Brushing My Cat

My cat hated being brushed, but he had long hair and it was getting everywhere. I started giving him a treat after each brushing. Eventually he started associating brushings with treats. He would go to the brush and meow (asking me to brush him so he could get a treat afterwards). After a while he started enjoying the brushings and didn't need the treats anymore. In the beginning the brushings lasted only a few moments, but as he started to enjoy them they got longer and longer. I should warn you though that I ended up having to brush my cat several times a day...it ended up being his favorite thing to do.

I have the same problem. I think my cat hates her brush, maybe it does hurt their skin? I have white fur all over the place all the time. I have those sticky rollers every where so I can use them on days I'm wearing dark clothes. I love her to bits but the fur is driving me totally insane :)

Brushing cats is an art. When I brushed my cat I would never hold her down because that was counter-productive. Just be patient and let them leave when they want to. Mine always came back. With each brush stroke use your other hand to stroke them gently. My cat learned to love being brushed and came to me whenever she saw me get the brush out.

I'd also recommend trying a different brush. They also have pet grooming gloves, like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Love-Glove-Grooming-Mitt-Cats/dp/B0...

My husband used to pull his cat's extra hair out - kind of like how I'd envision plucking cotton. She loved it (but she was nuts).

Ha, I watch 2 cats that act like your cat.. They want to rub and sniff the brush, chew on it, rub against it.. I have learned to brush with one hand while holding their comb in the other.. they will rub up against the comb or chew on it, while I am brushing them..

we have 4 ginger/white tabbies & black carpets. I vacuum alot! My DH used to brush them, but I personally think it makes them shed more. I have heard of a product called shed stop, and wonder if anyones tried it? The fur is annoying, we go through rollers, baby picks it up to eat...

Other posts covered the basics, distract her with a toy or extra brush or sneak up on her when she is sleeping. It is okay to gently hold her in one place while you brush if you need to. Using treats to train your cat to tolerate grooming may work too. I also would alternate brushing with petting my cat's head and face, which she loved.

My long haired kitty was an older cat when we got her. We ended up just getting her groomed by a professional pet groomer a 2-3 times a year. I tried to time it to spring and fall when the weather changed and she was shedding a lot. For us it was worth the money especially as she got older and had trouble grooming herself well (she lived to the ripe old age of 21).

I usually brush my cat when he is sleeping. It wakes him up but doesnt seem to mind it too much.

I use a furmanator brush, too, and do the scratching under the chin while brushing trick. I also follow my cats if they walk off or moves around. You might try a treat to keep her still for a moment. The furmanator brush really helps get the most out of each stroke you can manage, though!

Have you tried changing the type of brush you use? We have a large long haired cat and with just the right brush he is is puddy on the floor. Took me a while the first time to get him all the way done, now i just keep up with it once a week.
The brush I have is smaller than usual (takes longer but he finds it less interesting if he mainly only sees your hand)
Hope that helps

My husband combs our cat (actually our "grand cat") every evening...Jasper LOVES it...since it is done nightly, it doesn't take that long AND he knows he is going to get a treat when it is over!! He actually comes in and jumps up on the bed every night at 9:00 ...waiting for Grandpa to comb him!!
YOu can experiment with various combs and see which ones he likes the best...and I also like the idea of holding one comb...for him to "play" with while you tend to business with the OTHER comb!!! lol

Not a stupid question. I ask pet-related questions here all the time. I have no experience with cats, but just thought I'd let you know I had a dog who was prescribed tranquilizers for periodic use for her anxiety. She had the opposite reaction--they made her agitated. Apparently a small percentage of animals will have the opposite reaction when given a sedative or tranquilizer. Good luck.

Get a Furminator or grooming brush...they are amazing. I was dumb enough to buy one from the vet for $35...and Walmart has them for about $13. My cat sort of plays around...but I get an ocassional few brushes in before he runs off. I scratch under his neck (which he loves) to distract him from the fact that I am brushing him. It doesn't last long...but it helps.

I have found that bathing my cats regularly cuts down on fur and dander terribly (I am allergic and this is the only way I can keep my cats). It also keeps the hairballs down. It is quite a process since I get into the tub with the kitty (wearing sweatshorts with a soggy towel on my lap) to calm them down...but it works great, and they look and smell wonderful! It cuts down on shedding, too.

lol. I used to vacuum my cat... I used the furniture attachment and she LOVED it... I don't recommend it though unless you KNOW your cat won't get freaked out. I tried it on my other cat once, and still have the scars. I usually just held under the stomach, through the front legs and scratched her chin with one hand, while brushing with the other. OOOR... when she was really wriggly I would use a sock with the toe cut out (lol) and pin either her front or back legs, and brush the other half. Again though, only do it if it doesn't freak out your cat. My one cat LIKED the vacuum, and he other LIKED the sock, so it worked out for well for us. :)