They're young yet - I bet you'll get them to enjoy it. I try to get mine as they doze (and this time of year, I can get a whole new kitten off of each cat - and they're both shorthairs!)
The warmer the weather, the more cats shed. It's a good thing you're starting now. Just do a little at a time. They do seem to enjoy being brushed the older they get. Maybe their skin gets tougher??
I used to have a shaggy, fine-haired cat, and he hated regular brushes. Then I tried one advertised as a "kitten brush", with more gentle wire bristles, and that brush became his Absolute Very Favoritest Thing in the Whole World forever after.
I'm with Fred. I bought a comb/brush set that's actually for a human baby. The brush doesn't work great because it's so soft, but it works enough to get some out. The comb works really well, but they seem to tolerate the brush more. So I just alternate between the two. All that said, your boys' fur may be too thick for a baby brush.
9 and Chani do not like the "Love Glove" nor the fine brush that I have. Then again, Q didn't like the brush either. I think it hurt him too much. I'm going to have to hunt down these kitten brushes to brush my two!
Albert does take a great picture! What a face...I have a bunch of different brusehs to use on the cats...lucky me they both like being brushed...keast favorite is the Furminator brsuh but it's wonderful for long haired babies...
I went throught quite a few different brushes before I found one that my Pixie would like. I use the Furminator just a little bit, as she's not too big on it, but I got a Kong brush, and she now DEMANDS a brushing every night. It took her a few times to figure out it was more like a massage. . .
CHOMP - that's what I think of your stinky brush... hilarious :D
I feel your pain though, all my cats hate being brushed - I tried it all: regular brush, soft brush, furminator... they still wiggle and squirm and run away as soon as they get a chance. The only thing that does a good job and that I got them to like is a rubber brush called a Zoom Groom. Kinda messy, gets hair all over the floor, but at least it's no longer on the kitty ;p
The cat stores have little rubber brushes (no handles) that kind of look like a mini version of a horse's curry comb. It gets amazing amounts of hair off! My cats didn't like being brushed while they were young, either, but now they love it.
Did anyone catch Christian The Lion on Animal Planet last night? He's the London transfer to Africa that's been all over the 'net. I was so glad to see the whole story. As a young cat, he reminded me of your growing boyz.
hee hee - I do not have that problem - Alice comes running whenever she hears someone brush their hair. We have our special beautification rutine each morning - as soon as we wake up - two hot wash cloths are prepared - one for my face and the other is on the counter where the princess promptly starts rolling around and before I can brush my own hair - her majesty is brushed until SHE decides it is enough. If I forget and brush my own hair first she does have a thing or two to say Loudly!!!! yes she is truly a spoiled princess!
It's partly a kitten attention span=0 thing. My youngest cat is getting old enough to understand and enjoy brushing. He used to bite the brush so much I couldn't even get in one swipe. There's lots of good advice from your commenters! I use a brush with big, blunt rubber bristles.
Y'see, I have two furry babies. My younger kitty, Jonah, is an orangie feller who, as a baby, was mis-identified as a medium haired domestic... but he hadn't grown into his fur length yet! He's now "short haired" but LOVES being brushed by anything... but prefers MY huge paddle brush I use on MY hair. I've given up and just brush him after I brush my own hair.
Now, my older kitty, Daltrey, is a princess tabby cat with similar markings to your boys. She has NEVER liked brushing, and I've got quite the variety of kitty brushes, too. I found out that she will tolerate being brushed... but she has to take her anger out on something. So I give her a cheap brush to hold in her front paws and brush her with ANOTHER brush. While I'm swiping away she (I'm not kidding here) takes her anger out on the brush I gave her and bites down HARD, swipes at it, and gives hard un-loving bunny kicks.
There are hair balls all over the house so I decided it was time for Albert's first brushing.
Aren't cats supposed to enjoy being brushed? 
19 comments:
They're young yet - I bet you'll get them to enjoy it. I try to get mine as they doze (and this time of year, I can get a whole new kitten off of each cat - and they're both shorthairs!)
The warmer the weather, the more cats shed. It's a good thing you're starting now. Just do a little at a time. They do seem to enjoy being brushed the older they get. Maybe their skin gets tougher??
