help kitty become lithe and sleek with beautiful fur
June 11, 2020 8:44 AM Subscribe
Kitty came to us malnourished and full of parasites. She is now on Revolution, has tested negative for Feline Leukemia, and gotten All The Vaccines. She is very happy, and doesn't look like she's starving anymore, as she's now at about 8 pounds. Nonetheless, she still looks... scruffy. Solutions sought below.
Sorry, no cat tax - no access to pics at the moment. Yes, I will be going back to the vet for a follow-up, but have to wait until then to ask this question as they are always overworked, and now what with Covid, they reduced staff so that nobody answers the phones. So here I am, as MeFites always come up with solutions I never find anywhere else.
She she is eating a diet of decent-quality kibble with a protein content around 34 percent and many many cans of Meow Mix wet food. If she had been cared for, she would probably have luxurious long fur, like this. As it is, she has a soft undercoat and a very thin layer of longer guard hairs. Her tail fur is particularly sparse. Every now and then her black fur acquires a reddish tinge, which (I'm guessing) shouldn't be happening. I believe that with the right supplements or diet her fur would grow in a lot more fully and lose that strange rusty tinge. I am here seeking recommendations for what any of you might have done to correct a similar problem in your own animals. Thanks!
Sorry, no cat tax - no access to pics at the moment. Yes, I will be going back to the vet for a follow-up, but have to wait until then to ask this question as they are always overworked, and now what with Covid, they reduced staff so that nobody answers the phones. So here I am, as MeFites always come up with solutions I never find anywhere else.
She she is eating a diet of decent-quality kibble with a protein content around 34 percent and many many cans of Meow Mix wet food. If she had been cared for, she would probably have luxurious long fur, like this. As it is, she has a soft undercoat and a very thin layer of longer guard hairs. Her tail fur is particularly sparse. Every now and then her black fur acquires a reddish tinge, which (I'm guessing) shouldn't be happening. I believe that with the right supplements or diet her fur would grow in a lot more fully and lose that strange rusty tinge. I am here seeking recommendations for what any of you might have done to correct a similar problem in your own animals. Thanks!
I dunno about the sleekness, but my fluffy black senior cat just has some rusty under-color, especially in the sunlight. It doesn't seem to be correlated with her health, it might be like humans where you can have red pigment in your hair that's covered up by melanin. Perhaps she is a calico with a black parent! Wishing you and your cat increased softness and fluffitude.
posted by Hypatia at 9:18 AM on June 11, 2020 [6 favorites]
posted by Hypatia at 9:18 AM on June 11, 2020 [6 favorites]
Give her time - fur doesn't quite grow that fast. I'd bet you'll see progress when she goes to winter coat. A little fish oil won't hurt, and get her used to regular brushing.
In black cats, the reddish tinge is normal when they've been sunning themselves - the equivalent of human hair lightening in the sun. My current resident is chocolate-to-chestnut coloured in the summer due to long sessions on the balcony in direct sunlight.
Also, how old is she? One of mine with a coat a little shorter than this didn't come into full guard hair coverage before his second birthday.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 9:19 AM on June 11, 2020 [9 favorites]
In black cats, the reddish tinge is normal when they've been sunning themselves - the equivalent of human hair lightening in the sun. My current resident is chocolate-to-chestnut coloured in the summer due to long sessions on the balcony in direct sunlight.
Also, how old is she? One of mine with a coat a little shorter than this didn't come into full guard hair coverage before his second birthday.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 9:19 AM on June 11, 2020 [9 favorites]
Six weeks isn't much time at all! Keep up with the quality protein diet and have good bonding time with regular brushing so she gets used to it. But a pretty fluffy coat is going to be one of the later things to come in. She's still healing her insides and mind and things, and her skin has to properly heal before the fur that grows out of it is luxurious as she deserves. It took about six months for my fluffy idiot to go from "medium hair" according to the shelter records to the full puffball I live with today.
posted by Mizu at 9:20 AM on June 11, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by Mizu at 9:20 AM on June 11, 2020 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Most black fur has either a red (which can go all the way to purple, my favorite black cat had especially purple armpits, it was adorable) or green (ash) undertone that will be visible in strong light. No big deal.
