Tags and Brushing Help

Neither of ours like to be brushed... and we never realised til it was too late that our big un was getting loads of tags near the back, so we have been trying to brush for weeks and are rapidly losing this battle; tags getting much worse

We just get biting, hissing, clawing, ... tried distraction techniques; no luck.. and it's getting to the point where she is on guard every time we touch her now
Not sure what to do, drastic action is going to vets for some sedation and a dematt, but that's traumatic; needle in arm etc. she hates vets as it is

Are there any other options? tried the cutter brushes but she hates these too, will a groomer be able to help or will she have the same hissing/biting

Well, I have also two cats which don't like to be brushed and one of them has a fure which is getting tags all over and meanwhile we have twice a year an apointment at the doc who is giving him a modern short cut :koolkat: Last time he got a complete short cut. It was so worse and after he was looking to funny .The other we can handle because when he is lying we can cut the tags on our own

As you are at the stage where your relationship with her is beginning to suffer, I would bite the bullet and get her shaved/groomed. Then start from zero. Brush her every day, but always with a treat afterwards. As she won't have any knots, you won't be pulling her fur, and she will start to realise with the treat that brushing is all right really. Little and often is the key. Short sessions at first, even if only a few seconds, and gradually build up to a few minutes if she will tolerate it.

I have a similar problem with Monty. He is such a girl about being brushed and he overreacts massively. I can only do it when he's fast asleep. And he's the one who is prone to knots, typical! In December I had him shaved as his chest was tight with matted fur and there was no way I could access it. Since then I've managed to keep on top of it. Nothing like a 60 quid vets bill to spur you on! hehe

In addition to my previous post, here a photo of Idy one month after he was shaved

Attachment 5918

Now I brush him everyday a little and in the moment it's ok. It is not that he starts fighting or something like this when I brushed him in the passed, He allways jumped away and did not sit still.
I hope we can manage now. Otherwise we start again with a modern short cut

I got a tip from my breeder to use a quick unpick when you first notice the knot - put the point into the knot and pull upward and it breaks the knot up ( you might have to do it several times) when it is broken it usually combs out. I have used it on the show cats and you also dont lose much hair and it doesnt pull on their skin

Attachment 5974

Hope that helps for the future - you might be past that now but could save you from having to shave again