My cat is acting sad and its my fault, please help
April 23, 2011 11:32 AM Subscribe
Cat psychology question: I may have really upset my cat - please help me soothe her.
I was recently told by an allergist that one cause of my allergies is my cat (must have developed). That coupled with being tired of dealing with the incredible shedding she experiences every spring and summer I decided to have her groomed. While I don't fault the groomer at all, the result is pretty drastic, she is pretty much shaved except for her head, the end of her tail and her legs. While I think she's still my extremely beautiful maine coon kitty, she seems withdrawn, uncomfortable and sad. Is there anyway I can ease her discomfort? I've been petting her and trying to be kind in every way. Do you have experience with this and how long till she returns to normal (and the hair starts to grow back)?
I was recently told by an allergist that one cause of my allergies is my cat (must have developed). That coupled with being tired of dealing with the incredible shedding she experiences every spring and summer I decided to have her groomed. While I don't fault the groomer at all, the result is pretty drastic, she is pretty much shaved except for her head, the end of her tail and her legs. While I think she's still my extremely beautiful maine coon kitty, she seems withdrawn, uncomfortable and sad. Is there anyway I can ease her discomfort? I've been petting her and trying to be kind in every way. Do you have experience with this and how long till she returns to normal (and the hair starts to grow back)?
Augh, "a cat's" is what I meant.
posted by you're a kitty! at 11:37 AM on April 23, 2011
posted by you're a kitty! at 11:37 AM on April 23, 2011
Definitely try and keep her warm!
You might want to try some Feliway or Rescue Remedy as well as they are super sensitive to change.
posted by knilstad at 11:39 AM on April 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
You might want to try some Feliway or Rescue Remedy as well as they are super sensitive to change.
posted by knilstad at 11:39 AM on April 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
If she is an indoor cat, taking her to the groomer probably was somewhat unnerving for her. I also had an experience with a groomer who sedated (without my permission) my cat. When I came to pick him up, I was so alarmed by his lethargy and dopiness (falling over his paws, not caring that there was a dog two feet from him) that I was preparing to take the cat to an emergency vet. The groomer claimed he hadn't given the cat anything up to and until the point when I left for the vet. He then called me on my cell to tell me he'd given the cat "a little something to help him relax". Wouldn't ID the drug.
This is, from our NEW groomer, more common than you might expect - groomers pharmacologically sedating cats before clipping them, mostly because cats are more dangerous to groom than dogs (in my groomer's experience).
I also think dropping a cat off and leaving them for several hours is kind of bad for cats. They don't like new environments, and they're likely to have their carrier stacked near other animals they don't like and don't recognize (other cats, dogs)
My solution? I stay. My groomer gives me an exact appointment, I show up with cat in tow, and I help the groomer, holding my cat and speaking soothingly to him as the groomer does her thing. Fifteen minutes in and out and we go home together. He is never separated from me. I think that helps. With the first grooming (and the second before I figured out I shouldn't leave the cat there) el gato ended up spending the next 30 hours cowering in a drawer.
Now, he is moderately irritated but recovers within five minutes of coming home. I think the important things are a) he is not left in a strange place with scary animals for hours and b) he isn't getting dosed with anything and c) his person is there.
I'd also add one more suggestion: if your cat is an indoor cat, he doesn't need to get bathed when he gets groomed. This will just add to the feline irritation (though people will go back and forth on whether bathing helps with allergies or makes them worse, I won't get into that)
posted by arnicae at 11:43 AM on April 23, 2011 [5 favorites]
This is, from our NEW groomer, more common than you might expect - groomers pharmacologically sedating cats before clipping them, mostly because cats are more dangerous to groom than dogs (in my groomer's experience).
I also think dropping a cat off and leaving them for several hours is kind of bad for cats. They don't like new environments, and they're likely to have their carrier stacked near other animals they don't like and don't recognize (other cats, dogs)
My solution? I stay. My groomer gives me an exact appointment, I show up with cat in tow, and I help the groomer, holding my cat and speaking soothingly to him as the groomer does her thing. Fifteen minutes in and out and we go home together. He is never separated from me. I think that helps. With the first grooming (and the second before I figured out I shouldn't leave the cat there) el gato ended up spending the next 30 hours cowering in a drawer.
Now, he is moderately irritated but recovers within five minutes of coming home. I think the important things are a) he is not left in a strange place with scary animals for hours and b) he isn't getting dosed with anything and c) his person is there.
I'd also add one more suggestion: if your cat is an indoor cat, he doesn't need to get bathed when he gets groomed. This will just add to the feline irritation (though people will go back and forth on whether bathing helps with allergies or makes them worse, I won't get into that)
posted by arnicae at 11:43 AM on April 23, 2011 [5 favorites]
Oh, and our cats are long-haired maine coons, too.
The other thing we do after we get back is we make sure to hang out on the floor (if the cat is so inclined) and provide snacks and playtime (which for us involve greenies and a laster pointer) as well as several boxes to jump in and out of and hide in. The cats forget their outrage fast when it is snacktime and playtime simultaneously.
posted by arnicae at 11:45 AM on April 23, 2011
The other thing we do after we get back is we make sure to hang out on the floor (if the cat is so inclined) and provide snacks and playtime (which for us involve greenies and a laster pointer) as well as several boxes to jump in and out of and hide in. The cats forget their outrage fast when it is snacktime and playtime simultaneously.
posted by arnicae at 11:45 AM on April 23, 2011
I had a long-haired cat who just got horrible hairballs, and we got him groomed every summer. The first time, they cut his fur very short and gave him a sort of poodle cut, and he walked around all humiliated for months until it grew back. He wasn't mad at us, though he was a non-grudgey kind of cat in general (I have lots of pictures of him perfectly content in baby doll clothing). After that, however, he got longer cuts -- they left the entire tail unshaved, and it was less buzz cut and more shorthaired cat length, and he would always come back from the groomer proud as anything.
