Rescue cat afraid of brush

H All,

My wife and I recently became parents to a four year old Maine Coon boy named Ky. He was handed into the animal shelter by his previous owner who couldn't keep him any more.

We don't know much about his previous life but he is terrified of people and the notes say prior to being surrendered to the shelter he lost a lot of weight and started using the carpet instead of his litter tray.

He's slowly starting to come around and although he will still hide from me, he comes to my wife for cuddles and has even started to play a little.

We have also discovered that he absolutely terrified of anything that remotely resembles a comb or a brush. We are letting things happen at his pace and for now leaving him to his own devices as far as grooming is concerned.

But while he's settling in, any suggestions for an approach to us grooming him that won't scare him to death?

Hi Jeffk, sounds like you have a beautiful boy there, marvellous that you have taken him on knowing he has issues. He's a very fortunate creature!

I've had several wonderful rescue cats and the trouble is you just don't know exactly what they've been through. It sounds like poor Ky has been through some traumas but you've made great progress with him already.

Regarding the brush, my suggestion would be to slowly familiarise him with the brush and comb, or whatever grooming tools you want to use. Leave them out for him to sniff at and be around. Give him plenty of time, and when he's more relaxed generally, attempt a brush across the head and down the back. With any luck it will feel just like being stroked, so should be OK. And take it from there. Give him loads of time. Hopefully he won't get too knotted in the meantime! Also, a grooming mitt might work well once he's OK about being stroked.

And when you get a chance, do please post some pictures! What colour is he?

Thanks for the replies. We've had him for a month and we're going to take it slowly. There was no plan to own a Maine Coon so we're doing a crash course in looking after them. My wife just took one look at him cowering in the corner of his cage and refused to leave the shelter without him.

Everything we see suggests it's bad to let them go too long without some extra grooming. We're probably just stressing too much as his new parents.

http://thecats.jeffkirkland.com/wp-c...eyzer_web1.jpg

To be honest he has such an adverse reaction to anything even brush shaped that I half think he may have been hit with one a time or two.

One of our other cats, April is a compulsive groomer and mothers anything that breathes. I'm sure he'll be regularly groomed within an inch of life when they eventually meet.

I would give him a bit more time.
When we had Pomeroy, at the time a 2 1/2 year old from our breeder we did not see him for 3 weeks! He hid behind the sofa as he was so shy and would only feed and use his tray when we were not around. We would hear him prowling around the house late at night when we were in bed.
After 3 weeks he started to pop out to watch us then week 4 he started to sit by my wife. Week 5 he let us groom him. Week seven the kitten Raggles arrived and that really brought him out! Now 6 months down the line he is 95% confident but still has his little spooked moments. BUT he loves to be groomed now! We have just had a girl Kitten and again that seems to have helped!
Just hang in there I'm sure it will be fine.

So pleased that you have given him a good home,makes you want to cry just seeing his little face,horrible to think what he has been through bless him but I am sure he will come round pretty quickly with the love he is obviously being shown now.
If he is anything like my silver boy hopefully he will not knot up too much but grooming can be part of your socialising with him,can you get a small slicker brush,I have a couple but the really small one that I use when they are babes you can nearlly hide in your hand & if he ever lays near you & you can stroke his head perhaps you could start just stroking that across & work from there,I think it always looks a pretty lethal weapon but because the wire is so thin & hooked they really seem to enjoy it.
Good luck & look forward to seeing some more pictures in the future,bet he will soon have a big smile on his face...!

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Originally Posted by jeffk

One of our other cats, April is a compulsive groomer and mothers anything that breathes. I'm sure he'll be regularly groomed within an inch of life when they eventually meet.

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Looking forward to seeing pictures of your other cats as well. Especially a picture of Ky being mothered and fussed by April...sooner or later!
:satisfied:

Welcome to the forum, Jeffk, Ky and family, it's good to have you join us.

What fortune for Ky to have found you guys when he did - it is horrible to think about what experiences he might have had to make him so frightened but it sounds like he's with the right family to help him through them. And I agree with Candes - I wouldn't have been able to leave him either, he's a very nice looking cat.

I can't offer any guidance re the grooming as I've not yet sussed it with my two yet! But the guys on the forum offer tremendous help and advice is sound. Good luck with your grooming endeavours though, and - at the risk of making us all sound photo obsessed - please post more pic's of Ky and your other furries when you get chance!

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Originally Posted by jckkerrison

I have a couple but the really small one that I use when they are babes you can nearlly hide in your hand

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Jackie - where did you get your tiny brush from? I don't yet have a slicker brush and if they're that easy to conceal it would be worth adding one to the arsenal!

I actually got that one at a show,I had forgotten to put mine back into the grooming kit so panic stations had to go & buy another,got it because it was the cheapest there but has been a big asset especially as I said with the babes,the head of it is 3"across & 2"deep but the wires in the middle only cover an area of 1.5" by 1"so it is great to tuck into your hand & I also find it good for going round the face & neck even on the big cats.
Welly saw me measuring up & he has just come up so he can be "slicked"if you don't do the right spot he wraps his paw round you & pull it to the spot,going to have to spend a few miutes doing it now as he isnt giving up,can't type with a cat walking over keys with slicker in his mouth !

Hi jeffk and Welcome!

He looks like a super boy and will return all your kindness ten-fold. He's certainly fallen on his feet finding a home with you :hug:

My blue tabby boy hardly knots at all, my brown tabby boy knots as soon as you look at him! They all seem to be different.

My favourite brand for slickers are Lawrence or Hindes. They do them in different sizes and 'firm-ness' (if thats a word!) - have a look on here for a few ideas: HUB International (Mr & Mrs G Urquhart) Slicker Brush

Hope this helps

Welly is a happy boy now doesn't take a lot to please ! Forgot about that site,when I go visit my brother we very often go along to their unit for a look around.Just had a look at the slickers,the head of this one is the same as the Chris Christenson Mark One but noooo way did I pay that price,there is another one further down GR05942 that looks as if it could be about the same,most probaly will pay to go along to pet stores for a bit of a browse {good excuse}....

Last night my wife, Helen, was reading on the spare bed and Ky came up and slept next to her for a while. She managed to get a couple of knots out of his tail while he was there.

We might see how Ky and the other cats go face to face this weekend. I think he may start to settle in faster once he gets full run of the house and interacts with the other two cats. Norton's another boy so there'll be some putting the newcomer in his place that we'll have to supervise but hopefully that will settle fairly quickly.

Then we'll revisit the grooming side of things, if as others have pointed out, he needs any at all.

Yeah - not sure I would spend £25 on a cat brush - knowing me I would lose it at the first show I took it to!

Hopefully Ky will soon be best buddies with the other cats. Good luck with the intros

If you can get knots out of his tail then hopefully he will accept grooming in time,great that he seems to be relaxing into his new home,good luck with them all meeting face on....