I have a very large, stupid cat named Julian. I’ve had to have him shaved down completely a couple of times because he had gotten so matted. (He is double-coated. The undercoat is finer and fluffier than any fur I’ve ever seen a cat.)
I bought a “Love2Pet” grooming tool, which has a very fine-toothed de-shedding comb. It works very well, and he tolerates/kinda enjoys it, as long as I’m working on his back and sides. He gets all fighty-bitey when I try to groom his stomach.
The idiot spends an inordinate amount of time lollingaround on his back with his tummy exposed, so it’s not like he is unused to being in that position.
What can I do to help him learn to put up with having his tummy brushed?
My experience shows that a feline needs to have a huge amount of trust with the human in question before he/she can pet the cat’s belly. My childhood cat Pussywillow eventually let me do so when she was in her teens (so perhaps she mellowed)-nobody else was able to do so without getting swiped.
This is a two person job in our house. One person holds the cat up, by picking him up under his armpits. Then the other person comes in for some determined swipes with the brush. The cat actually tolerates this provided we get it over with quickly – he’s good for maybe 15 or 20 passes with the brush, and then he starts wiggling.
I’m going to have to concur with the other posters here. Not that I have a vast amount of cat experience, but I have been around cats all of my 24 years. I have met exactly two cats that will let one brush their bellies, one of which is my own and the other was just an extremely stupid neighbor’s cat (he allowed a three year old to wrestle and nearly strangle him without defending himself).
Both of those cats seem to have been born with the instinct not to fight with humans. Asia, my siamese/calico, will allow one to brush her belly in the sense that she won’t struggle excessively or try to injure you in the process. My other cat Moses, however, will shred your hand for just scratching his tummy… And he only has his rear claws.
I would imagine that training a cat to put up with anything s/he disdains is very hard if the cat isn’t already predisposed to go along with your wishes. Provided the cat was willing to be trained at all, I think it would require sheer repetition if anything. Get some thick gloves.
I can be possible with most cats but it will take a lot of patience.
My cats are thankfully not too hairy but with the second (who was a feriocious beast when I got her), it took a few months to work up to something that required that much trust.
The key here is handling. Every day. Make him know that you are the boss. Each day make the position less acceptable to him. Upside down here is the goal. Get him used to being held by you upside down for long (two minutes or so should do the trick). He will hate this. It will require much strength. Make sure to keep track of all paws and teeth. Don’t let him escape until you say it is okay. (Followed by the treat of his choosing.)
Now, you are going to continue this but you need to be able to do this one-handed. Try that for a few more days.
Now for the brushing. For the next few days (or weeks depending on how scared he is of the implement of torture you are brandishing). Just bring it out. Try touching him with it but don’t brush.
When he is good with that, work your way up a few strokes at a time. If he is really matted and it is really going to hurt, don’t do it, just use a pair of blunt-nose shears to cut out the gnats.
Anyway, this worked with my cat. Now she will let me do whatever I want to her. She gets whiney after a few minutes but no longer gets violent.
