Hastings Cat Chat by ANITA KELSEY
It’s surprising how many quirky cat things you can find in Hastings. Since starting The Cat Chat I’ve been noticing loads, like peculiar feline roof ornaments. If you know of any that make you smile, get in touch.
Best Grooming Practices
Hey Anita,
My cat Cookie occasionally gets mats in her hair that are quite tricky to remove. Do you know how I can keep her from stressing when I comb them? Or how to stop the mats from forming? I’ve been regularly brushing so I’m confused as to why she still mats. Thanks in advance for your help.
Ally Fenlon.
This is one of the subjects I love Ally, so thanks for bringing this up. Your cat is a Domestic long hair with thick fur. Most cats have two layers of fur. The top layer is longer, called guard hair, and the bottom is shorter and thicker, called down or awn hair. When we concentrate on the top layer, the downy thick fur can matt as our cats moult. The more fur moults, the more it will get trapped underneath.
Most tight mats need to be shaved out. However, if the mat isn’t tight to the skin, try teasing it out by separating it with your fingers, and then hold it near to the root to hook it out with your comb. Svetlana Broussova’s ‘Grooming Longhaired Cats’ is an excellent resource for learning how to groom longhaired cats, complete with step-by-step photo instructions and an instructional DVD. It can be found on Amazon.
During grooming, give Cookie a treat she isn’t used to, connected only to grooming: the best way to train a cat is to ensure they get something positive out of it.
To make sure she doesn’t easily mat again, learn the correct grooming tools and techniques. Lift the fur and release small amounts to comb downwards. That way you are starting with the undercoat first. For long-haired cats, use a moulting comb with a slicker brush to finish. Groom a small amount everyday, with treats, so that Cookie isn’t overwhelmed.
Canine Revolution
Dear HIP,
I write (with some difficulty as my paws are not ideally suited to keypads) to complain about your dismal ‘column’ Cat Chat. Quite apart from the fact that I find this speciesist, if not actual canine discrimination, it is scatological and excessively tedious. I mean, who cares whether ‘Clarence’ runs around the house after he has a ‘stool/poo’ moment? And who wants to know whether the writer smiles after she has had a ‘pleasurable release’ on the toilet. And I am certainly not interested in her opinion that Clarence is ‘high on his own bowl movements.’
If this column was intended to be humorous it might be justifiable, but it isn’t even vaguely funny. Anyway, why should felines merit all this space in your august journal? What about us? Dogs are rightly renowned as man’s best friend – not cats. We demand equal rights – or at least equal editorial space. My ferret friends might well feel the same. Not to mention other pets including mice, guinea pigs, domestic rats etc.
Sincerely,
Teddy Boy
Dear Teddy boy,
I read your letter to my two cats Kiki and Zaza and this is their response:
“We have no interest in what dogs think or feel. If he wants to write his own doggie column, we suggest he collar the editors. We look forward to not reading it. Good luck! Kiki and Zaza.”
Cat of the week
Remy, age one and a half. Rescued from Abu Dhabi and now living in Hastings. Sent in by Megan.
Remy likes water, watching sparkling bubbles, and chasing a piece of hessian.
She dislikes the cold and being stroked when she’s in her favourite cat tipi.
Got a question or want your cat featured? Send to [email protected]. Is your question missing this week? Check out Cat Chat on the HIP website, hastingsindependentpress.co.uk.
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