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My cat has bad hair mats. I have taken her in every spring to get a lion cut, but this year between family weddings & graduations it didn't happen. I called today & my regular groomer is booked into Sept & it can't wait that long. The only other 2 places around here that do cats are over 60 miles away & cost $45-$55. I can't afford that.
I was thinking of buying an electric pet clipper, but don't know much about them. Does anyone who does their own cats have any suggestions. My groomer said she uses a 7H blade...for whatever that's worth.
I have sheared sheep & trimmed horses & show cattle, but this I think is a little different deal.
I do have a Wahl groomer with CD demo instructions but I don't use it, I only use a brush and comb and spray onto the brush anti-tangle treatment. I have a Ragdoll semi-long hair which are supposed to be low maintenance - yer right. I brush him twice a day, it takes seconds.
I wouldn't attempt to trim/shave him, the noise of the clipper would be enough to spook him.
No doubt someone with experience will come along soon to advise you.
I would get a really good cordless as they tend to make less noise. Depending on your cats personality I don't know that I would attempt this yourself. Obviously you've got a bit of experience, but it is a bit different . Some vets offices will do it for you but they don't do it very often so I would stick to your groomer. IF you do it yourself, prepare to do in in tow or three small sessions as you are not really experienced.
7H is the blade length - there are lots of different ones - I would go with a Wahl or an Oster brand trimmer. You also need to get some cooling spray and usually more than one blade and handle. As you trim the blade will heat up and can burn your pet. A groomer will use one for a bit and then switch out while the first one cools then switch back. Don't go cheap on grooming products - it will only get you in the long run. You don't need the best they make - but at least get a bit above mid priced. My aunt does her own standard poodles so I've learned from her
She has a crap load of equipment just for those two dogs. You can't expect to hold the cat while you clip the hair - you'll need tie downs. Your one hand will hold the clippers while the other holds the skin taught so it doesn't catch in the clippers. You need good experience to hold the cat still with the "skin hand" Never EVER tie a cat by the neck like a dog!! Tie straps go up and under the arms.
Some vets offices will do it for you but they don't do it very often so I would stick to your groomer.
Our cat was severely matted. We asked our vet office to do a "medical necessity" shaving. Vet techs have to shave cats all the time. They emphasized that the weren't groomers and I pointed out that our cat couldn't look any worse than she already did.
She came out adorable - like a little shorn lamb, with clipper lines all over her. Like a bad human haircut, I gave it 2 weeks and she looked absolutely fantastic.
Yes - techs and assistants to shave down dogs and cats for surgery all the time - so they do "know how" that's not what I was implying. They don't have lots of different blades etc. What you are going to get is exactly a shave down and that may not be what you want. The techs/assistants don't really take time to brush mats etc - they don't have it. They snip and shave (believe me). I wasn't saying your vet staff couldn't do it - just that it may not be the first choice if you wanted any "finesse"
These mats are beyond brushing out. Groomer can't get her in for over a month yet. Vet won't do it....and they're mostly lg animal (cow/horse/sheep) vets, so don't even do surgery on small animals. Have to go 70+ miles away for that.
The mats are all back toward her tail, so I figured I'd use her regular harness to tie her with. She doesn't mind getting haircuts/shaves from the groomer, so I think she'll be OK. She freaks more over the strange dogs barking, etc., which there won't be a problem with here at home.
The first thing I would do is get snub nosed scissors-like we use for trimming toddler nails- and cut out the really bad mats. This will ensure that the clippers don't get tangled in the fur and you end up pulling too hard to get the clippers out. After you get the really bad mats out, you just may decide to leave it at that and start grooming her regularly so no more show up. I wouldn't attempt to shave a cat by myself , nor would I do the whole cat unless absolutely necessary.
She's gotten her main body clipped to 1/2" for the past 8-10 years. I leave her tail, belly, & from her shoulders forward. She has so much fur she's miserable in summer.
She's a large cat, but looks even bigger because of her fur. She's 18# and her fur on her sides is well over 3" long. Some places it's almost 4". She has a double coat of really long guard hairs and her undercoat is thick as sheeps wool but soft as angora rabbit...and even the undercoat is 3+ inches.
I'd post a photo of her, but I don't know how.
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I brush him twice a day, it takes seconds.
. Some vets offices will do it for you but they don't do it very often so I would stick to your groomer. IF you do it yourself, prepare to do in in tow or three small sessions as you are not really experienced.
