3.29.2010

Knot Me

Well it's started, shedding season. So begins the annual rite of Spring at Casa De Housecat, fur pulling.

Mom is positively fixated on my floof right now. She calls me over with love in those deep brown eyes, and the pets are good, then she starts to get a little handsy. Pretty soon there is fur pulling and biting. Every petting session becomes a sly excuse to hunt for early signs of an Alphalpha Hair. What's that you ask?

My coat is made up of two distinct types of fur. A slick shiny topcoat that runs along, well my top, and a downy floof that lies beneath. An Alphapha Hair is created when the soft undercoat gets matted under the topcoat, causing the topcoat to jut out and ruin the line of my coat.


Sigh. It's not easy to be this gloriously floofed.
I will be snuggling with Dad for awhile.

34 comments:

  1. Jonesie feels your pain. Mom is about to give up and take her to a groomer. Something about Jonesie sitting her fur in the damp grass that makes for wicked mats.

    Fin, just let your mom take care of it otherwise you could end up like Jonesie...

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  2. Hey Fin,
    All 3 of us Bumpass Kitties are long hairs and we get those jut outs you're talking about. Dad just uses the dog's wire flat brush once over the jut and it disappears; no pulling required.
    - TBH&K

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  3. When I hear stories like this I'm glad I'm not floofy!

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  4. I believe my littlest one is just starting to go through this for the first time, I think she's getting a bit of a complex as she's pouting... and loosing fur. Despite my best efforts to reassure her, she doesn't seem to take my advice!

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  5. And your floof is gorgeous, Fin!!...xo...Calle,Halle,Sukki

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  6. We're sure your mom only has your best interests at heart Fin. Be nice and let her help you to be beautiful.

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  7. I never heard the term Alphaalpha Hair before - that explains quite a bit about why and how my mats form. It is the curse of being floofy, for sure!

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  8. Well we love yoor floof and we wouldn't want it to get knotted and uncomfortable ~ so we suppose it's for the best ... but we do understand.

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  9. AHA... I know your pain, Fin.
    I's just started sitting beside my sweet, calm Mommy ML. It was pure joy up until a few weeks ago.
    She starts gently petting my generous floofiness... mine top layer is glossy and black and gold. The unnerneath layer is what the mom calls "peanut butter" cause of the color, I guess.
    I can tell when she hits a bump because then I can feel her fingers, pushing, testing to see what's underneath!
    Out comes the furminator, which isn't really too bad... but then, if it's really bad, she sneaks a pair of baby scissors out to chop the offensive lump. The woman is armed with scissors!
    Ah, Fin, what are we floofy-floofy cats to do?
    Love,
    Faith Boomerang

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  10. And yes, it does always feel better once the unnerneath knot is gone. Sometimes it's been pulling really tight... and it relaxes real fast when the knot is cut out.
    But sometimes it doesn't feel really great when it is first whacked and released.
    About that time, Mom ML starts talking about a "lion cut", whatever that is.
    Do you know what a Lion Cut is, Fin?
    ~FB

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  11. Goodness! We're glad that we're all short haired, so we don't have to put up with any fur pulling

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  12. I'm glad I have short furs too, but my Sister Sascha has that same floof issue.

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  13. You do have gorgeous floof, Fin. We're sorry it has to get pulled sometimes!!

    **If you'd like to donate to Sweet Praline's Medical Fund (she has surgery tomorrow) please visit our blog for instructions. Thank you!

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  14. Phew, I'm glad I don't get that problem. Eric isn't floofy, but he has thick under fur which mats in the middle of his back just above his tail. Luckily he likes the furminator just as much as the zoom groom. I tell him is he wasn't such a widebody, he would be able to reach and get them out himself like I do.
    Flynn.

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  15. Puff and Rudy are going through the same thing right now. It's maybe groomer time for Rudy...

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  16. Our zoom groom is working overtime!

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  17. Our human's mom always told her you have to suffer to be beautiful, Fin.

    Your mom could always take you to the groomer and have you shaved--a lion cut. That would take care of it! MOL!

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  18. Yes indeed, it is hard to be a floofy cat. They start off by just petting then it gets worse. Stick with Dad for a while.

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  19. Well at least there's no talk of shaving!

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  20. Our Mom has wandering hands this time of year too! Unfortunately, there's usually no one else to snuggle with here, so we're stuck!

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  21. I feel your pain, Fin! My mom has been doing the same thing. I think I'm still a little too fast for her, even if I am a senior ladycat.

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  22. Hannah gets a few matts on her tummy & our mum gets blunt ended scissors on them - I'm glad I'm short haired. Luv Lucy

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  23. WE hope you get to keep all your furs.
    --JB

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  24. Fin, we're shorthaired cats so we can't relate to your pain, but our mom will comb Zoey on a regular basis so she doesn't get mats. Your mom just wants you to be more beautiful!!

    Wally & Ernie

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  25. Sorry Fin, you are having to go through this grooming of all the floof. Too bad you have two layers of floof but I guess that is what makes you so beautiful. Hopefully this won't last long. Have a good week all of you.

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  26. Moms can be soooo sneaky wid doz lovin' looks in der eyes! :-p

    Puuurrrzzz! =^_^=

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  27. Oh boy! Out comes the Furminator! We're lucky so far as everyone has been keeping themselves well groomed. We did just buy some hair ball goo to give as treats to help with the extra intake.
    ~Lisa Co9T

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  28. The Birman Girlz have long hair but they don't mat! Mom says that's a good thing!!

    Sniffie and the Florida Furkids

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  29. Floyd used to have that problem a lot too. Mom knows he hated it so she can understand why you would too, because you are floofier then he was. This time of year is when it is nice to be short haired like the rest of us are - we don't have those problems.

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  30. I'm right there with you Fin, mommy keeps pulling my fur too. Is so not fun.
    Squashies

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  31. I know exactly what you mean, Finny. I have the same problem every spring. We are not SIF for nothing!

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  32. I have a cat with fur like that - I call him rasta cat because his fur turns into dreadlocks and he will not let me brush him - I have the scars to show...so once a year he has to be anesthetized and shaved - poor baby!

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  33. The Birman Girlz have long hair but they don't mat! Mom says that's a good thing!!
    home jobs india

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  34. we is glad we don't mat, and Spotty, RIP, who was a Turkish Van, had non-matting furs too...but boy did he hate to be brushed...he had to wear a muzzle!

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