I used to have a shaggy, fine-haired cat, and he hated regular brushes. Then I tried one advertised as a "kitten brush", with more gentle wire bristles, and that brush became his Absolute Very Favoritest Thing in the Whole World forever after.
I'm with Fred. I bought a comb/brush set that's actually for a human baby. The brush doesn't work great because it's so soft, but it works enough to get some out. The comb works really well, but they seem to tolerate the brush more. So I just alternate between the two. All that said, your boys' fur may be too thick for a baby brush.
9 and Chani do not like the "Love Glove" nor the fine brush that I have. Then again, Q didn't like the brush either. I think it hurt him too much. I'm going to have to hunt down these kitten brushes to brush my two!
Albert does take a great picture! What a face...I have a bunch of different brusehs to use on the cats...lucky me they both like being brushed...keast favorite is the Furminator brsuh but it's wonderful for long haired babies...
All right. It is now my mission to find the perfect cat brush. I'm starting a list.
The perfect cat brush is at your fingetips. Scratch, scritch, scratch the hairs off. Or try a soft dog brush...
I went throught quite a few different brushes before I found one that my Pixie would like. I use the Furminator just a little bit, as she's not too big on it, but I got a Kong brush, and she now DEMANDS a brushing every night. It took her a few times to figure out it was more like a massage. . .
This last picture is priceless!!
CHOMP - that's what I think of your stinky brush... hilarious :D
I feel your pain though, all my cats hate being brushed - I tried it all: regular brush, soft brush, furminator... they still wiggle and squirm and run away as soon as they get a chance.
The only thing that does a good job and that I got them to like is a rubber brush called a Zoom Groom. Kinda messy, gets hair all over the floor, but at least it's no longer on the kitty ;p
The cat stores have little rubber brushes (no handles) that kind of look like a mini version of a horse's curry comb. It gets amazing amounts of hair off! My cats didn't like being brushed while they were young, either, but now they love it.
Did anyone catch Christian The Lion on Animal Planet last night? He's the London transfer to Africa that's been all over the 'net. I was so glad to see the whole story. As a young cat, he reminded me of your growing boyz.
Andrea in Calif.
I had seen the Christian the Lion story before. It is completely amazing.
Rubber brushes are the best. My first two kitten boys HATED being brushed until I found this
http://www.amazon.com/Brush-Rubber-Curry-Cat-Safari/dp/B0002ARQVE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1239048390&sr=8-1
The girls love it too!
hee hee - I do not have that problem - Alice comes running whenever she hears someone brush their hair. We have our special beautification rutine each morning - as soon as we wake up - two hot wash cloths are prepared - one for my face and the other is on the counter where the princess promptly starts rolling around and before I can brush my own hair - her majesty is brushed until SHE decides it is enough. If I forget and brush my own hair first she does have a thing or two to say Loudly!!!! yes she is truly a spoiled princess!
It's partly a kitten attention span=0 thing. My youngest cat is getting old enough to understand and enjoy brushing. He used to bite the brush so much I couldn't even get in one swipe. There's lots of good advice from your commenters! I use a brush with big, blunt rubber bristles.
Y'see, I have two furry babies. My younger kitty, Jonah, is an orangie feller who, as a baby, was mis-identified as a medium haired domestic... but he hadn't grown into his fur length yet! He's now "short haired" but LOVES being brushed by anything... but prefers MY huge paddle brush I use on MY hair. I've given up and just brush him after I brush my own hair.
Now, my older kitty, Daltrey, is a princess tabby cat with similar markings to your boys. She has NEVER liked brushing, and I've got quite the variety of kitty brushes, too. I found out that she will tolerate being brushed... but she has to take her anger out on something. So I give her a cheap brush to hold in her front paws and brush her with ANOTHER brush. While I'm swiping away she (I'm not kidding here) takes her anger out on the brush I gave her and bites down HARD, swipes at it, and gives hard un-loving bunny kicks.
It's funny to watch.
Not... spoiled... at all. *rolls eyes*
Darin, two brushes is a hilarious idea and I have a feeling it just might work. :) Now, off to get that second brush...
Cori:
Get the Furminator. Trust me.
GT
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