Fur, fur everywhere and not just on my cat…

We love our feline companions, but often wish for ways to control or clean up their shed fur. Here are some ideas to help you (and your cat!)

Why cat fur is shed everywhere

Cats have at least two layers of fur (some have three!) and the one we see most often is the longer upper layer. This layer is not shed in great quantities by cats. It is the dense shorter underlayer designed to insulate cats during weather of any kind that is shed. Shedding of old fur occurs year-long, with a seasonal increase after winter being the most prolific. A cat’s self-grooming of this seasonal shedding is what leads to spring and summer hairballs and the resultant problems for your cat and you. Having said this, we turn to ways of decreasing shed fur, first on your cat, and then in your home.

When to brush or comb

Ideally, you could brush or comb your cat every day. This is a great bonding experience for both of you. Touching, purring, and talking all enhance the human-feline bond. This is a great way to relax and unwind after coming home from work or school. It also means a shorter time grooming each day than if you only brush once a week, as most cat books suggest for shorthairs and twice a week for longhairs.

Grooming kittens

Most are born at a time of year when they will not develop a dense undercoat. Nevertheless, it is important that you get a kitten used to being brushed for the following year, when they will have more fur to shed. A kitten has to learn that human contact is beneficial and pleasurable. And you will enjoy this, too!

How to brush or comb a cat’s fur

If you are using a brush with nylon or rubber bristles, your brush strokes go from tail to head, against the way the fur lays. This will loosen the most shed fur and debris for the least number of strokes. When using a nylon brush I start along the back beginning at the base of the tail upwards towards the shoulders using both short and long strokes. Then I brush both shoulder areas and sides, always against – or at a tangent to – the angle of the upper layer of fur.

In our family, all of our cats have totally rejected the slicker brush (see below) while adoring a brush with nylon bristles or a comb. As always there is an exception: Panther will only allow us to comb his fur with our fingers. So sometimes we have to hold him by his scruff to really brush out the heavy winter undercoat.

Not all of our cats let us comb their tails. Charger will allow us to comb or brush his tail from base to tip as will some of the younger cats. Longhair cats such as Maine Coons must have their tails brushed regularly to prevent tangles and get out any debris.

When using a comb (or a slicker brush) we always use short brush strokes in the direction that the fur lays, from head to tail starting with the back, then the sides. Avoid legs and the belly area as the fur is less dense there, and the skin more sensitive. Slicker brushes have thin wire bristles and if you are inexperienced or in a hurry, you can accidentally scratch your cat with it. Below is a sample of some of the other types of grooming tools available.

What you can use to groom your cat:

There are almost as many tools for grooming cats as there are for grooming human hair, including numerous varieties of brushes and combs. Some are better for longhair cats than others. Go to a pet store and hold and move the tool as if you were brushing your cat, to see which ones are comfortable for you in terms of angle of use and shape. Your cat will also have something to say about which tool is her favorite, based on how it feels to her.

With any tool, be careful not to brush or comb so deeply that you scratch your cat’s sensitive skin, or pull hard on tangles. She will definitely have something to say to you if you do!

Flea Combs

These very fine toothed metal combs with (usually) plastic handles can be used not only for eliminating fleas but also for gently combing fine furred short haired cats and kittens. Prices are $3.00 and up.

Our veterinarian taught us a trick for dealing with live fleas. After each stroke that catches a flea, dip the comb into a prepared dish of soapy water. The surface tension created by the soap captures the flea, preventing it from jumping out. The flea then sinks and drowns. Flea combs are used in addition to various medications that kill ticks, fleas and other insect pests that can harm your cat (and the rest of your family). Oh, that reddish coloring in the soapy water is your cat’s blood that the dead flea had ingested.

While we are on the subject, flea and tick preventatives include collars and various brands of liquids that are squeezed onto the skin between the shoulders from which the medicine is then absorbed. We do not recommend flea collars. Many adoption agencies are also against their use, and will specify that you not use them on any cat you adopt. The insecticide used can be harmful to your cat, cause skin irritation and even allergic-like reactions.

The preventative liquids come in single use dosages, based on a cat’s weight. Check with your veterinarian as to what he recommends. Some brands are sold over-the-counter others can only be purchased from a veterinarian. Our favorite prescription medicine is Revolution®, as it also kills roundworms and other parasites in addition to fleas and ticks. While not cheap, many adoption centers also use this for treating trapped feral cats. Revolution® killed fleas on a feral cat we trapped in less than 36 hours.

A Sample of Grooming Tools

Most of these products are available at pet stores and online pet stores. Prices and availability will vary. This is a sampling of the numerous products you can find, but each listing represents a different type of product. Brand names are the registered trademarks of their respective owners. We have used most of the products mentioned, after buying them in our local pet stores or at our veterinarians’ hospital. No, we don’t own part of any of these companies, either.

Shampoos abound, however not all cats like water. J Some waterless shampoos also exist. One of the reasons your cat spends so much time grooming is to keep his or her scent on his or her fur. A shampoo defeats this purpose. In addition, some cats may develop skin sensitivities to these products. I would only use them if your veterinarian recommends doing so and only as a short term measure.

