Expert cat groomer Anita Kelsey offers her advice to a cat owner who's feline friend hates being groomed...
Q) My long-haired moggy absolutely hates being groomed! If I so much as come near her with a brush she runs away and I’m worried that she’ll start to become matted if she won’t let me groom her properly. Help!
Charlie Bryan
A) ANITA SAYS: Unfortunately, there’s no easy answer on how to groom a cat that hates the process. All you can do is ensure you have the correct tools, arm yourself with knowledge on how to comb a cat the correct way, and then try a small section everyday for a few minutes combined with a favourite treat. I strongly suggest you invest in a book called ‘Grooming Longhaired Cats: Basic Cat Grooming’ by Svetlana Broussova. The book is full of step-by-step photos of how to comb your cat, as well as a DVD showing the correct handling and combing techniques.
Try to ensure the groom is done by tiny sections everyday rather than one big grooming session. This way, you are trying to desensitise your cat to accept a very small amount daily until, over a week or so, the whole body has been lightly groomed.
