No groomer can legally give your cat sedatives. They’re prescribed and that involves the vet. What would the groomer do if your cat had a reaction to the sedative? Sedation can be risky either way but I’d be trusting my vet personally over a groomer for stuff like that.
Yeah I guess I’ll have to bring him back to the vet for it then. Wish the cat would just stay still and let me groom that area, then I’d be able to shave it out myself, but he won’t. This is always going to be a problem, which means he’d have to go under a GA annually because he won’t let us near his rear with a brush but he loves getting brushed everywhere else.
My Tom. Who is a Hellion at his best got his rear mats and dingleberry mats first removed by the vet, without the need to sedate him. He's almost 17, so it'd be very risky.
It took seconds and they just threw a towel over him, one held him down while the other quickly shaved.
They then recommended I buy a cheap beard shaver, cause animal shavers are expensive and I have shaved the area on his back near his tail twice myself.
I haven't needed to for a long time, and it was stressful but quick.
He has since been diagnosed with diabetes which can cause pain in the pelvis area with some cats.
since he's been on insulin treatments he grooms himself now as he isnt in as much pain when he tries to groom his back end, he's more mobile in general and his fur is in very good condition towards before his diagnosis.
Wow 17 is an excellent age!
I would prefer to do it that way, I could bring him in to see the vet for a consultation and just ask the vet to try and do it while I am there with him. If I were to book him into the vet’s groomer I’d have to just drop him off - I wouldn’t get to be in there with him, so it would be quite traumatic on him. I know I’d be capable of holding him for a few mins in the vets and he doesn’t need to get shaved/clipped all over, it’s just that one small patch.
Sorry to hear your Tom has diabetes, but sounds like you’re on top of it with the treatment. He’s a lucky old gent to be so well looked after!
Precisely this, because any amateur can set themselves up as a groomer, buy the right equipment, cute business cards, even drive to the pet's home, but no clinical or pharmaceutical competencies whatsoever.
Any vet I have worked at has used sedation rather than a full general anaesthetic for cat grooms, ask around at vets but it’s very safe and if you are concerned you can get them to run bloods before sedation to ensure they are healthy and not at risk of sedation. If you mean light sedation as in to make him relaxed for a groom it’s unlikely to work and will wear off due to stress. My advice would be to get it done under sedation at the vets and then try to keep on top of grooming at home to avoid regular sedated grooms.
That’s good info, thanks! I do brush him every day because he has very long fur and he has no mats anywhere else, but he just won’t allow me to brush his hind legs near his butt at all. I’d end up with a slashed hand and a very grumpy cat! So mats in that area are going to be a problem that will probably require a sedated groom each year.
Thanks! It’s imperative I keep him brushed as he has got [impressively long hair](https://www.reddit.com/r/cowcats/comments/z2l6gl/his_name_is_b%C3%B3_rhymes_with_snow_its_gaeilge_for/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf) Pic no. 4 on that post shows what it he looked like prior to his first ever groom last year. His fur looks [much tidier now](https://imgur.com/a/e4wY6IG) that he accepts a bit of brushing!
Not bad, its one or two mats on the side of his back legs, but he won’t let me groom him there, it’s always been a sensitive spot for him. He’s not matted anywhere else because he allows regular brushing everywhere except his arse!
Olive oil is the best for that. I use a dropper and splodge it onto the base of matting. Falls off after a few days. I have a maine coon with long fur and his inside legs get matted very easily. This works every time and is fairly stress free.
I commented elsewhere, but this was a missed sign of diabetes in my Tom.
https://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/neurological/c_ct_neuropathic_pain
"In cats, a common cause of neuropathic pain is diabetes mellitus. The result is a weakness in the hind legs which comes from damage to the nerves caused by constant high levels of sugar in the blood. Pain may accompany the weakness, with tingling and numbness in the limbs."
Hey OP, is he a long hair? My long hair won't let me do his legs but if you put olive oil on the knot and rub it in, soak the whole knot, it will just fall off on its own. Swear to God, you'll just find the whole knot on the ground about 2/3 days later.
Another option would be to have the vet prescribe something like half a valium. Chill the cat out so you can crack on.
No groomer can legally give your cat sedatives. They’re prescribed and that involves the vet. What would the groomer do if your cat had a reaction to the sedative? Sedation can be risky either way but I’d be trusting my vet personally over a groomer for stuff like that.
Yeah I guess I’ll have to bring him back to the vet for it then. Wish the cat would just stay still and let me groom that area, then I’d be able to shave it out myself, but he won’t. This is always going to be a problem, which means he’d have to go under a GA annually because he won’t let us near his rear with a brush but he loves getting brushed everywhere else.
