In article . com,
Sherry wrote:
On Jun 10, 12:59 pm, mich wrote:
Bonjour,

I would like to start by saying that I am new to this type of
communication. I am bilingual so if you prefer to answer in French,
please do so.

I have a Main Coon named Missy. She is 1 year 6 months old. Even
though I brush her everyday, many times, she is quite matted. What
doubles my problem is that Missy is quite shy and she does not travel
at all. I have tried many times to bring her to the veterinary for
her annual shots but to no avail. She is very strong and she will not
get in her cage. I also tried training her on a leash - it has been 2
months and we have made no progress. I have had many cats through the
years and this is the first cat I have not been able to either bring
outside or travel to the vet or anywhere for that matter.

To resume, my questions a

1. How can I keep her fur from matting? As I cannot bring her to a
groomer, how can I cut her fur or shave it?

2. How does one train a Main Coon to walk on a leash?

Any help is welcomed and will be much appreciated.

Many thanks.

Miche

Hi Miche--Maine Coons are prone to matting. The only way to keep her
from matting is to thoroughly
brush her *every day*. If her fur does start to mat, get a wide-
toothed comb, with steel tines that swivel.
My daughter has hers shaved every spring. We live in a hot climate,
and they seem to enjoy their haircuts.
The best way I've found to get a cat in a carrier is to use the
element of surprise, gently pick them up when
they're asleep or not expecting it. Don't let them see the carrier.
Get a large carrier, stand it on end, and
put the cat in it feet first.
If she'll let you, there's nothing wrong with buying clippers and
learning to trim her fur yourself. If she *really*
hates it, it's probably best to let a professional do it, and she may
need to be sedated. Cats are pretty
forgiving. She'll forget about it in a day or two.
One tool that I really like for long, thick fur is the "Furminator".
It gets all the loose hair out and seems to thin
the coat too. They're pretty expensive, over $30 USD, but it is my
favorite grooming tool.
Good luck
Sherry


I occasionally consider getting Bubba a Lion cut for the
summer, but it somehow just doesn't seem right.

:^)

Thanks for the tip on the Furminator.