I swear everytime I need to post its because of my baby Hector. He's a beautiful smokey 1 year old persian I "adopted" about 5 or 6 months ago. My bf's brothers girlfriend raises persians and desperately needed someone to adopt Hector because another cat had just had a litter and she didn't have room for him anymore. He was born in a small bedroom and lived there with his brothers and sisters the entire 7 months of his life before being given to us. He had never been out of the room before and I could tell the girl who gave him to us hadn't spent much time with him when he was young because he was very very timid and his fur was pretty matted. We couldn't even pet him for quite a while let alone brush him, cut his nails, or pick him up. It took us quite a few months of working patiently with him before he became comfortable with people at all. He's a wonderfully affectionate cat now and has attached himself to me following me from room to room around my house. My only problem is that since she didn't work with him more when he was younger he's still very tough to groom. I try to brush him and occasionally he'll sit for 2 or 3 minutes but then he's up and out before I get more than a few strokes in. A month or so after we got him he let us start getting the mats off his back and sides but his belly is still pretty matted and he tends to get mats "back there". We've had to take him to the vet twice so they could remove them because they were irritating his rear and giving him trouble when he used the litter box. The vet had to do it though so someone could control him cause he's still really paranoid about being handled. I can only pick him up for a few seconds at a time and there's still no way I can cut his nails. I really want to take good care of him and do a better job grooming him but I can't figure out how to make him trust me more to let me do these things. And he doesn't eat treats so food as a reward hasn't really worked out either. Someone please help me help my baby!!!
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Need advice grooming my paranoid persian
- Thread starter starrymoongrl
- Start Date
First of all never use a brush on a longhair cat - you have to have a comb. Otherwise you get mats.
I would hold him on my lap with a comb nearby. Start to play with him - scratch his head, pet him, and sneak in a little combing. Start with the head and neck where its not matted. Then gradually comb more and more.
Be firm but quiet. Speak to him in a gentle voice but do not let him leave till you decide when to stop. After doing a little combing put the comb down and pet/play with him.
As far as nails, you can trim them when he's asleep or sleepy (to get him used to having his feet touched - play with his feet/toes when petting. You might need 2 people - one to hold him, one to cut nails. Its a little harder with a long hair to find those nails sometimes
I had a Turkish Angora who hated having his nails done; he growl, etc. and I'd just tell him to shut up and be still. I haven't found a cat yet that I could not get nails cut!
I would hold him on my lap with a comb nearby. Start to play with him - scratch his head, pet him, and sneak in a little combing. Start with the head and neck where its not matted. Then gradually comb more and more.
Be firm but quiet. Speak to him in a gentle voice but do not let him leave till you decide when to stop. After doing a little combing put the comb down and pet/play with him.
As far as nails, you can trim them when he's asleep or sleepy (to get him used to having his feet touched - play with his feet/toes when petting. You might need 2 people - one to hold him, one to cut nails. Its a little harder with a long hair to find those nails sometimes
I had a Turkish Angora who hated having his nails done; he growl, etc. and I'd just tell him to shut up and be still. I haven't found a cat yet that I could not get nails cut!
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- #3
No one told me about using a comb instead! Is there any type in particular I should be using? I imagine you don't mean the same comb I would use on my hair.
The only problem with not letting him leave is that he freaks out really easily and gets vicious quickly. I've had to give him medicine before and the only way my bf and I managed it without major injury was to wrap him in a towel while holding his feet, pull his head back, and use a kitty pill injector to get it down his throat. And believe me even then it was very difficult and stressful for all involved. Unfortunately wrapping him in a towel won't work for grooming
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #4
I still really would like help with this. Anyone?
I have a "difficult" Persian also. Buster is a large, very hairy (his hair has hair) male approximately 2-years old. During the summer months...probably around June or so, I have a professional come to my house and give him & sister Ashley, a lion-cut.
During the winter months...well...it's gets very hairy around here. Buster loves (adores) the "Zoom Groom". It doesn't get out heavy matting but if I start with the Zoom Groom and then sneak in a metal comb he will sit still for a bit. I end-up doing this sneaky switch-a-roo several times until he gets tired of the whole thinkg. I know exactly what you mean by "it gets very stressful for everyone involved"!!
I don't keep up on his nail clipping like I should and although it may seem stressful, I have used the ole' straight-jacket -- wrap-him-in-a-towel trick...pulling one leg out at a time and then clipping his nails.
Wish I better advice for you but I too have a difficult little "King" over here.
During the winter months...well...it's gets very hairy around here. Buster loves (adores) the "Zoom Groom". It doesn't get out heavy matting but if I start with the Zoom Groom and then sneak in a metal comb he will sit still for a bit. I end-up doing this sneaky switch-a-roo several times until he gets tired of the whole thinkg. I know exactly what you mean by "it gets very stressful for everyone involved"!!
I don't keep up on his nail clipping like I should and although it may seem stressful, I have used the ole' straight-jacket -- wrap-him-in-a-towel trick...pulling one leg out at a time and then clipping his nails.
Wish I better advice for you but I too have a difficult little "King" over here.
If all else fails you can always get him shaved and then start combing him even with the short hair. Then as it grows out, maybe he'll be better able to deal with you brushing him.
My persian loves being brushed on his head, ruff and back...when it gets to his tummy and legs...ohhh that's when major attitude comes out. lol
My persian loves being brushed on his head, ruff and back...when it gets to his tummy and legs...ohhh that's when major attitude comes out. lol
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #7
Thanks so much for making me feel better! I'll definitely keep working on it!
I've had a difficult Persian before. It's so hard to find things that work. All I can say is keep trying and be patient. Some times it takes months for a cat to trust a person. And sometimes they never do. Another option you always have is to have the kitty professionally groomed regularly. Usually they are much better for a pro groomer then they are for their owners. And they have more hands available usually, not to mention the right equipment. One thing I do for clipping nails, is wrap the cat up in a towel. I swaddle him like a baby, very tight and pull one paw out at a time. I've also had to do the speed grooming when one of my cats doesn't want to be held or groomed..... Comb behind one ear, let him down. Comb behind the other ear, let him down. And so on and so forth.
A comb is very necessary with long haired cats. You should have a fine toothed comb for the paws, face and top of head. And a medium tooth comb for behind the ears, under the legs (kind of like the arm pits) and maybe a wide tooth for more vast areas like the back. I'd say the medium and fine are the most important though. I can do most grooming if I have those two combs. But brushing is still important too. Brushing gets a lot of dead hair out and helps, along with combing, to prevent mats. Plus it helps distribute the oils in the cats skin and the fur looks healthier. I hope you find some answers that work for you and your cat. I really understand how frustrating it can be.
A comb is very necessary with long haired cats. You should have a fine toothed comb for the paws, face and top of head. And a medium tooth comb for behind the ears, under the legs (kind of like the arm pits) and maybe a wide tooth for more vast areas like the back. I'd say the medium and fine are the most important though. I can do most grooming if I have those two combs. But brushing is still important too. Brushing gets a lot of dead hair out and helps, along with combing, to prevent mats. Plus it helps distribute the oils in the cats skin and the fur looks healthier. I hope you find some answers that work for you and your cat. I really understand how frustrating it can be.
