Does your cat have problems grooming herself? Follow professional pet groomer Alison Rogers advice...
(Q) A year ago one of my cats was attacked by a dog. Although she has come on remarkably well, she will always be disabled - she now walks with a hop and a skip! Because of this she cannot groom herself very well and she has two tufts of fur that stick out on her lower back and rear leg. She does not like being brushed. I have cut off the tufts once but they just grow back the same. Have you any advice on what is the best way to deal with her coat?
Professional pet groomer Alison Rogers advises: As she is unable to groom herself, I would suggest you take her to a cat groomer to have her belly and groin clipped out to help her keep clean.
While she is there, ask them to use a soft slicker brush to groom out her coat and comb through the dead hair. As for the tufts on her leg, if you keep cutting them they will grow back thicker.
Keep her well groomed and you may notice that sometimes, if the hair is a different texture, you can pluck it out gently. Pull the loosened, dead hair out a small amount at a time. If it will not come out easily, then don't pull as you may need to continue to trim the hair. Use thinning scissors as this will look more natural.
If your cat is shorthaired and you get tufts, use a good brush with a slicker comb - this will get the dead hair out, is very kind on the skin and won't cut the coat. Be as careful as you can when grooming tricky areas and never pull on the cat's skin!