It is widely believed that cats feel angry, embarrassed & devastated by their new look. Is it so?
Grooming long-haired cats is one task that owners usually dread. Cats groom themselves therefore most do not like being bathed or brushed regularly, which leaves their coats to matt. Many owners choose to give their cat a ‘lion cut’, a lion-inspired look that has quickly become popular in cat grooming.
Cats should be trained to regular baths, brushing and combing from a young age to maintain good health, a beautiful coat and to stimulate normal blood circulation. Besides home grooming, some owners also avail grooming services from salon, especially for long-haired breeds like Persian, Himalayan, Ragamuffin, Korat, Norwegian Forest Cat and Maine Coon.
THE GROOMER
Cutting a long-haired cat’s fur is no easy task. It requires a professional who has great compassion and love for animals to successfully complete the tricky job.
Experience and training helps in avoiding nicks and cuts on the cat’s delicate skin and also prevents hurting oneself. Besides basic knowledge about haircuts, specialists work alongside veterinarians to ensure proper restrain and handling. The task is not easy and depending on how comfortable the cat feels, it can take longer than usual, that is why most grooming salons have an appointment system, this way, the groomer and his team can give undivided attention to your cat.
ADVICE: Always assess the grooming area on sanitation. Look for possible stressful conditions like dog odour, and ask if you are allowed to watch the grooming procedure.
THE CUT
The standard lion cut requires shaving the entire body except the head, the mane also known as the upper neck, the boots and a 1 to 2 inches tuft on the tip of the tail. Some owners divert to the natural wild look by having preferred cuts, like trimmed ruff, and request it beforehand.
Nowadays, lion cut has various forms such as Young Lion, Mature Lion, Puss In Boots, African, American, Persian, Liger, Tame Liger and Wild Liger.
Lion cut is recommended in late spring, before the onset of extreme summer weather and with enough time to re-grow for cold months. Full-length coat re-growth takes about 4 to 6 months, at a rate of an inch every month. However, soft undercoat takes longer time to re-grow compared to the topcoat.
THE ADVANTAGES
The lion cut has several benefits. For cats living in places where warm weather is unbearable, such as in the UAE, this cut makes the heat bearable. Getting the fur trimmed makes cats more active during the summer season as it reduces the heat within their body.
The cut makes it easier to maintain the coats of older cats that have difficulty grooming them. Closer contact and better petting sensation enhances the bond between the owner and the pet. It has also been noticed that cats become less temperamental after adjusting to their new look.
Owners hugely benefit with the lion cut as it decreases shedding. Shed fur contains cat dander, which can trigger allergic reactions on humans.
Veterinarians recommend lion cut as it is easy to maintain and it does not cause any developmental issues. It is beneficial in medical situations such as surgery and in cases of painful mats or knots. Matted fur promotes skin infections and parasites so it becomes necessary to shave if brushing and combing fail.
Poor digestion and vomiting due to hairballs decreases after the lion cut as cats have less fur to groom. After the cut, the cat’s skin is almost all exposed, so skin problems like dandruff can be properly treated.
THE DISADVANTAGES
Some animal rights advocates believe that cat’s vanity grooming is cruel, unethical or a form of abuse. They believe that cat fashion and hair styling are just for public show at the expense of animals. Some people also value independence,
dignity and feelings of cats. They believe that cats are self-aware and feel naked or baleful after such a cut. Cats are said to use their fur as their security blanket and after seeing the drastic change in their looks, most cats are believed to feel angry and embarrassed. They are likely to hide, neglect further grooming and look depressed or devastated for a few days.
Fur is a natural body temperature regulator. This body control system filters air that passes through the fur and reaches skin. Without this insulator cover, cats are susceptible to diseases caused by extreme heat or cold. Cats that are used to going outdoors regularly are likely to develop wounds after having their torso fully shaved for the cut. These wounds can be caused by catfights, excessive sun exposure or even an exasperated underlying disease.
Most nervous cats have to undergo sedation or general anaesthesia to get groomed. These procedures pose some risk and trauma especially for older cats. Therefore, it is strongly advised that only a veterinarian should administer anaesthesia. Anaesthesia usually requires costly diagnostic tests for older cats like complete blood count, chemistry panels and electrocardiogram.
CONCLUSION
Overall, the lion cut is a suitable cut for your cat, depending on weather conditions and also the nature of your cat. Owners can best judge whether or not their cat will accept her new look or whether it will feel traumatised. It is worth considering that sometimes, your cat might just need to be shaved once in order to maintain it’s health. Not all owners groom their cat for shows, most people prefer to keep their pets well-groomed so that they can live a long, healthy and happy life.
We would like to hear your verdict on this issue. Are you in favour of the Lion Cut? Comment below!
Printed in Petigree Magazine Oct / Nov 2013 issue