Good clippers to buy?

[aaoz]

I have a DLH who really needs to be shaved down. He gets bad matts but won't let us brush him. We've tried getting him groomed a few times, but the only option is to take him to a vet and have him sedated, which carries health risks and is very expensive. At this point we don't care how he looks; we just want him to be comfortable.

What's a good set of clippers to buy?  Safety is our biggest priority, but we also want to make sure we get a set that actually works (we got a $45 set once before where we needed to go over the fur a bunch of times to get it to work).  I know cordless is easier to handle, but I've read that they're more expensive and also sometimes louder, which would probably freak our cat out.

Any suggestions? 

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

 
I have a DLH who really needs to be shaved down. He gets bad matts but won't let us brush him. We've tried getting him groomed a few times, but the only option is to take him to a vet and have him sedated, which carries health risks and is very expensive. At this point we don't care how he looks; we just want him to be comfortable.

What's a good set of clippers to buy?  Safety is our biggest priority, but we also want to make sure we get a set that actually works (we got a $45 set once before where we needed to go over the fur a bunch of times to get it to work).  I know cordless is easier to handle, but I've read that they're more expensive and also sometimes louder, which would probably freak our cat out.

Any suggestions? 

how old is your boy? does he have any medical issues? i ask because an older cat with medical issues should be treated much more carefully/gently than a young and healthy cat (who you can be a little more firm with).

my snick is a DLH too, and doesn't tolerate brushing (even by me) well. snick had to be sedated years ago to have her tangles brushed out by a groomer.

i use wahl brand clippers/hair trimmers. i bought a set that has a (larger) corded trimmer and a (smaller) cordless mustache trimmer. mine are loud enough and snick doesn't enjoy the trimming much, but it's a pretty quick trim with the trimmers.

i find that it's helpful for me to think about what position snick and i need to be in in order to get the trimming done, ahead of time. that way i go in with a plan. my snick does tolerate some brushing by me, but i need to use one hand to cup her cheek/head to hold it so she won't nibble on me. there are some youtube videos of nail trimmings for cats that are helpful to see some of the positions that work well. if you have two people who can do the trimming, that would make things much easier -- one person can do the holding and distracting, the other will then have two hands to do the trimming (it's easier to use one hand to gently hold and lift the mat/tangle, and your other hand to use the trimmers). i feel it's very important to reward the cat immediately after the trimming. it needs to be immediately after the trimming so kitty will understand that the treats are for allowing the trimming. even if kitty isn't cooperative, give the treats because he let you try.

i also prefer not to do trimming in snick's favorite spots, as i don't want her fearful in or of those favorite spots.

my last suggestion is not to go beyond what your cat is able to handle in one trimming session. do as much as you can and as much as kitty is handling reasonably well, but when kitty reaches the point that he's had enough or becomes too stressed........stop. you can come back and do more trimming a few days later, after kitty has had a chance to calm down and relax for a bit.

 

[aaoz]

Thanks for the detailed response!

He's about eight years old, we think, and in excellent health. We had him groomed once while he was sedated, but it's not something we want to repeat if we can avoid it.

We do brush him fairly frequently, but like you said, it's just a little at a time, otherwise he gets really overwhelmed, and unfortunately it's just not enough to keep up with the matts. We would definitely take the same approach with clippers, like you suggested.  The biggest thing for us is his belly, especially under his legs.  Once that's done I think we can keep up with the rest by brushing.

Is your Wahl set especially for animals, or just a general Wahl set?

Thanks again!

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

no problem!  ) this is something i have experience with, so i'm glad to share my experience.

my wahl trimmer set is actually designed for humans, but it works just fine for cats. this is the set i bought -- http://www.walmart.com/ip/Wahl-79450-ComboPro-14-Piece-Complete-Styling-Kit/10909926 . i use the larger corded trimmer to trim my own hair as well as snick's tangles as needed, and the smaller cordless one just for snick. i do buy clipper oil to keep the trimmers running well and prolong the life of them. here's what i buy -- . i actually have never used the trimmer guards, but i use the little trimmer blade brush after each use and put a little of the oil on the blades (and turn them on to let the oil work in).

i'm planning on trimming a few very small tangles from snick's chest/tummy area this week that i haven't been able to get out with brushing (snick actually doesn't mind me brushing her chest and tummy). what works well for me has been to have me sit on the edge of the tub and sit snick's bottom on my leg with her tail down between my two legs. i have her front paws over my wrist/lower arm and lean her back a bit (for me, she's leaning back to one side of me). i can then brush or trim relatively easily, or as easy as it's going to get.

 

[spiffykitty]

You may be able to find a housecall or mobile (van) cat groomer in your area. Generally, such groomers charge more than salon groomers. They do not sedate, since only veterinary clinics are allowed to medicate cats. If your cat is manageable, one of these groomers may be a great choice. 

I am a cat groomer. I use a Wahl Bravura clipper. It is lovely. Lightweight, quiet, and perfect for cats. Clippers for non-groomers are not of the same quality as clippers for groomers. The Wahl Bravura is used by many, many groomers.

However, cat skin is extremely thin. Even most pet groomers will not groom cats due to the thinness of the skin.  It is easy to nick a cat without even noticing. A small nick can open and spread, until it becomes a big wound, due the nature of the skin.

Another reason that many pet groomers will not groom cats is the danger of infection should the cat become startled and bite the groomer. Cat teeth are particularly good at depositing bacteria. An infection can quickly spread, leading to the need for antibiotics.

When I shave cats, I do a quick rough shave, then bathe and dry the cat. After that, I complete the shave. A bath and blow dry will rid your cat of dead fur and grease. Afterward, it will take longer for them to become matted. 

Personally, I think it is a lot easier to hire a cat groomer than to buy equipment, learn to use it, keep the equipment in good repair, and wrangle a kitty.

 

[aaoz]

Thanks for the response, SpiffyKitty! Always good to have an expert weight in.

Unfortunately, we've had zero luck with professional groomers. This cat is usually very sweet with us, but he gets anxious easily, and when he gets anxious he tends to act aggressive. There's an excellent groomer near us who has tried to work with him twice, but both times stopped before he even got started because he could tell the cat was freaking out (one of those times he was even on xanax).

I'd be interested in trying a mobile groomer, but there aren't any in our area. Also, I'm not sure if it would really address the aggression issues, since this cat tends to be territorial as well.

So I'm not sure what options we're left with. It sounds like you really think that doing even a rough shave on our own would be dangerous, right? I think the only other possibility is to bring him to a vet that has a groomer come in and do the blood tests, sedation, etc., which unfortunately is really expensive around us.