May I thank my cat mavens for their invaluable assistance?

Ahem, does this entitle me to one last question re: combing, brushing and nail clipping? A one or two-man job or a trip to Groomer or Vets?

You can clip Milo’s nails with a regular pair of (human) nail clippers. Your best bet is to work on them when he’s relaxed or sleepy or on your lap. If you press gently on his toe, you’ll notice that his nail extrudes. The clear (or white) part of the nail has no nerve endings or blood supply – that’s the part you clip. As long as you avoid the pink area, it’s not painful at all. If you go about it calmly and quietly with a minimum of fumbling and excitement, he probably won’t pay much attention at all. And back toes rarely need clipping. They tend to stay worn down sufficiently.

Combing and brushing depends on Milo. Some cats like it, some don’t. Again, a sleepy, relaxed Milo is more likely to accept the attention. You shouldn’t need a trip to the groomer unless Milo is matted. Don’t ever try to cut matts with scissors!!! Scissors can cause surgical incision quality lacerations (seen lots of it at the emergency clinic). If he does have matts, the groomer can clip them out with a pair of clippers. In general, cats don’t require grooming and bathing like dogs -they do a very good job of taking care of business themselves.

ah, Syz, one of my patron saints. Thank you. Milo seems to be clawing at my screens now.. Is that a sign? He is very docile when I take his collar on and off-it seems a familiar activity.

Cats are tactile gourmets – he may be trying to get your attention to go in or out, or he may just like the way it feels. Feel free to fling a magazine at him or squirt him with a water gun when he does something inappropriate. He’s an intelligent animal and perfectly capable of learning to obey your house rules (at least when you’re watching. Dogs have a conscience and usually follow the rules, even if you’re not home. Cats, being superior beings, don’t give a damn about the rules unless they know there will be consequences).

By the way, gailcalled, are those peonies in your avatar?

I think that M is on the alert at this particular screen because there is a bird’s nest outside and nearby. M is a good motion detector, and the phoebe parents are in and out, just in front of his nose.

Yes, and one rose (the Peace Rose). My daughter sent me the pic from her magnificent garden in Providence, before she took off for Vancouver and lurve. I have similar peonies but can’t be bothered now w. a dig. camera.

Ahh, the trauma of nesting/fledgling season. I have carolina wrens here. The silly fledglings actually cling to the screen when their irregular flying skills send them careening into my windows. Back when I had an outdoor cat, I used to keep her locked in until their skills improved. She made sure that we were both miserable in the interem.

I used to hear the Carolina wren when I lived in Philly. What a beautiful song – and easy to ID, since I have a tin ear. It is almost time for the sapsuckers to gouge huge holes in my cedar siding in order to get to the larvae of the borer bees, who are now entrenched in their holes. Pretty soon M and I may both be homeless.

Nice to chat. The outside is beckoning now.

Gail

If Milo has short hair, he should never need grooming.
Our kitty is a well-protected puffy Norwegian Forest Cat ($700 plus shipping).
I know, we should have gotten a rescue kitty from the pound.
Moving forward: when he was young, his beautiful coat got terrible mats and he and we
all suffered. We had to kind of part each mat with our fingers and take out the smaller
bits by pulling carefully while holding the still-entrenched hairs close to his body with the other hand. Had to do it every day. At age 4, all of a sudden it never happened any more.
syz, do you know why?

I’m not sure. Often the adult coat is a completely different texture than kitten hair, but that should have changed well before 4 years of age. If nothing changed in his environment (food, ambient temp or humidity, etc), them I’m afraid I’m clueless.

Wedgies have incredibly fine hair (that loves to fly directly into my eyes and cause an allergic reaction) – you’re lucky that you don’t have problems with it.

Well maybe it changed when he was 3 and a half. And they say that Wegies, like Maine Coons, only become fully adult at 5. Anyway, he’s a great, great cat. I will now ask you
all veterinary questions before I ever call the vet. Yay syz.
No allergies thank god. I kiss him on the tummy many times/day.

They’re beautiful cats. I lost my Maine Coon to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and a resulting saddle thrombus.

I have all short haired (kitty)mutts now.

I have two Burmese cats and have never had to have them groomed. They are short hair & love a brisk petting that helps with shedding. They have never like a brush but the hand glove thingie is groovy in their book. I trim their nails regularly & it’s fairly easy. The only thing they have ever clawed furniture wise is my husbands office chair, but I think that was a statement when we moved in together. Otherwise they are really good about clawing there kitty condo & other approved clawing mats & toys.

May I kiss all of you, (not on the tummy, however)?

If anyone would like Milo’s toys, which he seems to hate, please send mailing address. OTOH, if I leave my purse open, he is in there prowling and removing the key on a thong -often losing it. So much to learn, so little time.

Aaashhhh yes, the fincky cat toy kitty. You’ll discover what he likes by trial & error. Every cat is different. It sounds like Milo likes to “find” his toy so maybe put a toy in a brown bag. Also once you find one he likes, rotate it so he doesn’t get bored with it. My girl kitty LOVES anything with feathers on it. And, they give me hours of entertainment with a laser pointer thingie I have. Chasing the spot up the wall; on my dogs head; on each others paw.