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FURminator

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6:21 pm
December 26, 2011

missnan983

Kent, WA

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This tool is supposed to remove undercoat and loose hair, but ragdolls supposedly don't have an undercoat. Has anyone used this tool and if so, how did it work for you?

One of our two has rabbit-soft fur and it mats. We have the mats cut out by the vet, but want to prevent them in the future and hoped this tool would do that. Any other suggestions on mat control would be most helpful. Thanks!

6:57 am
December 28, 2011

calico

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I was told by a Norweigan Forest Cat breeder that the furminator ruined their coats. I did see one site selling them that said not to use them on long coated breeds. I bought one several years ago and used it on all five of my cats. They are all short to medium coated and one has the longer hair like coat. It didn't work at all on the longer haired cat, in fact she hated it as it seemed to hurt her. Two of the short haired ones liked it, but I still have my reservations about it splitting the cat hair. It remove excess hair, but their coats didn't look so great after I used it. IMO there is a cutting bland in it and it cuts off the coat and maybe splitting the ends of the remaining hairs. Just my experience with it. I don't think I would use it on a Ragdoll, but that's just MHO.

My suggestion for them would be a rubber tipped wire brush and it must be rubber tipped. A company in the UK used to make a great one, I can't think of the name right now, but I couldn't find it anywhere when I looked for it.

11:09 pm
December 28, 2011

missnan983

Kent, WA

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Thank you so much! I certainly wouldn't want to damage their hair or hurt them. They are beautiful and fluffy, but my matted one may just have to withstand spot trimming of the mats until we can find a good solution. Thanks! sf smile Ragdoll Cat Forum

4:26 am
December 29, 2011

calico

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posts 18

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I found the info from the NFC breeder regarding the brush she uses. It was made by Hindes in the UK and called a Slicka. Hers was bought in 1992 and when I tried to find one like it I coudn't. All the slicka's I found only had metal tins for "fingers". The "fingers" must be rubber and everyone I found had metal "fingers" or plastic "fingers". Anyway this is what she told me. There is also some info about the type comb she uses.

I would not use the furminator if it was a gift, but let me explain why:

It has metal tines - and cat fur, especially breeds with long, fine
insulating undercoat like Norwegian Forest cats or Maine Coons
is easily split and damaged causing cats who never matted before, to
develop mats after metal tine damage. So yes it will take out the fur
well, but not gently for very delicate fur.
My own cats never need grooming for mats and I sure do not want to
start now.

Zoom Groom is a poor relative of the tool I do find useful, which
also uses "rubber fingers' to only pull out hairs that are loose
already. It is a Slicka (UK product by Hindes) with a hard curved
support under the rubber fingers and a handle to hold – very much
more effective. Zoom groom is too flexible by comparison and "runs
away from the job". With Slicka, I can get a huge pile of fuzz from
just one cat with a proper winter undercoat – if I have the energy to
keep going.l My cats love being "groomed' with a Slicka, and will
pull it back to their fur if I stop. I got mine in about 1992, and
so it was a good investment, it's still like new, and if anything it
prevent s fur getting matted rather than damaging fur to encourage it
(does a massage job that puts my cats into ecstasy – but good for the
skin is the point I meant to make).

The only metal I allow anywhere near my cats' fur is that of a well-
rounded-tip rotating-tines comb :-)
This policy means that dozens of cats later, including breeding 18
generations – I have never had to groom one of my longhaired
Norwegians to remove a mat. Their fur is pristine even under a
microscope (which is what is needed to see it well, it is that fine).

One test: Would you use that thing on YOUR hair?
Consider that cat fur is a LOT finer and more delicate – and then
decide:-)

It's a splitting hairs thing:-)

The entire thing is a bright blue, blue plastic handle and backplate,
blue softish protrusions – smooth rubbery ones -quite bigger and more
rounded-tips than Zoomgroom ones but the same principle – and not
plastic.

8:08 pm
January 5, 2012

angiedsmith

Rockmart, Ga.

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misnan, I hate to hear about your problem, but I am thrilled to hear about another ragdoll that mats. I've got two. They are just over a year old. Bella, my mink, never mats. She also doesn't mind me brushing "at" her. Henley is my seal mitted baby and she won't have a thing to do with a brush, comb, or anything resembling the two. Sometimes she will let me use my round brush to brush out under her chin and make it fluffy. For the last few months I've been noticing mats coming up on her back. I've done all in my power to brush her every chance I got. It got to where I felt like every time she got near me I picked up a brush and she just stayed away. Eventually she started nipping at me as soon as I got close to a mat. I did not know what to do (still don't). I finally called my vet and they gave me a mild sedative thinking it would calm her enough for me to brush the mats out. Ha! Henley would be a very ugly drunk! It just infuriated her! ( I was able to swaddle her and clip her nails, though.) I ended up taking her to the vet that afternoon and they (we) shaved most of the mats out. She looks a little funny, but doesn't feel all humpy. I want to prevent this from happening again, but she still will not let me brush her. I didn't force it when they were really little so they don't like it now. The fact that she would think about biting me got me. This is the first time that has happened, but it happens every time I push it now. What in the world do you do???????? I know ragdolls aren't supposed to mat, but that obviously isn't written in stone. i read somewhere they could get sores under the mats because they are so close to the skin. I would love to know what to do. Seems like I only write when there is a problem. Guess sometimes I should write when things are great. Right now Bella is curled up next to me purring away while I type.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Angie

10:00 pm
January 26, 2012

ExaltedCat

New Member

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According to show standards, the ideal Ragdoll will have little undercoat. In other words, the majority of "pet quality" Radgolls will have, at least, some. The FURminator is basically half of a clipper blade so each tooth has sharp edges on either side. They are fabulous for thinning coats, making them easier to care for, but will cause some roughness of the coat due to the abrasion of the remaining hairs. It saves me HOURS on my big hairy Pyrenees/Anatolian dog but I don't use it on the Ragdolls. I have found that a metal comb with uneven teeth followed by a cat flea comb works well for removing loose hair and preventing mats. Surprisingly, most of ours really love to be combed backwards! I always make sure to hold the skin still by grasping some of the fur above where I'm combing and working in sections until all tangles are removed.

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FURminator | Brushes and Combs | Ragdoll Cat Forum