Fur conditioner for tufty cat?

[sheilarose]

You got Smarts Gillian!

[Gillian Harvey]

It's light and easy until you need to change sides, then you're brushing the wrong way. Could do with a re-design to incorporate a double handed approach - back to you Gillian and the patent pending?

Yes, know exactly what you mean........what you need - is 2 matbreakers (presuming you brought the one with the removable block of blades?) then you can reverse the direction of the block of blades on one, and voila 

[sheilarose]

Absolutely! And while your at it, Amazon are doing a special on Dreamies (8 packs for £7.52 with free delivery). Tufty says "Get in."

 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Looks like I ned to get one of those!

[sheilarose]

Yup, two whole packs, but then I did get through 5 out of 7 cats!  Need to convince them that Mikki is our friend!

It's light and easy until you need to change sides, then you're brushing the wrong way. Could do with a re-design to incorporate a double handed approach - back to you Gillian and the patent pending?

[Gillian Harvey]

I admit I did enlist two packs of Dreamies to facilitate this.

2 whole packs?!!!   

Glad it worked, its nice and light to use isnt it? 

[sheilarose]

My Mikki mat breaker arrived today (e-bay is even cheaper than Amazon) and EVERYBODY loves it  - even Tufty stayed put while I set about his rear end, he's now soft and fluffy instead of all knotty balls.  I admit I did enlist two packs of Dreamies to facilitate this.

Pursley has a brand new lease of life, released from her clumpy bottom  , and I have enough leftover fur to knit a whole new kitten.

My thanks and salutations to your expertise Gillian! 

[Dawn F]

the mikki mat breaker is wonderful, it gets loads of undercoat out and although looks like and instrument of torture doesn't come into contact with the skin or anything like that

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

The furminator was useless for Misa cos his fur is too long and thick for it and also it cant be used on tangles.

I should have had a look at your grooming tools when I was there Gillian......sigh

[sheilarose]

This is great stuff, thanks Gillian. I've been looking for a quiet trimmer but you can't beat a recommendation from a professional!

I've got a furminator which the three fine coated DSHs Beau, Sam and Theo really enjoy, but the thicker coated cats (Pursely and Sly) find too much, and prefer the good old flea comb. I've held off using these on Tufty as he still has numerous wounds and scabs from his seemingly never-ending battles, and the Furminator really is brutal on damaged skin. I wonder would the Mikk mat breaker be less harsh on Tufty, at least until his testosterone has calmed down a little more? 

I get the point about the conditioner, if I thought there was a conditioning oil that would do the trick AND encourage grooming, I'd be delighted. Maybe you could invent one, Gillian and make yourself a fortune? I'd buy it!
 

[Gillian Harvey]

Its the Mikk Mat breaker Dawn was mentioning - its a bladed comb and intended, as the name suggests, for slicing through mats. However, its not actually that good for that, but it IS good for using like a comb to remove dead undercoat (which, if left in the coat, is what contributes to matting) http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mikki-Grooming-Matt-Breaker-Replacement/dp/B001QOE7M6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1307485053&sr=8-1

Oils/conditioners on the coat won't work - as they will just be licked off, although conditioner can be used to work into a knot to help tease it out (but you then need to rinse it off!) But massaging is a good idea, as you say, to get him used to being groomed in the places he doesnt like. If I get cats like that in for grooming, I start off just by stroking with a piece of sheepskin and then work up to combing (always feeding copious treats to help things along lol!)

Might be worth getting a little battery trimmer, just to whizz any knots off, rather than trying to tease out as this pulls the skin - this trimmer is good http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pocket-Pro-Trimmer/dp/B000VE9A56

Last time long distance grooming attention was required I suggested the mogster was posted, but someone more sensible pointed out they were unlikely to be returned.   

 

[Fire Fox]

Yes Gillian is the groomer and I was there last week.............not being groomed although Ducha could do with one!...........but I have a cat looks like Tufty and he is a nightmare cos he only grooms his white fur and am still cutting out hugs matts from his tail end, takes bloomin months!

He lies on them so I cant get at them and then goes ow ow ow if I get near.......sigh. He will bat me once with a velvet paw but if I continue its claws and hisses 

Gillians cats are just purrrfect and last year was going to take Ducha to see her..........different tangles lol.........but I cant stand the thought of him singing for 300 miles      

  I always wondered how they know which part is dirty. I will now be staring at Lulu to see if she washes her white more than her tortie! Last time long distance grooming attention was required I suggested the mogster was posted, but someone more sensible pointed out they were unlikely to be returned.   

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Yes Gillian is the groomer and I was there last week.............not being groomed although Ducha could do with one!...........but I have a cat looks like Tufty and he is a nightmare cos he only grooms his white fur and am still cutting out hugs matts from his tail end, takes bloomin months!

He lies on them so I cant get at them and then goes ow ow ow if I get near.......sigh. He will bat me once with a velvet paw but if I continue its claws and hisses 

Gillians cats are just purrrfect and last year was going to take Ducha to see her..........different tangles lol.........but I cant stand the thought of him singing for 300 miles 

[sheilarose]

Excellent, this site rocks!    Thanks.

[Dawn F]

sorry yes Jiji is right GillianAmbercat

[Jiji]

 I think it's Gillian (Ambercat) that is the cat groomer 

[sheilarose]

Do you mean Gill (Sneakiefeline)? If so I'll get Tufty to send her a nudge. 

[Dawn F]

Gillian is a good bet as she is a groomer - I've got a long haired cat myself, I find the zoom groom good and also a mikki one that Gilian recommended but can't think of what it is called - Star would let me do the tummy either

he certainly doesn't look like a stray anymore does he!

[sheilarose]

Tufty is a mess. He's the first long haired cat I've owned and now that I've formally adopted him I guess I'd better get good at grooming.

Basically when we first trapped him as a stray his fur was so horribly matted the whole of each flank had to be clipped away by the vet, along with several large unsightly clumps from his huge tail.

Now he's neutered, cleaned up and (nearly) socialised, his fur is growing back, but it's so fine - more like wool than hair - it is starting to clump up again. I get as close as I can with my fingers, comb and a zoom groom the vet recommended, but Tufty's dead against me touching his tail and tummy.

Is there such a thing as conditioning oil I could put on my hands and run through his fluffiest bits to stop the knots forming and reduce the pulling? I think if I could get him used to being massaged like this he might come round to enjoying his grooming sessions. Here's a pic so you get the idea...