Author Topic: What grooming tools do you use?  (Read 4451 times)

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Offline Middle Child

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What grooming tools do you use?
« on: August 17, 2011, 05:57:23 AM »
I read about the Zoom Groom in every cat forum.  Have not yet tried it myself, but wonder if it might work for my cat who hates all combs and brushes. Does anyone else use it?

I use a Furminator knock-off and I'm very happy with it.  I used to use a comb.  Then someone gave me the imitation Furminator.  It took time for my cats to get used to it and I almost gave up, but the giver urged me to give it more time and I'm glad I listened because it really works great.  Stroke for stroke the de-shedding tool gets twice as much fur as the comb.

But there's my one girl who won't allow any grooming...wondering if the Zoom Groom my work for her. I've tried combs, rubber brushes, nylon brushes..it's all a lat out NO.  And yet she will let me rake my fingers down her back.  But that doesn't get much loose fur. ::)

Offline Lola

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Re: What grooming tools do you use?
« Reply #1 on: August 17, 2011, 07:20:02 AM »
I keep thinking I'm going to try a Zoom Groom or a Furminato for the felines.  Right now, I just use a little kitty brush.  As soon as I brush one, the rest scatter!  Soooo, for the most part, I just use a dust mop, wet mop, damp rag, sticky tape, etc.  On the floors and furniture...not the cats.   Bumpurr1

Once we went to an all wet diet...no issues with matting of the fur.  We do have an occasional furball horked up.  But that is rare.
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Offline Mo

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Re: What grooming tools do you use?
« Reply #2 on: August 17, 2011, 11:43:51 AM »
I have a knock off furminator - I think it is a Safari?  I actually don't like it nearly as much as the other brushes that I use.

The Kong brush - I think it works much better on a long haired cat than a short haired one, but that is just me.  Malachi hates this brush, but he hates being brushed no matter what.  All the rest of my cats love it!  It does get off a good amount of hair, especially if you use it after a differant brush.  

This is the one that I have that seems to get out the most dead hair.  I typically like to use this one first, then the Zoom Groom.

This type of brush works very well to start grooming with, and then finish up with the Zoom Groom brush, which picks up the extra hair that didn't get picked up with the rake.

Earth Bath grooming wipes - I use the "Mango Tango" scented ones, and they do work very well to get rid of any odors on cats...like when Mitch rolls in the litterbox.
« Last Edit: August 20, 2011, 10:39:17 PM by Lola, Reason: Pictures removed. Can\'t use another websites bandwidth to post pictures. »

Offline Pookie

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Re: What grooming tools do you use?
« Reply #3 on: August 17, 2011, 12:22:58 PM »
Pookie doesn't like to be brushed, but he will tolerate the ZoomGroom IF I only stroke once per side and back.  Then I use the flea comb to pick up the loosened hair.  The only reason he tolerates any of this is because while I'm doing that with one hand, I'm holding a soft brush in the other and he LOVES to rub his face against it.  He will get up and start to walk away a little, but I keep combing and holding the other brush for him.  Overall time is less than a minute, but I get a nice bit of fur off of him.

I tried the Furminator and it seemed to me that the hairballs got worse so I stopped.  My assumption was that it loosened up the fur and then they ingested it when they groomed themselves (I still had his sister at the time).  I was still dry-feeding at the time, so I'm sure that didn't help, either.  They also didn't seem to like the Furminator very much.  I admit, I didn't get them used to grooming as kittens  :-[ since I didn't know any better, so just getting Pookie to tolerate what he does is a minor miracle.
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Offline Tasha

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Re: What grooming tools do you use?
« Reply #4 on: August 17, 2011, 02:00:55 PM »
I use the Zoom Groom, I think it works well and both cats tolerate it much better than the Furminator.  I think it is about $8.00 at Petco, so you really can't go wrong  thumbsup1

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Offline Lola

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Re: What grooming tools do you use?
« Reply #5 on: August 17, 2011, 05:06:14 PM »
I realllllllllllllllly like the wipes posted above.  Really good for cleaning ears. 