FURminator® is the newest and the most expensive product in this lineup with its stainless steel edge deShedding Tool. It removes much of the loose or shed undercoat and is designed for use on both long and short-haired pets. The manufacturer recommends that this product not be used for cats or dogs with tight curly fur or those with thin undercoats such as Bichons, Irish Water Spaniels, Maltese, Poodles, Portuguese Water Dogs, and Shih Tzus. Usually found in the dog grooming area. Several people I have spoken with think this is the best product ever. We have not tried it yet. Price range is $35.00 for the small model (cats and small dogs) to $60.00 for large dogs. We suggest that you search online for sales on this item.

Bamboo Care’s 4 in 1 Grooming set has a two sided brush and two combs. The slicker side of the brush has fine wire teeth, while the other side has softer nylon bristles. One comb is a fine tooth for finishing up your grooming session. The other is a flea comb, for combing out fleas and their eggs. We have found this to be a good all around set for basic grooming. Hand wash. Price about $13.00

Kong’s® Zoom Groom for Cats is a cat shaped rubber brush with ¾ inch widely spaced teeth. Excellent for long hair cats, it also provides a beneficial skin massage, in addition to brushing all that long beautiful outer fur to prevent hurtful matting and tangles. Hand Wash. Price about $8.00

Groomax’s® Easy Groom Cat Shedding Blade has a rubber handle and circular metal toothed blade for rapid grooming.

Price about $7.00

Simple Solution’s® Grooming Gloves can be used on cats who seem nervous about brushes and combs. It can be a way to introduce a cat to the concept and sensation of being groomed by you. You wear the fabric gloves and the plastic nubs help remove shed fur. This is the only “tool” Panther allows us to use on him. Machine washable and line dry. Price about $3.00

Lambert Kay’s Shed Relief for Cats is a liquid supplement that your veterinarian may suggest if your cat has dry, flaky skin and sheds more than normal year-round. It contains linoleic acid and vitamins A, D and E. We have mixed it into wet food, offered it on a spoon, and even rubbed some on their paws, but not all of our cats like the scent and flavor. Price about $12.00.

Removing shed fur from places other than your cat:

Clothing:

A length of transparent tape is the old fashioned method. I only use it on small areas of fabric as it can be rather tedious. Not good on silk or wool or blends of these fabrics.

Simple Solution’s® reusable Cat Hair and Lint Remover Sponge can be rubbed over clothes or furniture. We have used this and found it also picks up dust from clothes hanging in the closet too long. J The sponge is hand washable. Price about $6.00

Hair Pic-up Roller has a handle attached to a tube with 60 layers of peelable sticky paper that pulls lint and fur off of clothing. This is a lot like using transparent tape, but you can clean a larger area at a time. Be careful and test a small area of natural fibers fabric first. Price about $4.00. Replacement tubes with more sticky paper are about $3.00 each.

Rooms and furniture:

We have found a HEPA filter vacuum cleaner to be best. This is our favorite method of removing cat fur from our home. HEPA filtration does not allow dust or other airborne particulates to escape as many non-HEPA technology machines do. (See allergy article.) Use included attachments for corners and furniture. Brush attachments create friction which dislodges the shed fur on fabrics and carpet. A vacuum cleaner hose with brush attachment or mini-vacuum with brush is also good for both furniture and hard to reach areas. If the surface is leather, a brush may not be necessary to remove the fur from your furniture. Yes, using attachments takes a bit longer, but is well worth the trouble.

Pet hair eliminator has large green thermoplastic bristles that create a static charge which attracts and holds lint and shed fur. Can be used on floors, furniture, and clothing. They say you can use it on a cat, but cats may not like the static charge very much. Price about $10.00.

Machine washable throws (small blankets) can be placed on your furniture, from sofas to chairs and even beds. They will hold shed fur that can then be washed off. Some of these are even usable as crate or carrier liners, having waterproof backing. They come in many colors, sizes and textures, and can be found in pet stores, online pet stores, or even discount department stores. Prices generally range from $20.00 on up. On a budget? You can buy a Vellux® or other soft but tightly woven blanket on sale and cut it to size, or have a whole one double as a full blanket on your bed. Don’t use an open weave — if your cat kneads the blanket, her claws will become entangled.

Place the throw on the side of your sofa that your feline friend likes to nap. If your cat requires some persuasion to use the throw, spray some Feliway® or other calming cat attractant on the surface and after a minute place your cat on the blanket. You may have to repeat this process more than once. We have several types of these throws placed in strategic locations around our home. Our cat shelves also have machine washable fabric covers for the same reasons.

Cat-A-Comb can be used if your cat is marking the corner edges of your walls. It has plastic bristles and comes with double sticky tape and catnip. Place where your cat likes to rub his face. We found this does not stick well to highly textured walls, and the design we tried did not allow us to refresh the catnip very easily. Price about $6.00.

