Earlier on I blogged a bit about our old cat, Taffeta. She seems to have weathered whatever kind of medical crisis plagued her during the winter, although she's a bit tottery on her legs, and quite possibly doesn't see very much or very clearly.
Unfortunately, what with old age and various kinds of debility, her personal grooming has gotten beyond her. And she is a silky long-haired cat, as you see from the picture above of her in her prime. Up until this year she's always been spectacularly tidy and soft...but now she's much troubled with tats, mats, and dreadlocks, especially on her shoulders and on her "lower back" near the base of her tail and down her hips.
Combing and brushing don't even begin to solve the problem. Cue the Rambler and her very pointy and thin-bladed old-fashioned nail-scissors!
When I began in a concerted way to try to cut out the tangles -- also in fear and trembling lest I cut HER, because some of these tangles are really close to her skin -- there was a lot of protest...hissing and biting and clawing and wriggling.
But much to my amazement, the old girl seems to have figured out what I am trying to do! (Maybe I've become a little more deft, too.) And this morning she hopped up on my bed and lay down in an inviting attitude, and purred with great determination while I got to work... So we actually cooperated, up to a point, and when she'd had enough she bit me, in that shot-across-the-bows, cease-and-desist kind of way, and we adjourned. (I've been bitten, once, by a cat who "meant it," and it's not the same experience at all, wow.)
But I am astonished. I do find it helps to talk to her while I'm snipping, and to stroke the unmatted bits in an encouraging way.
Poor old thing, though, she is going to be very bald about the bum when I get the job finished!
11 comments:
You may have to knit her a pair of cat pants to keep her bottom warm!
Ah, poor pantsless cat... :)
The top comment, by "kalar", is merrily distributed viruses, if you click on either of the links, by the way!
Thank you, chunklets, for your word to the wise.
Yes, can you see me trying to put pants on Taffeta? HAH!
Hmm, I obviously meant to write "merrily distributING viruses"... obviously not enough coffee yet this morning!
Anyway, getting back on topic, I submit for your amusement this link (it is not a virus, I promise!):
Cat Pants!
Trust me folks, there is no prospect down this cat-pants road save ARTERIAL BLEEDING...
Well, maybe in another ten years, Scarlett will be more tolerant; she's still a baby: only 2 1/2. And she has been more ready to cuddle in her present state: poor darling.
Taffeta is beautiful.
And, Oh yeah, I tag you for the middle name meme thang.
The Cat Pants are a good argument for neutering your cat!
What a pretty cat she is!
We are having an interesting time because we decided it was time for the cat and dog to work out their differences. I think the dog is learning new respect for the cat. He now goes to the basement and ignores the place where the cat really is (which he can see) and runs about looking at places where she has been earlier in the day. She sits on top of the plastic shelving and sneers. He is also sporting a suspicious pinkness about the snout where she connected once or twice.
That is one gorgeous cat!
And the comments are a hoot. Feelin' yer pain on the Cat Means It bite. Those are disturbingly painful.
My dear friend K has long haired something or other cats. One in particular is not interested in grooming or being groomed. This cat seems to relish in her mattedness....so, alas K and I have had many occasions of cutting out matts. Sigh.
Yeah. Bald in places happens.
I hope it's worth the price of a few "bites" and some deflated cat ego...
Thank you all for your kindly interest in the poor old beastie...I shall go home and find the catnip and see if I can brighten her Weltanschauung somewhat thereby!
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