Tackling matted fur and where to find the right animalTo send a question to Pet Talk, e-mail advocatepettalk@yahoo.com or write c/o The Advocate, 100 Main St., North Adams, MA 01247. This column deals with general pet concerns and is not intended to be substituted for professional advice.Question: My cat gets huge mats of hair under her belly, sometimes very close to the skin. Is there any way of cutting them out or removing them safely and, short of using tranquilizer darts, how do I get her to sit for it?
Longhaired cats should be brushed regularly to prevent mats from forming in the first place. That being said, I know for a fact that many cat owners barely have the time or the inclination to brush their own hair, let alone the cat’s. Or they have the time and the inclination and even the right brush, but the cat regards the whole enterprise with deep suspicion, if not downright hostility. In my own household, which consists of two longhaired cats and two shorthaired ones, I regularly brush only one of the four and that only because she actively solicits it, usually when I’m brushing my teeth at night.
The other longhaired one much prefers benign neglect, with the result that over the past decade, she’s been forced to go to a professional groomer (with dire results for the groomer’s hands and arms). On two occasions, she’s gotten so matted that I’ve had to take her to the vet, have her tranquilized and get her shaved. After the second time, I started very gently using a brush on her when she’s eating, and she’s slowly gotten used to it. During the fall, I make sure to pick out all the burrs and seeds that come in with the cats so that mats won’t form around them. Sometimes it takes several attempts to get them, and that’s OK. Better to perform several surgical strikes and live to fight another day than to get you and the cat overly agitated with an extended grooming session.
The same technique holds for removing mats that have already formed. Don’t just grab the cat and start hacking away. Get a pair of very sharp nail scissors and approach the cat when she is relaxed and lying down. Spend some time just petting her before you start snipping away, and when you do use the scissors, use tiny snips and be VERY CAREFUL when you are near the skin. My vet friends tell me they frequently have to stitch up gaping wounds after a home grooming session.
With a large mat, you can cut away the bulk of it with small snips and then try to brush out the remainder. It is often helpful to pull the hairs gently apart, brush a little, pull the hairs apart, brush some more, etc. Only do a little at a time and quit if the cat starts getting upset or agitated. You might try a little “cupboard love†and provide a special treat (tuna or cooked chicken can work wonders) during each session.
If your cat is badly matted, I recommend letting a professional take the lumps so that you can start from scratch (pun intended) with a fluffy and combed-out kitty. Then you can prevent future mats by getting her used to being brushed regularly. Again, start with very brief sessions when she is already relaxed. Many cats enjoy being brushed as long as you are gentle, move slowly and don’t keep after them once they’ve had enough.
Question: I would love to adopt a cat or dog but would like to know why I should get one from an animal shelter as opposed to buying one, or, in the case of cats, simply snagging one of several stray kittens that appear around abandoned buildings all the time.
As the owner of all-rescue animals (except for the pet store rat), I’m obviously an advocate of adoption. The pet overpopulation problem in this country is huge, and there are never enough homes for the many animals that are abandoned or surrendered every year. People who want a purebred dog but are attracted by the idea of adopting rather than purchasing from a breeder should check with the local shelter because a great number of purebreds wind up in shelters. There are also many breed-rescue organizations looking to place purebred dogs.
Most shelters work very hard to make a good match between a dog or cat and a new home. The shelter staff will be more than happy to help you figure out the best type of companion based on your lifestyle, family size, work schedule, other pets, etc. Once you have an idea of what size, age and activity level you are looking for, the trick is not to fall in love with the first furry face you see. Adopting a dog is a 10-to-15-year commitment, so take your time and keep looking if the right dog isn’t available at first. There are several shelters in this area, so try them all. Check out the local free animal papers, too.
Unless you are deeply committed to raising a puppy, think seriously about adopting an older dog which may well be housetrained, obedient and used to children and other animals (not to mention being able to stay alone for longer periods of time). Puppies take a tremendous amount of time and energy for their first year of life, while kittens, adorable as they are, grow fast and soon look just like all those adult cats that get passed over at the shelters.
As for collecting stray kittens, be careful. If they are truly feral, they may never become a cuddly companion. On the other hand, many formerly “wild†cats settle happily into homes and laps and never look back. If the kittens are hard to catch, ask your local shelter if it has a program for trapping feral cats. Any kitten that you find as a stray should go straight to a vet for a check-up — it will undoubtedly have worms, probably have fleas and will need shots. Rescuing a dog or cat from a shelter can be deeply rewarding, and I definitely recommend it.
Lisa Hiley is a freelance writer and lifelong animal lover whose current menagerie consists of a dog, four cats, a lovebird and a rat, as well as a husband and two daughters. She has written and edited several books about animals. She also takes dictation from feline Advocate columnist Emma Jane.
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Former Harry's Supermarket Under Construction for Restaurant
Late last month, the Conservation Commission greenlit some tree pruning on the property. New windows and a new door can be seen in the front of the building.
"It's a substantial renovation that's currently underway here," Brent White of White Engineering said, speaking on behalf of the applicant and owner, Huajie Zhu.
A fire gutted the longtime Wahconah Street supermarket in 2023, and the following year, Zhu purchased the property for $460,000 two years ago to build a restaurant with hibachi in the existing footprint of the more than 100-year-old building.
White explained that the project has been ongoing for over a year, and the Community Development Board granted the property a waiver to reduce the minimum required number of parking spaces so that additional spaces aren't needed.
He noted that, looking at the site plan, there is very little room to do so. A mirror will be installed near the sharp turn on Bel Air Avenue to alleviate traffic concerns.
Pruning will be done on trees in the southeast corner of the existing paved parking lot, as a number of branches are hanging over. The new owners also intend to patch, sealcoat, and re-stripe the parking lot.
A fire tore through the building less than an hour after the supermarket closed for the day three years ago. An automatic sprinkler system is required for the new use.
Cassidy Flynn scattered five hits in a complete-game effort in the circle as Lenox upset top-seeded Hoosac Valley, 3-2, in the quarter-finals of the Division 5 State Tournament. click for more
Brayden Durant struck out seven and walked one in a complete-game effort on the mound Saturday to pitch the Drury baseball team to a 6-0 win over Keefe Tech in the quarter-finals of the Division 5 State Tournament at Joe Wolfe Field. click for more
Jason Codey struck out 13, walked two and allowed just an infield single as the Generals earned a 7-1 win over Wahconah to claim their third straight regional title. click for more
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