Finally I went to sleep around 5:30, secure and happy in the knowledge that Glory (who had slept on a chair all night) was cuddled up next to me. Various people and cats poked at me during the morning hours, but I valiantly ignored them all and slept till a reasonable 2:30 PM or so.

After I actually was walking around the house, Jennifur reasonably wanted to know where the hell I had been for so long. The interesting thing was that she was vocalizing, which she has done very rarely since she came to live with us. I realized she’s been doing that more often lately, and so I told her out loud that I liked to hear from her. She immediately started in with more and more meowing, which made me laugh happily because she really does enjoy pleasing me.

Today Steven went to visit one of his friends, who just got a Siamese-mix kitten. I went to pick him up and ended up picking her up (the kitten, that is). Her name is Marshmallow, which fits because she’s mostly white and has the most incredible soft fluffy fur…not like a Persian but kind of "springy", although it’s not curled up like a Cornish Rex. I held her and she was quite a purrball!

Of course, when I got home, I had to reassure both Glory and Jennifur that they were beautiful and wonderful. They tend not to be jealous in general but take no chances when it comes to cute female kittens!

A very basic checklist before you adopt a pet, no matter where the cat is from.

Know thyself and thy family!

• How much time and attention can you give a new pet? This includes not only basic needs, but play time and purring time. Be truthful!
• Decide in advance the best places in your home for her to sleep, eat, drink, and the equally important (but far less entertaining) needs to urinate and defecate? Don’t carve this in stone; things may be different than what you expect in the beginning while the cat and you get to know one another.
• Who will take care of these basic physical needs every single day? Can several people share the responsibilities on a rotating basis?
• What kind of temperament will fit in with your family? A cuddly quiet lap cat? A high energy talker? One who runs to greet you and demands attention? A cat who likes to run and play and chase invisible things (these are known as greeblings and live in a dimension that only cats can see)? A kitten that will grow up and require lots of attention and training along the way? An older cat that may have some fears or habits that will require you to work with her calmly and consistently to abate them? Even young cats may have become afraid like our Jennifur, who was tormented as a kitten by some vicious school boys. She avoided our older son until he grew taller, seeming to associate a certain height with those bullies.
• Can your cat live indoors with you? It will lengthen his lifespan, keep him healthier, less prone to ticks, fleas, disease and uninjured. There is a myth that cats must live outside to express their wild natures. Baloney. Outside cats get lost, run over by cars, killed by wildlife, badly trained dogs and vicious people. They can unknowingly eat rats or mice that were poisoned by your neighbors. In suburban areas, they can drink antifreeze in someone’s garage and die. In more rural areas cats make great coyote food, and can be killed by rattlesnakes and black widow spiders.Cats can hunt, hide, run, jump, chase, stalk, “sharpen” claws (a misnomer), sleep, eat, and eliminate waste all in the comforts of your home. Or do you want an indoor/outdoor cat? Be clear on how this will benefit all concerned.
• Don’t like litter boxes? There are self-cleaning ones now, both electronic and manual (you roll the container and dump the contents of the tray into the trash). We have two of the latter type; they’re inexpensive, save litter, and turn a 5-minute task into 30 seconds.
• Some cats have been trained to use the (human) toilet. There are books about potty training cats. Jennifur used to do this on her own, except she never did manage to flush the toilet
• Do you want a “barn cat” for killing the mice that eat the grain you need for your horses? Some cats are better for this than others, and a good local animal shelter will know which ones will suit you.
• How will your cat be cared for when you go on vacation? Some cats actually travel well; many do not. Not all vacation spots are suitable for a cat (or dog). There are “pet hotels” or boarding places of various quality. Check with your vet and the phone book.

…completely out of nowhere…

…how can I say this…

…we suddenly…

…got another Bengal!!!

I can’t possibly explain this, except that we feel Charger is just the right companion for Glory. He’s the perfect male for her, because he’s just too big to be intimidated…but he’s so wonderful that he never got aggressive with her, even when she provoked him like crazy. He’s about 1 1/2 years old, and was given up by someone who was moving into an apartment that didn’t take pets. How she could have separated from this cuddly, friendly, gentle fellow I don’t know, but he was living with this woman’s mother since the beginning of October and felt sad that he was not wanted. Can’t blame her too much, because she already has a cat and a dog, who are both small (the mother is skinny and 60ish), and Charger…

…is Catzilla!!!

He is as big as a bobcat (Susan even visited a local zoo to check)!!! He could pick Glory up and carry her around like a kitten. And speaking of carrying, I can barely lift him up from the floor, so luckily he’s a good jumper…you should feel his muscles!!!

He does have the most amazing growl I’ve ever heard. Actually two…one is a "warning" growl that sounds like a big V8 engine idling, and the "serious" one where he cuts in the auxiliary power amplifier and subwoofer…only a digital recording could do that one justice. The first time he did it, he was under our bed and it felt like it was shaking. And when he purrs, it sounds like a pack of Harleys riding by, or perhaps thunder in the distance…