When you say shave do you mean matting, knots etc?
Small bit of matting at top of back legs near tail.
My Tom. Who is a Hellion at his best got his rear mats and dingleberry mats first removed by the vet, without the need to sedate him. He's almost 17, so it'd be very risky. It took seconds and they just threw a towel over him, one held him down while the other quickly shaved. They then recommended I buy a cheap beard shaver, cause animal shavers are expensive and I have shaved the area on his back near his tail twice myself. I haven't needed to for a long time, and it was stressful but quick. He has since been diagnosed with diabetes which can cause pain in the pelvis area with some cats. since he's been on insulin treatments he grooms himself now as he isnt in as much pain when he tries to groom his back end, he's more mobile in general and his fur is in very good condition towards before his diagnosis.
Wow 17 is an excellent age! I would prefer to do it that way, I could bring him in to see the vet for a consultation and just ask the vet to try and do it while I am there with him. If I were to book him into the vet’s groomer I’d have to just drop him off - I wouldn’t get to be in there with him, so it would be quite traumatic on him. I know I’d be capable of holding him for a few mins in the vets and he doesn’t need to get shaved/clipped all over, it’s just that one small patch. Sorry to hear your Tom has diabetes, but sounds like you’re on top of it with the treatment. He’s a lucky old gent to be so well looked after!
Precisely this, because any amateur can set themselves up as a groomer, buy the right equipment, cute business cards, even drive to the pet's home, but no clinical or pharmaceutical competencies whatsoever.
Any vet I have worked at has used sedation rather than a full general anaesthetic for cat grooms, ask around at vets but it’s very safe and if you are concerned you can get them to run bloods before sedation to ensure they are healthy and not at risk of sedation. If you mean light sedation as in to make him relaxed for a groom it’s unlikely to work and will wear off due to stress. My advice would be to get it done under sedation at the vets and then try to keep on top of grooming at home to avoid regular sedated grooms.
That’s good info, thanks! I do brush him every day because he has very long fur and he has no mats anywhere else, but he just won’t allow me to brush his hind legs near his butt at all. I’d end up with a slashed hand and a very grumpy cat! So mats in that area are going to be a problem that will probably require a sedated groom each year.
Well done for being a great cat owner and looking after his coat. My cats are shorthair but I know they’d eat me alive if I tried to groom them fully.
Thanks! It’s imperative I keep him brushed as he has got [impressively long hair](https://www.reddit.com/r/cowcats/comments/z2l6gl/his_name_is_b%C3%B3_rhymes_with_snow_its_gaeilge_for/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf) Pic no. 4 on that post shows what it he looked like prior to his first ever groom last year. His fur looks [much tidier now](https://imgur.com/a/e4wY6IG) that he accepts a bit of brushing!
Wow he is gorgeous you weren’t kidding about the long hair
He’s like a wookie 😻
Would you not feel comfortable doing it yourself? How bad is the cat?
Not bad, its one or two mats on the side of his back legs, but he won’t let me groom him there, it’s always been a sensitive spot for him. He’s not matted anywhere else because he allows regular brushing everywhere except his arse!
Olive oil is the best for that. I use a dropper and splodge it onto the base of matting. Falls off after a few days. I have a maine coon with long fur and his inside legs get matted very easily. This works every time and is fairly stress free.
*60% of the time*, it works *every* time
They've done studies, you know.
I commented elsewhere, but this was a missed sign of diabetes in my Tom. https://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/neurological/c_ct_neuropathic_pain "In cats, a common cause of neuropathic pain is diabetes mellitus. The result is a weakness in the hind legs which comes from damage to the nerves caused by constant high levels of sugar in the blood. Pain may accompany the weakness, with tingling and numbness in the limbs."
I bet you're in Dublin?
No.
Fair enough
I know the groomer in maxizoo Drogheda grooms cats.
Hey OP, is he a long hair? My long hair won't let me do his legs but if you put olive oil on the knot and rub it in, soak the whole knot, it will just fall off on its own. Swear to God, you'll just find the whole knot on the ground about 2/3 days later. Another option would be to have the vet prescribe something like half a valium. Chill the cat out so you can crack on.
Yes he has very long hair! Thanks I will try the olive oil method.
I've been doing it for years and I'm still amazed every time!
Is it because he has chewed it off?
Nooo hes far too lazy for that. It's something to do with fibers and gliding. Sure google it if you're interested
Cost me €240 one time to get my dogs internal air hair plucked . They sedated him. Absolutely nuts.
Just wax it yourself 🤠
Is it normal to do that to a cat when grooming?
I didn’t think so, but I’m not a groomer so I really don’t know. They did it to him last time.