You all made me feel badly   Bumpurr1 ...everyone got brushed today.  Our number 2 boy kept coming back for more.  He was the only one.  The other cats told me to tell you...they hate you. 
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Offline FurMonster Mom

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Re: What grooming tools do you use?
« Reply #6 on: August 19, 2011, 10:59:28 AM »
Princess Belle and the Babee Dog are the only two who get brushed.

I used to use a slicker brush with Belle, but it just didn't get down to the underfur well enough.
Unlike most long-haired cats, she actually has a rather fine, not too thick coat, so the flea comb seems to work best.
She's gotten used to it over the years, except she HATES it when I do her hindquarters... especially on one particular side.  I suspect she may have a joint issue on that side.

I just started brushing Babee more often.  Her coat has taken a hit since she was diagnosed with Addison's.  The underfur has become dryer and more likely to mat up, and she sheds more these days.  I've been giving her extra vit. E and salmon oil, which seems to help a bit. 

The short haired Ocicat monsters can fend for themselves.   :P

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Offline Middle Child

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Re: What grooming tools do you use?
« Reply #7 on: August 31, 2011, 07:52:47 PM »
Pookie doesn't like to be brushed, but he will tolerate the ZoomGroom IF I only stroke once per side and back.  Then I use the flea comb to pick up the loosened hair.  The only reason he tolerates any of this is because while I'm doing that with one hand, I'm holding a soft brush in the other and he LOVES to rub his face against it.  He will get up and start to walk away a little, but I keep combing and holding the other brush for him.  Overall time is less than a minute, but I get a nice bit of fur off of him.

I tried the Furminator and it seemed to me that the hairballs got worse so I stopped.  My assumption was that it loosened up the fur and then they ingested it when they groomed themselves (I still had his sister at the time).  I was still dry-feeding at the time, so I'm sure that didn't help, either.  They also didn't seem to like the Furminator very much.  I admit, I didn't get them used to grooming as kittens  :-[ since I didn't know any better, so just getting Pookie to tolerate what he does is a minor miracle.

Ever since I read this (bolded) I've been wondering about it.  My senior boy, who has a seizure disorder, liver damage from the phenobarbital, and herpes eyes gets hair ball sicknesses periodically.  He always has, but  they've increased in frequency as he's gotten older. After I read your comment I started to wonder if it after I started using the furminator that the illnesses became more frequent.

So, since then I have stopped using the furminator on him and gone back to a plain comb.  It doesn't get nearly as much fur from him, almost none, it seems, but it also doesn't loosen the fur. Time will tell if his hairball illness episodes lessen. He is on an all canned partially grain free diet. He's always been a canned food kitty, the quality of the canned food was upgraded after the 2007 melamine poisoning.

But I do have another question about the zoom groom.  From what I've read, the zoom groom loosens as much fur as the furminator, so it seems that might have the same effect?

By the way, I don't care about fur on furniture or clothes, I groom them every day because I think it's good for their coat and skin, and it's another oppourtunity to bond.  heartbeatgif

Offline Pookie

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Re: What grooming tools do you use?
« Reply #8 on: September 01, 2011, 09:08:35 AM »
Hi MC,

I only give Pookie 1 stroke on each side and back with the Zoom Groom, which is about all he'll let me do, so I don't loosen too much fur.  I then follow that with the flea comb, which he tolerates for less than a minute.  I may not be getting off tons of fur, but I think it helps.

This year was really bad with the hairballs for some reason, so I started giving him canned pumpkin at bedtime to give him a bit more fiber.  It seems to help a lot in moving the hair along his system -- he hasn't had as many hairballs since I started giving it to him.  I've heard some folks say the pumpkin can bring on diarrhea, though, but that hasn't been the case for Pookie.

I hope this helps!
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Offline KatieAndMe

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Re: What grooming tools do you use?
« Reply #9 on: September 01, 2011, 06:42:12 PM »
I used to use pumpkin mixed with canned for the ferals I rescued that had diarrhea and it worked well to firm up their stool unless there was an underlying medical condition needing treatment. I hadn't thought about using it for hair balls.  cat4

Offline The Kittens

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Re: What grooming tools do you use?
« Reply #10 on: September 03, 2011, 08:30:25 AM »
Show kitties is highly trained, they has to be, mol, their grooming has to be, beyond purffection, they are handled extensively over 2 days, exposed to hours of traveling, alot of noise and commotion in the show hall, and in and out of cages, and they are put on the table, with no collor, no leash, no form of controll, and they just sit there, roll around, play, and climb the pole.  cat4

