AboutNorman 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.
Question My cat is long haired and although she keeps herself very clean she does develop some matting that needs to be addressed by a groomer. She does not like to be handled very much, other than patted and rubbed around her head and neck, and does not allow much brushing. In the past I have had to take her to the vet to be completely sedated in order to have her groomed to remove these matts. My groomer was at that time in the same building as my vet, however this is no longer the case. Also, my vet charges $100 to sedate the cat. I cannot afford to pay this fee continually and wondered if there is a safe over the counter method to calm the cat - I'm thinking gravol or benadryl - prior to the grooming. The groomer has agreed to come to my home to see if she can groom her while I hold her and try to calm her. She is 2.5 years old and very healthy and an indoor kitty.
Answer Linda,
You can try asking your vet to give you a prescription for Acepromazine <sp?>. This should get your cat through the grooming "ordeal". One caveat on all tranquilizers for cats is that many cats, if they feel you are "messing with their head", fight the tranquilizer and become worse than they would have been with nothing. So, there are no guarantees here.
What you will also have to do, if you can get your cat calm enough is to not say a word and let the groomer ply their trade no matter how roughly they may appear to be treating the cat. Cats are very, very tough, but make a lot more noise than the amount of discomfort they are in would really warrant <ggg>!