But six weeks isn't long enough to know much of anything. My vet's first go-to for all skin/hair problems is salmon oil, which I get in a big pump bottle from Chewy, and you'll need 6 months to a year to really assess what their new fur looks like.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:22 AM on June 11, 2020 [2 favorites]
But six weeks isn't long enough to know much of anything. My vet's first go-to for all skin/hair problems is salmon oil, which I get in a big pump bottle from Chewy, and you'll need 6 months to a year to really assess what their new fur looks like.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:22 AM on June 11, 2020 [2 favorites]
Just to add to the replies, my black cat is actually really dark reddish-brown with darker stripes, you just can't see them unless he's directly in the sun! I wouldn't worry about the color.
posted by augustimagination at 9:28 AM on June 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by augustimagination at 9:28 AM on June 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Good to know about the color!
Any recommendations for a good cat brush?
posted by Crystal Fox at 9:32 AM on June 11, 2020
Any recommendations for a good cat brush?
posted by Crystal Fox at 9:32 AM on June 11, 2020
She may have or might still be over grooming due to stress. Since you mentioned there are specific spots. Even though she is safe now she may have picked up the habit. So just keep an eye on her and if it seems like that's could be the case, maybe try some feliway to help her chill out or ask your vet for recommendations. Other than that I agree that the change will happen over time. If you feed high quality food it can make a huge difference, especially wet food. My cats are significantly softer and fluffier in the winter too! Something to consider.
For a brush the Furminator is the gold standard but you can usually get one online for half the price of a pet store. Some cats don't like the metal feeling of the brush head though so you may want to try a few cheap ones with different materials and then upgrade if needed.
posted by possibilityleft at 9:40 AM on June 11, 2020
For a brush the Furminator is the gold standard but you can usually get one online for half the price of a pet store. Some cats don't like the metal feeling of the brush head though so you may want to try a few cheap ones with different materials and then upgrade if needed.
posted by possibilityleft at 9:40 AM on June 11, 2020
Knock-off furminator ("deshedding comb", mine was $8 on ebay) is good for clearing out undercoat and makes nice little hair wads. Zoom Groom (silicone brush with chunky fingers, knockoffs are fine) gets undercoat and guard hairs but hair will get everywhere, disgustingly effective. These are also good for getting fur off upholstery and heavier clothing. Slicker brushes are IME less effective than either of the above but cats generally seem to like the feel of them more, however your cat's hair might be a bit too long for them.
Cats' fur tends to thin as they age and will also be thinner in summer. Enjoy getting to know your new kitty's coat!
posted by momus_window at 9:56 AM on June 11, 2020 [2 favorites]
Cats' fur tends to thin as they age and will also be thinner in summer. Enjoy getting to know your new kitty's coat!
posted by momus_window at 9:56 AM on June 11, 2020 [2 favorites]
we had one of my cats in for some tests and they shaved a patch on her neck to take blood, and that was about 6 weeks ago, and the hair is like, maybe 3mm long now! Cat fur grows pretty slow (which is surprising because HOW do they shed so much!)
if she had parasites and was very dirty when you got her she might just be out of the habit of normal grooming as well. I suspect she'll pick it back up when she's comfortable! One of my cats gets kinda greasy looking when he eats a lot of wet food, especially if it's kinda "junk food" quality like from the grocery store!
posted by euphoria066 at 9:58 AM on June 11, 2020 [2 favorites]
if she had parasites and was very dirty when you got her she might just be out of the habit of normal grooming as well. I suspect she'll pick it back up when she's comfortable! One of my cats gets kinda greasy looking when he eats a lot of wet food, especially if it's kinda "junk food" quality like from the grocery store!
posted by euphoria066 at 9:58 AM on June 11, 2020 [2 favorites]
I'd say because she's sparse don't start right away with the Furminator, it actually thins fur quite effectively but you can overdo it unless the fur is quite thick. It's best for cats with lots of fluff that needs some taming. My cat likes a slicker brush for the scratchiness but it might be too intense if she has sensitive skin. My mom's cat doesn't like being brushed very much so she uses a grooming glove to get the loose fur off.
Seconding just some fish oil and time. She should be fully fluffed out by midwinter so you'll probably want a Furminator next spring!
posted by 100kb at 10:02 AM on June 11, 2020 [3 favorites]
Seconding just some fish oil and time. She should be fully fluffed out by midwinter so you'll probably want a Furminator next spring!
