Bribery

 

Pilchard's back. It's summer because she has mats. I try to comb her every day because she also has dandruff and she doesn't always groom completely back by her tail. These mats on her back were small, but if I don't get them when they are small, they will get large and that's absolutely no fun to try to comb through. 

So, twice a day, more on weekends, I get out the comb, talk soothingly and try to gently comb through the mats. She decides how much she's going to tolerate and then goes behind the plant stands in the NE corner of the living room where I can't get her. If she's in a good mood, I can comb her gently for 10 minutes. If she's not interested in the pulling, I get less than a minute of running a comb through the fur. This is followed by treats. Yes, I am not above bribery, often, in an attempt to get these mats out of her fur. 

Depending upon how much I get out determines whether and how many treats she and Mija get. Mija comes and watches because she knows there are treats after a combing. Sometimes, I run a comb over her. I don't notice her shedding as I do Pilchard except on the love seat. I need to get a large lint roller next weekend. I can tell where Mija sleeps and then I need to cover the seat with something to catch the cat hair and that can be tossed into the wash. 

Some time ago, Val gave me a large sack of these big treats. They are higher in fat so they shouldn't be given all the time. I'm low on them so I use them only when Pilchard is patient enough to let me comb out a small mat or part of a larger one. If I give her 3 or 4 of the fatty treats, she will let me comb her again in a couple of hours. If I give her the Temptations, she generally stays out of reach until she wants an ear scratching which I can combine with one or two combings. 

It's going to be a long summer of combings. She's got mats at her rear legs. Those are the hard ones to get out. The fatty treats help. At least she's amenable to letting me work on them after a couple of those. Because I got all of the mats out of her back, I'm giving her a rest for a couple days before we start in on the side. She does like her chin combed so I start there. Bribery. It works. 

Beverage: English Breakfast tea

Deb