The season has ended. The wins are scored. The awards have been collected. And the cats—especially if they are of the Persian purrsuasion—are probably shaved down. Or soon will be.
To someone who takes extreme pleasure in running her fingers through the long, luxurious coat of a Persian, this common practice appears almost sacrilegious. It’s like drawing a mustache on the Mona Lisa or spray-painting the Pieta. How can you do such a thing to a creature so beautiful it stops traffic?
So, given that we’re in the heat of the summer and cat owners with longhairs of every variety are looking to keep their cats cool and comfortable, this writer let her curiosity about kitty haircuts run rampant in hopes of gaining info that would be useful for Persian and non-Persian longhairs alike. Heartfelt thanks to the three longhair experts who agreed to answer my questions.
How Necessary is it to Shave a Longhair?
Strictly speaking, it’s not absolutely necessary and whether you do it or not is most likely related to the number of cats in your house and the amount of time you want to allocate to grooming them. Certified Feline
Master Groomer Sandra Gonyea explains her compromise approach as follows: “I personally do not feel it is necessary to continuously shave my Persians. However, keeping a lot of hair on them is a big commitment of my time and energy. . . so I very often shorten the coat and put them in a lion trim or a comb clip (a longer version of the lion clip).”
This story is from the August 2023 edition of Cat Talk.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the August 2023 edition of Cat Talk.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Holiday Aromatics
Are They Naughty or Nice?
Feline Photographers Part 2
Social media is rife with pictures of our pets, especially cats.
Celebrating the Season With Our Cats
As this writer began work on this project to find holiday stories involving cats, she was amazed to find that there are ELEVEN religious holidays celebrated during December!
How Cats Find Their Owners
A month after losing her beloved senior cat, a woman named Amin Diane was parked on a street at night, waiting for her friend.
Remembering Willa Hawke
Retired CFA Judge Emeritus Willa Hawke passed away August 2, 2024 in Lake Kiowa, TX at the age of 88. She had been a judge for over 50 years before her retirement in 2016.
UP CLOSE AND Purr-sonal
Thoughtful... Caring ... Giving ...Helpful... Committed.
DON'T PUFF AROUND PUFF!
THE EFFECT OF SECONDHAND SMOKE ON CATS
Fluffy Coats
AND HOW TO CARE FOR THEM
Feline Agility?
I Thought Agility Was For Dogs!
Come Fly With Me!
TIPS ON NAVIGATING AIRPORT SECURITY WITH YOUR CAT