posted by 100kb at 10:02 AM on June 11, 2020 [3 favorites]
Time. As an example my friend used to get her cat shaved every year and when she stopped it took two years before it stopped looking mangy and weird. It had beautiful fur fwiw.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 10:11 AM on June 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by St. Peepsburg at 10:11 AM on June 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
Best answer: First try a cheap plastic human comb with slightly wider teeth and use it really lightly so that if it hits a tangle it slides above it. Then try a natural bristle human finishing brush. Use your own and wash 'em clean before you use them on yourself again. If they work on your cat buy new ones for the cat. If they don't you have saved the expense and trouble. If your new cat reacts by being blissed out and deciding that being groomed is a bonding activity you can then move on to a brush of a sort with tightly packed teeth that it pulls out undercoat effectively. If you start with a brush that pulls out undercoat, your new family member may find it too intense and decide that they hate being brushed. The first grooming sessions are more petting sessions than grooming sessions. The brushes that pull out undercoat often come in the form of a paddle with many small bent wires, each of which has a tiny blob of plastic on them. For many cats including ones with long and thick fur, an ordinary human hair comb at the right angle will do the job. Others have to have the paddle type of brush.
The most important thing is to have an experience where your cat and you both want to keep doing this because it feels so good. If you discover mats in your cat's fur do not under any circumstances do anything that would make your cat feel that you cannot be trusted. It is worth spending a few days on a mat separating it out from the rest of the hair, especially when your cat is new to you. Painful experiences are justifiable only for critical medical care. If you have a long haired cat there will be seasons where brushing her daily is the minimum so taking longer to remove a mat is not neglect. You'll be working on it tomorrow and the next day and the next.
Using your cheap plastic human comb, first get down to skin level separating the matted hair to one side and the non matted hair to the other. Then use the first tooth at one end of the comb to pluck the trapped hair downward towards the skin. If you are pulling the hair up so that the skin moves you are doing it wrong.
If your cat is totally relaxed and trusting and lying still you can use scissors to cut the mat apart in the middle. Don't try to cut the matted hair below the mat. Pinch the mat between two fingers of your non-dominant hand and then cut along the top of your fingers so that they are always between the cat and the scissors. This way you cannot possibly cut the cat, even if she suddenly panics and moves. When the top half of the mat is gone it is easier to tease it apart into smaller mats or get the hairs underside it to release. Cutting the mat in half also doesn't cut back the hair as deeply and ensures that when the mat is out the remaining hair is longer and more even, which prevents un-sightly thin spots and a cat that feels cold from too short hair.
While you are petting your cat get her used to you taking her paw in your hand and bending it forward so the claws extend. Do this extending thing a bit like a gentle massage, so your cat learns to be comfortable with you holding her paws and getting her claws to extend. Once your cat enjoys having you bend her paws forward touch the tips gently with a pair of clippers without actually trying to clip the claws yet, so she gets used to the idea that clippers and combs and other tools coming up and touching her are no threat whatsoever. You will be really glad if you can get her used to having tools touching her one day, and it will spare both you and her from some trauma. Claws should be inspected every week or so, unless she has a tendency to ingrown claws, in which case you want to inspect every time you groom her, probably daily.
Try to get your cat used to you touching her ears and turning them slightly open during grooming sessions and get her used to meticulously searching her lower belly fur down to the skin. If you can get her to enjoy this kind of touching you will be able to check for ear mites or for fleas without having an annoyed cat leap off your lap the moment you try.
I had a fifteen toed kitten with a rough coat like a wire-haired terrier. I took him to the vet for his shots and the vet couldn't stop handling him, and commented that he had never encountered a cat with a rough coat like that. By the time he was a year old almost all the rough coat was gone and he was an ordinary short hair, and there was no trace of it by the time he was eighteen months. That leads me to believe that it can take a full year for the longer hairs in a cat's coat to grow out and be replaced by new hairs.
posted by Jane the Brown at 10:12 AM on June 11, 2020 [6 favorites]
The most important thing is to have an experience where your cat and you both want to keep doing this because it feels so good. If you discover mats in your cat's fur do not under any circumstances do anything that would make your cat feel that you cannot be trusted. It is worth spending a few days on a mat separating it out from the rest of the hair, especially when your cat is new to you. Painful experiences are justifiable only for critical medical care. If you have a long haired cat there will be seasons where brushing her daily is the minimum so taking longer to remove a mat is not neglect. You'll be working on it tomorrow and the next day and the next.
Using your cheap plastic human comb, first get down to skin level separating the matted hair to one side and the non matted hair to the other. Then use the first tooth at one end of the comb to pluck the trapped hair downward towards the skin. If you are pulling the hair up so that the skin moves you are doing it wrong.
