Summer Shave Insane Idea?!

Graceful-Lily

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Would it be ridiculous to give Felix a light shave? Not terribly low - just enough.

His hair isn't long but it isn't short either. I'd say it's about 2 inches or more depending on where on his body is measured.

His hair is also very dense and it's difficult to groom him sometimes and search his skin for issues.

I thought maybe shaving off 1/2 to 3/4 an inch would help the both of us.

But I don't know if shaving a cat that doesn't have really long hair would make any sense...
 

Purr-fect

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I read that a close shave can increase the risk of sunburn. Apparently a cat's' skin is very thin and delicate.

I have thought of shaving my boys as they have a huge amount of fur and go outside every day. Our summers are hot and humid.

But I likely wont do it because the trip to the vet and the process would be very upsetting to them. Also they probably would have to be sedated, I dont want to do that unless medically necessary.
 

Willowy

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I don't know if an all-over clip is commonly done by groomers. I know it's very hard to do by yourself! A lion cut is what groomers usually do---it's easier to go down to the skin than to clip a little bit off.

If you don't want to do a lion cut/shave, just have him fully combed out and de-shedded. That does a lot to keep them cool.
 

lutece

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It's not crazy to do a summer clip on a shorthaired cat, if the coat is very thick. I've known people who have had this done. Some shorthaired cats also tend to get mats like longhaired cats do, and clipping the coat makes it easier to care for. It's best to have it done by a good pet groomer, not to try to do it yourself. You don't have to go as far as a full lion cut; for example, the groomer can do just the belly and rear end, if those are the parts that are hardest to keep groomed, and a clipped belly can help a cat stay cool in hot weather. I would suggest looking for a good pet groomer and asking for their advice.
 
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Graceful-Lily

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Thank you everyone. I'm not sure if shaving will be any better than combing him out with the furminator. I just thought about how nicely his hair grew back after his dental when the vet shaved his arm. That would be a lot easier to manage than this thick coat he has now.
 
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