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Cats/sedating a cat for grooming

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J.S. wrote at 2007-10-16 01:10:42
I also have a long haired cat that is two years old who has been to the vet's office for grooming twice now and has been sedated both times. I'm beginning to find out that sedation is not entirely safe and can result in liver or kidney failure. I have also realized that these sedation medications are very strong and when the cat is coming out of the sedation which is usually reversed by another shot from the vet they have to monitor the cats heart rate and temperature very closely. Anyway I have decided to try to keep the hair on my cat's belly where the knots and mating occurs trimmed fairly short with scissors. I'll have to sneak up on her while she is asleep and it may take a few trys to trim it and in addition to the trim I will try to use a non toxic cream rinse to keep the hair from tangling, just my own kooky ideas, hope it helps. J.S.

Melissa wrote at 2010-03-19 17:13:01
Hi Linda,

I actually had the same problem with my cat and found a way to groom him myself it was amazing. I asked my vet on a way I could relax him. My cat is only 9.9 lbs and he said I could use one 25mg tablet of bennedryl. it relaxed him but he still wouldn't let me cut the matted hair off him. I read a trick on cutting nails so I thought I'd try it for grooming purposes. I wrapped his hind legs in a towel. It callmed him down completely I was able to cut all the matted hair off him and when I got to the legs I kept one wrapped up as I did the other. it was amazing how the bennedryl worked with the towel I plan on using this technique when I trim his nails as well. It's so much cheaper than a vet visit or a groomer.

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Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

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