If your cat is totally relaxed and trusting and lying still you can use scissors to cut the mat apart in the middle. Don't try to cut the matted hair below the mat. Pinch the mat between two fingers of your non-dominant hand and then cut along the top of your fingers so that they are always between the cat and the scissors. This way you cannot possibly cut the cat, even if she suddenly panics and moves. When the top half of the mat is gone it is easier to tease it apart into smaller mats or get the hairs underside it to release. Cutting the mat in half also doesn't cut back the hair as deeply and ensures that when the mat is out the remaining hair is longer and more even, which prevents un-sightly thin spots and a cat that feels cold from too short hair.
While you are petting your cat get her used to you taking her paw in your hand and bending it forward so the claws extend. Do this extending thing a bit like a gentle massage, so your cat learns to be comfortable with you holding her paws and getting her claws to extend. Once your cat enjoys having you bend her paws forward touch the tips gently with a pair of clippers without actually trying to clip the claws yet, so she gets used to the idea that clippers and combs and other tools coming up and touching her are no threat whatsoever. You will be really glad if you can get her used to having tools touching her one day, and it will spare both you and her from some trauma. Claws should be inspected every week or so, unless she has a tendency to ingrown claws, in which case you want to inspect every time you groom her, probably daily.
Try to get your cat used to you touching her ears and turning them slightly open during grooming sessions and get her used to meticulously searching her lower belly fur down to the skin. If you can get her to enjoy this kind of touching you will be able to check for ear mites or for fleas without having an annoyed cat leap off your lap the moment you try.
I had a fifteen toed kitten with a rough coat like a wire-haired terrier. I took him to the vet for his shots and the vet couldn't stop handling him, and commented that he had never encountered a cat with a rough coat like that. By the time he was a year old almost all the rough coat was gone and he was an ordinary short hair, and there was no trace of it by the time he was eighteen months. That leads me to believe that it can take a full year for the longer hairs in a cat's coat to grow out and be replaced by new hairs.
posted by Jane the Brown at 10:12 AM on June 11, 2020 [6 favorites]
I have a furminator but my cats prefer a brush like this one. I also have a technically black cat with an undercurrent of red, so nthing that this is a thing.
posted by paduasoy at 10:44 AM on June 11, 2020
posted by paduasoy at 10:44 AM on June 11, 2020
I would switch kitty from Meow Mix to a better quality brand. I feed my cats grain-free premium wet food, and their coats are always sleek and shiny. My girl cat was having some issues with losing hair in spots, until we discovered the culprit: fleas. (I hadn't suspected it because she is strictly an indoor cat.) Once treated for fleas, the denuded spots eventually grew hair back, though it seemed to take a while.
I also give kitty a dab of coconut oil every now and then to keep her coat extra shiny. Good luck!
posted by all the light we cannot see at 10:52 AM on June 11, 2020 [2 favorites]
I also give kitty a dab of coconut oil every now and then to keep her coat extra shiny. Good luck!
posted by all the light we cannot see at 10:52 AM on June 11, 2020 [2 favorites]
I have a slicker brush for my very fluffy long-haired cat. (Who took easily months to grow into his coat, between coming to me as a teenager and as being kind of mangy-looking. He currently has a shaved butt and little foreleg patches after a surgery and yeah. 6 weeks is nothing.) I also have one of those rubber brushes with the thick 'bristles', but he haaaates it. Conversely, the cat with the thinner, slicker coat loves it and can't handle the slicker brush at all, I think it scratches her. So be prepared to try a range, too!
posted by kalimac at 10:54 AM on June 11, 2020
posted by kalimac at 10:54 AM on June 11, 2020
They shaved my cat's paw to give her an IV in April and the fur is only starting to looking normal now and she is a short hair Russian Blue. It takes time!
I'd up the good wet food and cut out some dry kibble (it's essentially cake for cats, per our vet) and see how she does, but mostly just give her time. Thank you for rescuing her!
posted by lydhre at 11:14 AM on June 11, 2020
I'd up the good wet food and cut out some dry kibble (it's essentially cake for cats, per our vet) and see how she does, but mostly just give her time. Thank you for rescuing her!
posted by lydhre at 11:14 AM on June 11, 2020
My little orange cat had very dull and wiry fur when I got her. She was already full-grown but had at least a few months of living on the street without enough food. With time and consistent good nutrition, her fur is now smooth, soft, and shiny.
