is trying to get to it himself. Some of them who don't like Nutrimalt like poultry or beef flavored kitty toothpaste, and you can use that for the same trick, though it is more expensive. . .

tackam said:

Thanks for the hint about the Nutrimalt, I'll have to try that.

to people who don't take care of their animals.

I don't have to take my baby, he has very little fur, I bathe him myself and he HATES it.

1sexymf said:

He's so cute!!!

We used to take our dog (pictured below) to the groomer all the time. His thick coat was very prone to matting.

Ace said:

Oh gawd. Groomer's worst nightmare. Always a horrible coat and usually a horrible temperment to match, so you're trying to brush 40 tons of loose hair out of that mess while the dog is trying to kill you.

I'm sure your personal dog was an angel, I'm just sayin'.

tackam said:

We lucked-out with ours - he had an incredibly sweet nature and wouldn't hurt a fly. But I do hear that a lot of them have a nasty edge.

Ace said:

Most of them. But I worked with a woman who had a really sweet one. They are individuals.

Ace said:

Oh Ace, you have a Chow? I love them, but they can be nasty!
A freind of mine had one and have to have him put down because of his temperament
But another friend of mine has one and she's sweet as pit.

1sexymf said:

My family had one when I was growing-up. He lived to the age of 11. He was as sweet as he looked (although this breed is incredibly difficult to train - they are stubborn as mules; very catlike).
[Edited 3/23/05 11:37am]

Ace said:

Yes, they are. They only like to come to you if they feel like it and are not for playing fetch, games, etc. They're not as cuddly as they might look.

1sexymf said:

Exactly.


He was into that when he was a puppy, but never seemed to get the hang of Fetch (he would go after the ball, bone, etc., but not want to return it. LOL).


He did like a good tummy-rub, but generally was not crazy about "cuddling".

Ace said:

He did like a good tummy-rub, but generally was not crazy about "cuddling".[/quote]

Yeah, my friends dog loved having his tummy rubbed. I forgot about that- he did do that, but so does my dog and I have a 7 pound Italian Greyhound.