It could take up to two months. Next time, don't have her tail shaved, and make sure that they don't cut too close. But it's most important for the cats to have their furry tails, I believe.
posted by jeather at 1:11 PM on April 23, 2011
It could take up to two months. Next time, don't have her tail shaved, and make sure that they don't cut too close. But it's most important for the cats to have their furry tails, I believe.
posted by jeather at 1:11 PM on April 23, 2011
I shave my maine coon every summer, leaving his entire tail, his ruff, and his legs. The first year I did it I worried that he'd be furious with me but in fact he was pleased as punch. I do it myself and he's always exceedingly patient - I don't have to sedate him or even hold him down. He sits on the back of an armchair and I run the clippers along. When I have to do his belly I just lay him on my lap.
I agree with jeather, next time leave the tail and have them cut a little longer if they can. And definitely ask if they sedated her at all; if they did she might just be feeling out of sorts.
posted by elsietheeel at 1:21 PM on April 23, 2011
I agree with jeather, next time leave the tail and have them cut a little longer if they can. And definitely ask if they sedated her at all; if they did she might just be feeling out of sorts.
posted by elsietheeel at 1:21 PM on April 23, 2011
Jeather, you can't post that without a link to cat in baby clothes.
Feliway diffusers helped my anxious cat quite a bit.
posted by cyndigo at 2:33 PM on April 23, 2011
Feliway diffusers helped my anxious cat quite a bit.
posted by cyndigo at 2:33 PM on April 23, 2011
My Lydia, post-groomer.
She was a little shy for the next two days but then she was back to her cuddly self. Plus, she felt just like a stuffed animal!
posted by shiny blue object at 2:40 PM on April 23, 2011 [2 favorites]
She was a little shy for the next two days but then she was back to her cuddly self. Plus, she felt just like a stuffed animal!
posted by shiny blue object at 2:40 PM on April 23, 2011 [2 favorites]
Do you have a hot water bottle / electric blanket / something else that is warm? Get it out and place it where cat prefers to sleep. Plus points for extra blankets. Cuddle kitty.
Cat sulks are hard to gauge in time, I had a cat ignore me for two weeks straight (you know, the ignore where he'd follow me around to the same room I was in, and sit in front of me with his back turned so that I'd know he was giving me the cold shoulder - frankly after 13 ays of that I had a hard time keeping from laughing at him ((but don't laugh, oh some cats never forgive that))).. where was I? Right, you've been nice and kind and that's pretty much all you can do. Have you gotten down to kitty-level (floor, usually) and tilted your head 'sorry'? Make sure the cat is warm, like everyone says and give lots of water and favorite foods for a bit. Kitty will come around. Eventually.
posted by dabitch at 3:42 PM on April 23, 2011
Cat sulks are hard to gauge in time, I had a cat ignore me for two weeks straight (you know, the ignore where he'd follow me around to the same room I was in, and sit in front of me with his back turned so that I'd know he was giving me the cold shoulder - frankly after 13 ays of that I had a hard time keeping from laughing at him ((but don't laugh, oh some cats never forgive that))).. where was I? Right, you've been nice and kind and that's pretty much all you can do. Have you gotten down to kitty-level (floor, usually) and tilted your head 'sorry'? Make sure the cat is warm, like everyone says and give lots of water and favorite foods for a bit. Kitty will come around. Eventually.
posted by dabitch at 3:42 PM on April 23, 2011
I used to have a long haired cat that would get bad mats and the groomer made house calls and groomed in her van.
The cat seemed to not mind being shaved at all. She would get the lion cut and would be upset for a few hours then perfectly fine.
Do you have any cat treats? I think my cat would tolerate just about anything for them. I hope your kitty feels better soon.
posted by SpaceWarp13 at 3:47 PM on April 23, 2011
The cat seemed to not mind being shaved at all. She would get the lion cut and would be upset for a few hours then perfectly fine.
Do you have any cat treats? I think my cat would tolerate just about anything for them. I hope your kitty feels better soon.
posted by SpaceWarp13 at 3:47 PM on April 23, 2011
Poor kitty. Nosy was fairly traumatized when he ended up with an unintentional lion cut. We pretty much had to spend the next two weeks telling him how handsome he is. It's strange - when he gets a standard cut (or even a bath) he's fine. I think it's something to do with feeling really exposed with the long tail fur cut. Give it time.
posted by Space Kitty at 5:24 PM on April 23, 2011
posted by Space Kitty at 5:24 PM on April 23, 2011
As someone mentioned, I would lay down/lounge around where you cat likes to be: couch, floor, bed. Just be there, dont look the cat directly in the eye, this can signal a threat, you can close you eyes half way and look at her. Is there a special place she likes to be scratched? A special treat she loves or food? We just had to shave my cat and she was upset - I just spent time on the floor with her letting her know I was there and she was still part of the family, I scratched her when she let me, purred at her, she came around, yours will too.
posted by cerebral at 6:30 PM on April 23, 2011
posted by cerebral at 6:30 PM on April 23, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks all for your advice and guidance, kitty is still a little wigged out but she's on my lap which is a start.
posted by dmbfan93 at 7:31 PM on April 23, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by dmbfan93 at 7:31 PM on April 23, 2011 [2 favorites]
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posted by you're a kitty! at 11:36 AM on April 23, 2011