I use a brush similar to this on my cats. They love it! I imagine it feels a little like a big cat tongue. The bristles are soft and it does remove loose fur. When needed I will brush kittie's head with the soft brush while using the Furminator on the body. Two-handed grooming. The cats wait patiently for their turn!
posted by goodsearch at 11:48 AM on June 11, 2020
I use a brush similar to this on my cats. They love it! I imagine it feels a little like a big cat tongue. The bristles are soft and it does remove loose fur. When needed I will brush kittie's head with the soft brush while using the Furminator on the body. Two-handed grooming. The cats wait patiently for their turn!
posted by goodsearch at 11:48 AM on June 11, 2020
One of these envelope openers will make a dandy mat cutter, with zero chance of you cutting kitty.
posted by cyndigo at 11:53 AM on June 11, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by cyndigo at 11:53 AM on June 11, 2020 [2 favorites]
The younger of my two rescues has flea allergies (and came from a food scarcity home, also probably the runt) and as a result was a scruffy, tufty tiny thing. We have had her and her mom for over a year now and her fur has improved so much in that time but you have to take the long view to see the improvements. She’s probably not going to ever be as sleek and plush as Pepper but it is a noticeable improvement so I wouldn’t worry after only six weeks.
We use a furminator - more useful on Pep as she is so plush and a grooming glove that I use on Jess. They also, bizarrely, like being lint roller’d but I tend to only do that after grooming to catch the clouds of loose fur that haven’t been caught in the glove.
posted by halcyonday at 3:36 PM on June 11, 2020
We use a furminator - more useful on Pep as she is so plush and a grooming glove that I use on Jess. They also, bizarrely, like being lint roller’d but I tend to only do that after grooming to catch the clouds of loose fur that haven’t been caught in the glove.
posted by halcyonday at 3:36 PM on June 11, 2020
I fed my cats a raw egg a week, dry no wheat or weirdness kibble with and raw, chopped meat with access to pet grass. Mine was a rescue kitten and it took a bit of time for him to be the sleek, furry, lovable guy that he became.
posted by jadepearl at 3:45 PM on June 11, 2020
posted by jadepearl at 3:45 PM on June 11, 2020
My cat became a sleek beast after months of a wet food diet.
posted by kapers at 4:40 PM on June 11, 2020
posted by kapers at 4:40 PM on June 11, 2020
Chiming in that it can take time and also can be cat-dependent based on my anecdotal experience. We took in a malnourished pair of siblings who plumped up nicely pretty quick and the bigger brother grew in a gorgeous coat within 3or 4 months. His littler sister is only getting lustrous now after 8 months of good eating, and she’s still not quite to his level...
posted by Tandem Affinity at 8:31 PM on June 11, 2020
posted by Tandem Affinity at 8:31 PM on June 11, 2020
Our kitty always gets compliments on her fur. She’s a generic tabby mix so it’s not necessarily glossy but it’s super soft and thick. FWIW we’ve been feeding her high quality, grain free kibble for about 7 years now and using the furminator. But I also nth that 6 weeks is not that long! I’d see where their coat is at 6 months-year to go through a whole shedding cycle.
posted by like_neon at 12:30 AM on June 12, 2020
posted by like_neon at 12:30 AM on June 12, 2020
Re brushing: With my two shelter cats, I started with a soft bristle brush then graduated to the Furminator. At first, I would only ever brush them when I'd been petting them for a while, so they would associate it with affection.
Now we have a routine:
I always present the brush for them to look at first. If they rub their face on it, that's a "yes".
Start gently and build up pressure slowly; intersperse brushstrokes with petting to make them happy.
Stop while the cat is still happy. If you carry on till the cat decides they've had enough, they'll be less enthusiastic about it next time.
Treats afterwards-- again, building good associations.
One of my cats, who came to me as a shy little thing, LOVES being brushed now. If she sees me holding the brush she'll reach for it with her paw and pull it towards her. It's the sweetest thing.
posted by Pallas Athena at 5:43 PM on June 12, 2020 [2 favorites]
Now we have a routine:
I always present the brush for them to look at first. If they rub their face on it, that's a "yes".
Start gently and build up pressure slowly; intersperse brushstrokes with petting to make them happy.
Stop while the cat is still happy. If you carry on till the cat decides they've had enough, they'll be less enthusiastic about it next time.
Treats afterwards-- again, building good associations.
One of my cats, who came to me as a shy little thing, LOVES being brushed now. If she sees me holding the brush she'll reach for it with her paw and pull it towards her. It's the sweetest thing.
posted by Pallas Athena at 5:43 PM on June 12, 2020 [2 favorites]
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posted by BlahLaLa at 8:51 AM on June 11, 2020