They weren't born that way, mol, they had to be taught and trained.   :-*

Training, is teaching one thing at a time, and not advancing to the next step, until they have learned what you are teaching them now. Its alot of repetition, alot of time, and alot alot alot of patience, and it doesn't happen overnight.   :)

The key to teaching them anything, is positive reward and praise.  :-*

Granted, they are taught as 8 week old kittens, but its not too late to teach them to be groomed, 8 week old kittens are not born, knowing how to be groomed, and they don't like it at first either, as its a strange sensation to them.

Kittens are set on the grooming table, given a couple of licks of baby food, or a couple of treats, that is starting out positive. We start with a human baby brush, its small, and the bristles are very soft, I got mine in the dollor store.  We let the kitten smell the baby brush, so he knows it will not harm him, then we do just a few swipes, give kitten a couple licks of baby food, or a couple of treats, then set kitten down.

Its been a positive experience for the kitten, it starts positive and ends positive, and the sessions start out very short. Over time, you very gradually, increase the amount of swipes you brushed, until the kitten accepts being brushed, all over.  Around 12 weeks, the SH advance to a brush, that is still soft, but a little stiffer, per say, than the baby brush.  The LH advance to a comb.

Follow the same principal each and every time, reward first, start with a few combs, keep sessions short, reward after, and gradually, increase the amount of combs. With the comb, you have to be very careful, that your not yanking out fur, you want to do it gently.  Which I am wondering if thats what the furminator or groom zoom things do, and thats why they object to it. Yanking out the fur too hard, hurts them.

For SH kitties, you want to use a brush, on the softer side, but not too stiff, this gets out the dead hair, just don't brush too hard. For LH kitties, you use a comb. I get the ones that are different widths, as each kitty's fur is different. 

You want to make sure your not doing it too rough, just as you don't like your hair brushed or combed too rough, as it hurts. You also want to make sure there is no skin issues, that may also irritate kitty.

You apply this theory to anything you are trying to teach them, make it a positive experience.  Give treaty first, keep the sessions short at first, and treaty when done.

Maybe we should have a "Training" section? Lola?  I can pretty much tell you how to teach your kitty anything. I used to specialize in training the baby horses, and problem horses, issues that man created.  I took a horse, that used to throw himself on the ground, when you mounted, to a horse that went back on the Quarter Horse circuit, and won. I started him all over, from the very beginning, like he was a weanling, that knew nothing. I apply the same principals to teaching my cats. They are very very well behaved.

Just remember, its alot of time, alot of repetition, and alot alot alot of patience.   cat4

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Offline Lola

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Re: What grooming tools do you use?
« Reply #11 on: September 04, 2011, 04:21:18 AM »

Maybe we should have a "Training" section? Lola? 

I see you have found the training section...for those that haven't: http://parenting-furkids.com/index.php?board=91.0
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: What grooming tools do you use?
« Reply #12 on: September 06, 2011, 10:24:44 AM »
Ever since I read this (bolded) I've been wondering about it.  My senior boy, who has a seizure disorder, liver damage from the phenobarbital, and herpes eyes gets hair ball sicknesses periodically.  He always has, but  they've increased in frequency as he's gotten older. After I read your comment I started to wonder if it after I started using the furminator that the illnesses became more frequent.

So, since then I have stopped using the furminator on him and gone back to a plain comb.  It doesn't get nearly as much fur from him, almost none, it seems, but it also doesn't loosen the fur. Time will tell if his hairball illness episodes lessen. He is on an all canned partially grain free diet. He's always been a canned food kitty, the quality of the canned food was upgraded after the 2007 melamine poisoning.


This experiment was not a success.  He has been vomiting way too much since going back to the regular comb, so it's back to the furminator for him. I suspect the hairball illnesses are more of a motility issue for him, so I will just keep on with what I was doing before and cope the best I can. Cisapride is not an option for him.

Offline Pookie

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Re: What grooming tools do you use?
« Reply #13 on: September 07, 2011, 08:23:51 AM »
I'm sorry to hear that, MC.   :(  Do you think adding some canned pumpkin would help "move things along?"
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