Cat Mats

Well, I feel like a bad cat 'mom'. Over the course of the last few months, I've been so busy that I haven't brushed two of my medium-hair cats. Either I've been running like crazy, drop-dead tired, or just plain forgot. Any way you slice it, the girls haven't been brushed. The result: matted hair. Bigtime. UGH...

Most of you who have cats know what's coming....World War III. I've been wracking my brain on how to cut the mats out without A) stressing them out TOO much, and B) managing to get myself majorly bitten/shredded. So today I paid a visit to my vet. She recommended an all natural stress reliever for humans, but is animal safe. Great! Where do I get it? Down the hill, she says...at Henry's in Poway or Boney's, wherever THAT is...ugh, there's GOT to be a better solution. With gas prices, even though they're dropping, I don't want to make a trip down the hill for one little bottle of something. Instead, I decide to go to Animal Pharm. Nancy, the owner, is really knowledgeable about animals, and pointed me to an herbal stress remedy. It's expensive, but as I found out, well worth the cost.

You give in according to weight. Ok, lucky is first. She's my 10-year-old Maine Coon mix. Lucky is my difficult one. Ask Shannon. She doesn't like to be held, period. She'll sit on my lap, if it's HER idea. She much prefers laying across the back of my chair, or on the floor where she can keep her eye on me at all times. Lucky HATES to have her nails clipped. Ask Shannon. I'm afraid to clip them, so Shannon does the honors for me. The other 5 cats, no problem. Then there's Lucky. Now, Shannon is WAY better than I am, such a steady hand and all, but I think only once or twice in the past few years has she been able to manhandle Lucky enough to clip her nails. Back to the mats. I give Lucky some of this herbal stress remedy, and within the hour she is mellow-SUCCESS! Even though it took me an hour, I managed to get the clumps out, and she is again silky, smooth and beautiful.

Snuggles is next. We believe, judging from her looks, and the research we've done, that she's got Norwegian Forest Cat in her. I'll need Jim for THIS girl. Mainly because she has some mats on her lower tummy, so I'll need him to hold her REALLY good so I don't get attacked. I get the mats off of her lower back, despite the threatening growls and yips she gives me. Ok, so far I'm still in one piece, let's start on the tummy. Jim's got her fairly good, but when she twinges, so does he. Ugh, can't have that! I need him to HOLD her! He's afraid of hurting her; I tell him he's NOT hurting her. She's just PO'd. He finally gives up, using the excuse that he needs a shower. Grrr....So, I got SOME mats taken off her tummy, but not all...it'll just have to wait till another day-when Shannon's here. Hint, hint Shannon...LOL...I know that together we can get the job done.

At least both girls LOVE to be brushed, so hopefully we can avoid this happening again...

Have a good evening!