- by Linda Roller , Bookseller , Writer , & Owner of Liberty Book Shop in beautiful downtown Avis , PA .
The Spring Fur is Flying !
This year , we didn ’ t need a groundhog to tell this house that Spring would be early . We got the message from our own Hector , who began losing tufts of fur on February 2nd . It ’ s the Spring “ changing of the cat coat .” It happens here every year , though it started about 2 weeks earlier than last year . Now , Hector is not unusual in shedding a winter coat . Many cats have a winter coat and a summer coat , and almost all cats shed some fur daily . How much they shed depends on breed , length of the hairs in the fur , and density of coat . For example , Jasper , Hector ’ s brother , is a cat with coarse , short hair . He sheds , but a little brushing and daily vacuuming keeps his black fur off the floor and furniture . Years ago , my sister and I had annual Spring brushings , where we would brush up to 6 of our cats outside with a shedding comb and a blade . The fur would fly ! Our yard would have clouds of cat fur along the side where all that winter fur would blow .
What does make Hector ’ s shedding different is that he is not only a longhaired cat , but he has both a topcoat and an undercoat and his fur is incredibly fine - with much thinner individual hairs than most longhaired cats . It ’ s what makes him so soft and fluffy - irresistible to many people coming into the shop and being greeted by a friendly cat with a coat that ’ s just like bunny fur . When he is shedding in the Spring , that fur forms thick mats next to his skin .
He pulls and licks them out himself , especially around his neck . Right now , he has bald patches , and a faintly moth-eaten look . A bookseller friend whose cat , Annika , has the same type of fur takes her bookstore kitty to the groomers for a “ lion cut .” That ’ s where a cat is shaved along the belly and sides , leaving fur on head , neck and front of the chest . We don ’ t have anyone close by who can do it , and Hector hates car rides .
Most shedding blades and brushes pull out too much fur , including the new fur that is pushing off his old coat . Our solution , after years of trial and error , is slow and steady . I have a shedding comb from the old days , but I use the end as a pick to break up big mats into smaller mats . I use a small , sharp pair of scissors to clip the top half of the mats , not getting near his skin . And we work on it a few times a day , not a big session . He is more comfortable with that , and it gets the job done . The experts say , brush , brush , brush . Perfect for Jasper , who loves it . And with the modified tools for Hector , he likes it , too !
And this type of shedding is not for a long time . It ’ s about eight weeks before the summer coat is completely in . We are three weeks along and doing well . The summer fur is almost covering his ruff and chest . By the middle of March , he will be a gorgeous summer guy . Happy Spring , everyone !
LIBERTY BOOK SHOP Linda Roller
Hours : Thursday & Friday 10-6 , Saturday 10-3 , or by appt .
“ Where yesterday ’ s books are today ’ s treasures .”
LibertyBookShop @ comcast . net www . thelibertybookshop . com
570-753-5201
Pawsitively Pets -- March 5