The Puffer Forum

Cat grooming...I had a cat that lived for 18 years. He had a thyroid condition which meant he had to be given a pill 2x a day for like the last 5 years of his life...Not to mention the bloodwork at the vet. He was an absolute champ about it and it couldn't have been easier. He wasted away to only a few pounds because hyperthyroid makes their metabolism high and it also makes their fur get all matted and uncomfortable. He got so bad I had a groomer come out that worked out of a truck. It took her over an hour to clip him. She treated him so well I tipped her an extra $30 and it made his last 2.5 months so much more comfortable. Sometimes grooming is more than appearance.


This is him right after.




This fine animal listened to commands better than 99% of the dogs I've seen.




Anyway, "liked".

That's what he looked like after the grooming?

Pufferpunk wrote:That's what he looked like after the grooming?

Yes.

That's an awful grooming job. I would have given the cat a total lion cut.
http://addittothelist.files.wordpress.c ... 984&h=2239

If you know a cat that is going through renal failure then you know a cat that is severely dehydrated all the time. They drink about 4x the water of an animal their weight, but it is mostly passed. A dehydrated animal has skin that doesn't cling as it should and is mostly overlapped. A cat's coat that is going through hyperthyroid and renal failure is nothing like a healthy cat...Combined with old age. It's fur/hair becomes so tightly wound from his own non grooming and combined loss of body mass making the skin fit very loosely...And again, that is combined with the dehydration.

This was purely a comfort grooming and had nothing to do with "looks". As I recall she had the intention of a "normal" grooming and making him look good, but found the task at hand a bit different than expected. I expected this because I combed the cat for years and became overwhelmed and amazed at how bad his coat had become over the past few months. He had become an almost continuous fur mat.


Just one of those "had to be there" things.

Yeah, I know all that. it is also extremely easy to slice open that kind of skin with a grooming blade. I guess they did the best job they could with the poor kitty, to make it more comfortable.

Oh what a pretty cat! I'm so sorry for your loss. My cat TJ (my very first cat) also had the same condition and he HATED taking his pills that made him keep weight on. We would wrap them in cheese or Velveeta if we had any and he would eat the cheese and spit out the pill! He was the smartest cat I have ever owned. He was not afraid of dogs, in fact he chased them away from our house! He loved little kids, and always looked both ways before crossing the street. When I was young he would always come pick me up at school and walk me home

I love both cats and dogs, but this cat was also smarter than any dogs I've ever known!

RIP to your precious baby!