Cats Detesting Brushing

[golondrina]

My cat Sombra detests her every morning brushing. She is so sweet and gentle that apart from waving her tail showing her displeasure and trying to get away she doesn't show any aggressive intention towards me. When her brushing is finished and I let go of her she runs away but she immediately comes back when I call her and follows me to the kitchen because she knows she will get her treats as a reward. The next thing is playing time for a while until I sit at my desk and she will install herself for her loafing next to me without any ill feelings.

I use for Sombra the same brushes that I have got from Amazon and that I used in the past for Cucumella who loved her brushing. She would turn around making sure she would get brushed everywhere.

I thought all cats loved to be brushed. Isn't that so? I would very much appreciate any ideas on what I can do to change Sombra's dislike to being brushed.

 

[daftcat75]

I’ve never been able to work out whether Krista enjoys it or merely tolerates it. I’m inclined to believe it is somewhere between a “like” and a sensory overload. She’ll accept the first couple of brushes and maybe lean into the cheek and head. But when we get to the body, she squirms, flattens, then gets up. I’m lucky if I get a few strokes in. So I sneak my brush strokes in throughout the week. “Some better than none” is always my philosophy with this cat.

 

[verna davies]

Have you tried a glove such as Delomo fur removal glove from Amazon. I use something similar on my cats and they seem to tolerate it.

 

[daftcat75]

I just picked up the Love Glove yesterday and it’s getting the same response as the brush. Except it’s harder to clean than the brush.

 

[Hellenww]

Most of the cats we've had were short haired and loved brushing to the point of overstimulation. I do a double brush technique. Brush their body with one brush and hold the other by their nose so they can rub or bite it. The one long haired girl we had absolutely hated brushing. We made sure to keep her knot and matt free so I wasn't pulling at her hair but she only ever enjoyed her face brushed.

 

[Kflowers]

Opposite experience from Hellenww. I was going to say most of our cats hated being brushed. The truth is all but one hated it. I even started one before he got any fur (he was an oooops, I got from the vet to hand raise.) I started with a human baby brush, which is just soft feathers instead of bristles. When he got fur I used regular cat brush. The minute kitty was big enough and strong enough to make his wishes real that was the end of brushing.

 

[golondrina]

Thank you very much for all your replies. I wonder how I had got the wrong notion that cats loved being brushed a notion "confirmed" by my late cat Cucumella who did love it. But then Cucumella liked to please ME. She was exceptional in many ways.

I don't want to let Sombra shade her poils all over the place but I will try to find other methods. Perhaps using a comb instead of a brush? If so many cats dislike being brushed there must be a good reason for it. After all she does know she will get her treats after the brushing but even then she doesn't accept it gladly. The sensation caused by the brush must not be pleasant for her.

I come from a generation when as children we were obliged to wear and eat what parents decided whether we liked it or not. I never did that to my children. I will try to find a way to deal with Sombra's shading without upsetting her so much.

 

[Kflowers]

Honestly, I'd say Sombra's reaction is a cat who doesn't mind brushing. I'm thinking the brushing stirs up her nerves, not in a bad way, but like when you lightly stroke your brush over the inside of your forearm. She may run to 'sort the nerves out'. A cat who doesn't like brushing FIGHTS it. Hissing, swatting, scratching and, on occasion biting.

a comb might be the way to go. They come in different sizes. I wouldn't get the one with the closest set tines, my cats seriously hated that - scratching hiding etc. What they tolerated best was the dog rake. I know, weird. It's a metal comb with wide set tines. I'll go see if I can find one to post.

 

[Kflowers]

for some reason I can't put addys from Amazon in and get them clickable. So put dog rake in at Amazon. If you get one, I'd get the one that only has one set of tines. Cat hair is softer than dog fur and more likely to tangle.

 

[golondrina]

Thank you Kflowers. To be honest I don't like givng my credit card info in Internet. Also Amazon charges for delivery to Montevideo are several times de value of the item ordered.

Sombra does fight trying to get away while I hold her down by the scruff of the neck but she doesn't hiss or become aggressive in any way. She does show her displeasure waving her tail while I brush her. No, to me is evident that she doesn"t like it.

I'll be reporting how I get along trying a different way to deal with her shading. Thanks again for your interest.

 

[foxden]

My cats (7 over the years) have never been fond of cat brushes.
I started using a round hair brush used for blow-drying my hair. The variation my last 5 cats prefer has plastic bristles with rounded dots on the bristle tips. They are not as fond of natural bristles or brushes with lightweight plastic bristles that have more bristles.
This item from target looks a lot like the brush my cats like best.
Conair Copper Pro Air Thermal Small Round Brush
I've had my cat brush for some time and I don't recall the brand

 

[danteshuman]

I thought my short haired boys hated being brushed, then I bought a purple kong rubber brush. My boys love it! They love it when I pet them while I brush it. Even our long haired baby kitten tolerates that brush well.

 

[daftcat75]

Krista hates the Kong. My last cat loved it though.

 

[jcat]

Perhaps using a comb instead of a brush?

That's definitely worth a try. Our last cat loved a flea comb and would walk over to the drawer where it was kept and meow to be combed. He learned to tolerate the Zoom Groom for 2-3 minutes once a week and the Furminator (actually a comb rather than a brush) a little longer, but adored that flea comb.

 

[Columbine]

Asha hates to be brushed, but she really likes her combs. I have a flea comb for her, but her favourite comb is just a cheap little plastic hair comb, like this
She still gets overstimulated by it (like with any kind of full body petting), but she really loves having her face, neck and chest combed with this. She's also way more tolerant of having her back and sides combed than she is with brushing.

Some cats really do adore to be brushed, but it's a very individual thing. Asha does best with little-and-often combings, rather than a longer grooming session once a day. I keep a comb on hand at all times, and sneak mini sessions in when she comes for snuggles

 

[jcat]

Just a thought, but some people start out with a soft toothbrush to "desensitize" a cat.

 

[danteshuman]

Weird our long haired wee baby kitten hated the toothbrush but likes the rubber brush. A toothbrush is cheap though and sometimes you have to try a lot of brushes before you get the right one.

 

[golondrina]

Probably the rewarding treats after the brushing sessions have done the trick. Now I don't need to hold Sombra against her will when brushing her. She lies down and stretches out calmly while I brush her even if she does show her displeasure by waving her tail slowly. When the brushing is over she follows me to the kitchen miauling loudly reclaiming her reward with her tail right up and the tip of it showing her excitement. The next step is playing until I have had enough although SHE never has enough. She would play non stop all day.

 

[Kflowers]

Sombra is such a good kitty.

 

[golondrina]

I cannot believe this! Sombra not only DIDN'T wave her tail showing her displeasure at being brushed this morning but she even lifted her tail right up as she does when she is happy. Not only that but she licked my other hand while I was brushing her and when I bent down my head to kiss her forehead she licked my face.

We will see what happens tomorrow morning but it does look as if the brushing fight has been won.