Kitty haircut

[flying_babyb]

For those of you who treat your kitties to a summer hair cut how do you get them to look even? My two look well... Comical. I feel so bad laughing at them but I cant help it. They look patchy, some high spots some low. Help!

 

[Lintasare]

Professional grooming...the kitties come out washed and looking fabulous and you don't lose any skin.

 

[JR6ooo4]

For those of you who treat your kitties to a summer hair cut how do you get them to look even? My two look well... Comical. I feel so bad laughing at them but I cant help it. They look patchy, some high spots some low. Help!

Mikeeee

 

[flying_babyb]

I know it is! I wish I could get pics off my camera onto my computer. It would be wonderful!

 

[C.Ann]

I wouldn't even attempt to give a kitty a hair cut! I've never encountered one that was particularly "fond" of the process..

One time my late DH tried to give our Pomeranian a "trim" though.. Poor thing - looked like someone attacked him with a weed wacker.. I had to shave him all the way down - just left his "lions mane" and tail intact..

 

[C.Ann]

I know it is! I wish I could get pics off my camera onto my computer. It would be wonderful!

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Someday I'm going to have to learn how to do that.. I see lots of interesting things up here at the lake and when I post about them here people want to see photos, but I still don't know how to do it..

Maybe that's something I'll work on learning this year..

 

[flying_babyb]

Bosco take one, sitting in his favorite spot
cellphone photos take forever....more soon
Ok mabey tommrow... bandit got a haircut too

 

[MomofKatie]

We have a long haired Siamese, and she doesn't get shaved- but we do take her to the groomer for a wash, manicure, and trim every couple of months. She is a BBK (Big Beautiful Kittie), and she sometimes doesn't clean too well after visiting the little kitties box... the girl gets klingons! Having long hair doesn't help- the groomer trims her rear end down to keep things neat and tidy back there.

 

[flying_babyb]

OMG our familys not the only one who calls them "klingon!" Im stunned. I wont spend the money on a pro so my babies are stuck with a momma cut.

 

[2BigKIdz]

Did you use scissors? I would think an electric shaver (dog clippers) with a long guard would work ok and would not produce the look your kitty has. I did that once to a cat I had when I was a kid, cut her hair with scissors, poor thing looked pathetic.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

DH uses electric clippers on the Maine Coon. She doesn't look great, but she is cooler!

he does in three sessions and takes his time. She is good for a certain length of time, but after a certain point enough is enough and he stops.

 

[MomofKatie]

OMG our familys not the only one who calls them "klingon!" Im stunned. I wont spend the money on a pro so my babies are stuck with a momma cut.

Yup- klingons!! And they do cling- yuck. If GiGi would trust me enough, I'd trim her myself. None of our 3 will let me clip their claws, and GiGi doesn't like me messing with her hindquarters. All 3 are rescues that we've had for a year or less- they have all come a long way, but are still skittish about me messing with them too much. Our old cat, Woody, let me clip his claws, give him a bath, whatever.

 

[si-am]

I have owned cats my whole life and have never heard of giving them a summer hair cut.

Why would you do that?

 

[Katieinwonderland]

I have two long haired cats, and last summer we took them to a professional groomers to have them trimmed down a little so they would be comfortable. These cats are usually very sweet and gentle.

Well, I didn't even get home before the groomer called us and very brusquely told us that we had to come and get them. When I arrived, she was covered in cuts and glared at us.

The cats came home looking...patchy. They wouldn't come near us for days, hissed whenever we came too close and peed in my favorite shoes. They continued to look patchy for months, and this year they can just sweat it out.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

I have owned cats my whole life and have never heard of giving them a summer hair cut.

Why would you do that?

our Maine Coon gets knots in her fur and she gets too hot in the summer. We asked the vet first and he said he highly recommended it! The knots are painful when they are close to the skin and pull. He also said she would be much cooler in the summer and would love us for it - he was right!!!!! We only do it for summer, it grows back and she has a full coat for winter. She does look silly - we leave the lion's mane and her tail.

at that time, we couldn't find a professional groomer in our area that did cats, so we bought a decent pair of clippers and she is really good with DH, up to a point. It is more economical that way too. As I mentioned before, she will only put up with it for so long - so he does it over three sessions.

we have to cut back her "pantaloons" year round to keep her , well, cleaner...

 

[Youarehere]

I have owned cats my whole life and have never heard of giving them a summer hair cut.

Why would you do that?

Wow- 13 posts until common sense kicks in.

Why would you do that to your cats?

Way to take away their natural protection against the heat. Good job.

 

[Youarehere]

I have two long haired cats, and last summer we took them to a professional groomers to have them trimmed down a little so they would be comfortable. These cats are usually very sweet and gentle.

Well, I didn't even get home before the groomer called us and very brusquely told us that we had to come and get them. When I arrived, she was covered in cuts and glared at us.

The cats came home looking...patchy. They wouldn't come near us for days, hissed whenever we came too close and peed in my favorite shoes. They continued to look patchy for months, and this year they can just sweat it out.

Keep them well brushed and they will be happy.

 

[flying_babyb]

Wow- 13 posts until common sense kicks in.

Why would you do that to your cats?

Way to take away their natural protection against the heat. Good job.

Due to the fact BOTH my cats have problems grooming themselves my vet actully suggested I give the cats a summer shave. Our old cat (a 25 pound heffer) was also shaved every summer and happier because of it. The cats seem alot happier now that they have less fur and have stopped sleeping in the bathtub (cooler that other spots in the house). I let it all grown back by fall. They love being short for summer.

 

[Rogue26]

We had our cat shaved last year for the first time, he's 6. I've never seen anything so funny in my life.
To answer the question why you would shave your cat:
-My husband ended up in the ER with a very bad infection from a bite from our cat, while trying to clean poop out of his fur.
-I dare anyone to try and brush our cat, believe me if I could I would. He will not be touched for any reason.
-He has very soft fur and it mats very close to his skin and pulls on it. It needed to be shaved to remove the mats. Again, if I could brush him I would.
-When poop sticks to there fur and they drag themselves across the floor leaving skid marks, something needs to be done.
-He was my first (and last) cat, I didn't know he was long haired when I got him, I thought all kittens were fluffy.

When I take him to the vet, the would shave near his bum to keep that area tidy, but the mats got so bad he needed to be shaved down.

We also had our chow mix shaved down, recommended by the vet, and he was much happier that way. I don't feel like I took away protection from the heat and I will continue to do it. I do keep my dog well brushed.

I think we all have adore our animals and have different thoughts on how they should be taken care of. I will have my dog shaved every year, my cat depending on the mat/poop situation.

 

[Youarehere]

Due to the fact BOTH my cats have problems grooming themselves my vet actully suggested I give the cats a summer shave. Our old cat (a 25 pound heffer) was also shaved every summer and happier because of it. The cats seem alot happier now that they have less fur and have stopped sleeping in the bathtub (cooler that other spots in the house). I let it all grown back by fall. They love being short for summer.

Perhaps your vet meant for you to get their fur thinned out a bit, or maybe a lite trim. I saw those pics- if that is what was intended you might want a new vet. I'm happy your kitties have a loving home, but I hate to see pets treated as dolls.