W. V. Cats Forum

kb2zct

Evan, one of my cats, needs a little grooming assistance. Due to some physical deformities (humpback, pigeon-toed) he cannot reach all of his back near the tail. Right now, when one looks at Evan, one can easily see which areas he can groom and which areas he cannot reach. In the un-reached areas, his hair looks greasy and sticks together.

I’ve tried two different products to help: kitty wipes and dry shampoo. I’m not overly pleased with either product. The kitty wipes do not appear to do anything. The dry shampoo, (mostly talc), which absorbs some of the excess oils, does not remove any of the dirt. I’m also concerned that whatever residue either product will leave will be harmful to Evan.

I’ve also tried brushing the area. While this removes the dead / shedding hair, it does not remove the oil / dirt.

What other options are available to try?

Thanks

Mark

Galensgranny · Site Administrator Joined: 11 Nov 2005 Posts: 2355

I'd just wet a washcloth with warm water and wipe him down like a mother cat with a giant tongue grooming him. The washcloth has a sort of roughish texture to help get dust and debris off. At first, if he is quite oily with dust stuck to the oil, I'd add a smidgeon of soap to do a "sponge bath" to the area, "rinsing" it by using a wet washcloth rubbed on the area.

The dry shampoo is just adding "debris". They ought not call it "shampoo", as it is really just an oil absorber. It doesn't clean anything.

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Margaret, a/k/a Galensgranny

kb2zct · Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2005 10:11 am Post subject: Follow up on Evan

Margaret:

OK - this may sound stupid, but remember I never had cats until just a while ago (when the first two were abandoned with me).

Should I go with, against, or across the grain? Should I comb out the areas wet or dry (or at all)? Should I use a slicker brush or a comb (I have both)? Evan has medium hair.

Should I take him to the groomers every few months for a complete "bath"? On an asside, I have to do that for Ranger - long haired white cat. It is not so much for the cleaning, as Ranger does a pretty good job of it himself, but his rear end and belly areas usually require some trimming.

I amy live in the middle of nowhere - but at least I have a good groomer 4 miles away!

Mark

PS - The middle of nowhere comment is me complaining that, in the past year or two, the department store, the grocery store, the Burger King and the Dunkin Donuts in the little town where I work (Champlain) have all closed. If I now need anything I have to drive to Plattsburgh, which is about 25 miles from where I work. The only "good" think is that I live half way between Plattsburgh and Champlain. But, I do get to live in the country!

Galensgranny · Site Administrator Joined: 11 Nov 2005 Posts: 2355

Quote:

Should I go with, against, or across the grain?

That was a good question. Cats don't like their fur rubbed against the grain in general, but for washing a very oily patch of fur, you would need to do some against the grain. I would do a few with the grain strokes, one or two against the grain strokes, followed by a few with the grain strokes, and so on, being sure to end with strokes with the grain so that the fur is smoothed back into place.

Quote:

Should I comb out the areas wet or dry (or at all)?

Comb the fur when it is dry, a bit before you start the washing. I don't know what kind of comb you have, but a flea comb gets out the most loose fur and little bits of debris that got on the fur than any other tool. Do remember to wash the comb as well to get off an oil and dust that would stick to the tines of the comb. I'd let it dry most of the way before combing it again. After the washing, the slicker brush may be a good choice, as it mostly slicks down the fur. But, you could use the comb as well if it seems necessary. It likely won't be.

<<Should I take him to the groomers every few months for a complete "bath"?>>

If he is the kind of cat that won't freak out about that, it would be a good idea since he has trouble reaching all of his body to clean it himself. Some cats get very, very upset going to a strange place and then getting bathed on top of it. For example, I would NEVER bring my Simon to a groomers for a bath. He can't deal with strange places that has the scent of other animals, and he doesn't like being handled much even for nice pettings by us. They'd think I actually brought in a wild tiger cub instead of a cat! Shocked

You may be able to bathe Evan yourself at home. Do NOT put a cat under running water from a faucet. They really, really get upset by that. Instead, have water already in some pots or buckets, and pour the water on the cat with a cup or use a washcloth to saturate the cat. Giving full body baths to cats is not an easy undertaking, so since you have a good groomer nearby, you may prefer to let the groomer do it.
Trying to bathe a cat that isn't used to it or accepting of it can result in a lot of scratches to the person.

That is too bad that most all the places got closed near where you work. Living in the country may be nice, but I prefer living close to stores.

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Margaret, a/k/a Galensgranny