2008.07.23
The FURminator
I got an e-mail from Laurie, a co-worker who was looking for a Roanoke-area cat groomer who would shave her long-haired kitty. Another blog reader recommended a local vet that specializes in felines and also offers grooming services.
Laurie wrote:
When I called the vet, they recommended I try the FURminator first, as some cats need to go under because they stress out too much when they're professionally groomed. I went out and bought one (only after I asked around the office and a co-worker said he had one for his dog and it was worth every penny) at PetSmart for $40 and it's AMAZING. I've never found a brush before that worked so well on my long-haired kitty. It also works on my short-hairs. I'll be recommending it to all the cat and dog owners I know who are tired of the shedding!
Anyone else had luck with this product? I think I may invest in these for our pets. Even though we only have short-haired dogs and cats, we see enough evidence of their shedding every time we empty the vacuum, which pretty much has to be done on a room-by-room basis.
I have two short haired cats and I love the FURminator and so do the cats. I've had other brushes before but none have worked as well. It reduces the amount of fur around the house and keeps the cat's coat healthy and soft. I've had mine for several years now. It really is a great investment and well worth the money.
Comment by Rachel — July 23, 2008 @ 2:30 pm
This product intrigues me! My dog sheds worse than anything I have ever seen before and I wish there was something I could do that would help. Her hair is short but very straight and wirey so we don't have any tangle or matting problems. My previous dog was a Chow and her shedding was nothing compared to this! Can the blog readers tell me if they think it would work well on short, silky, wirey hair??
By the way Nona, glad you're feeling better and that Dexter is over his chicken "nugget" issue!
Comment by Kim — July 23, 2008 @ 4:17 pm
Kim- my dogs have the same type of coat, short and soft. I put a fish oil tablet in their food dish every day, because I heard it helped them have a healthier coat and less shedding. Healthy coat: yes. Less shedding: no. Dexter sheds by the handful.
I think I will try this product to see if it will help remove the undercoat, which is what I think they are sprinkling all over the house.
Too bad there is a separate FURminator for dogs and cats. One size does not fit all.
And thanks for the kind words. He spewed a few more nuggets today. I think he ate both of the feet. Gross.
Comment by Nona — July 23, 2008 @ 4:59 pm
We borrowed a friend's FURminator. It does work great. We actually had another comb that has the same type of head, but it's oriented like a "normal" comb, so it is not as ergonomic to use. The furminator has a nice large head. I just wish Bauer would sit still longer and let me get his rump hair. It pulls out the loose over and under coat, and really helps keep the hair down.
Nona, we give Bauer fish oil capsules, too. He had allergies every summer when he was younger, which caused itchy hot-spots on his belly as well as his belly hair getting really thin (like he was losing his belly fur). The fish oil work great. No problems with fur or hotspots since we started using them. What brand do you use? We get 3V Skin Caps from our vet, but they are a bit expensive.
Comment by Ed S. — July 23, 2008 @ 8:44 pm
Ed- we use Nature Made fish oil, 1200 mg., from the vitamin aisle at our friendly neighborhood Kroger store. Fish oil was recommended to us to keep their skin in good conidtion and their coats shiny and soft, and it certainly works.
Comment by Nona — July 24, 2008 @ 2:50 pm
The FURminator was recommended to me by someone who swore that it was worth the cost...and boy was she right! Not only does it do an amazing job at removing an entire extra cat worth of fur from our Norwegian Forest Cat, but he actually loves it when I brush him. He runs to me and purrs like crazy when he sees it come out. It is worth its weight in fur!!
Comment by Emily — July 24, 2008 @ 4:32 pm