My cat hates being groomed!

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Expert cat groomer Anita Kelsey offers her advice to a cat owner who's feline friend hates being groomed...

Q) My long-haired moggy absolutely hates being groomed! If I so much as come near her with a brush she runs away and I’m worried that she’ll start to become matted if she won’t let me groom her properly. Help!

Charlie Bryan

A) ANITA SAYS: Unfortunately, there’s no easy answer on how to groom a cat that hates the process. All you can do is ensure you have the correct tools, arm yourself with knowledge on how to comb a cat the correct way, and then try a small section everyday for a few minutes combined with a favourite treat. I strongly suggest you invest in a book called ‘Grooming Longhaired Cats: Basic Cat Grooming’ by Svetlana Broussova. The book is full of step-by-step photos of how to comb your cat, as well as a DVD showing the correct handling and combing techniques.

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Try to ensure the groom is done by tiny sections everyday rather than one big grooming session. This way, you are trying to desensitise your cat to accept a very small amount daily until, over a week or so, the whole body has been lightly groomed.