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Investment in time is also a major consideration for most
owners and in this area cats win hands down over dogs as
they are mostly self sufficient. They amuse themselves,
exercise as they wish and most importantly understand the
concept of toilet training.
The main exception to this general rule are long haired
cats!
There are 3 main hair types in animals.
- Guard hairs: 1 hair to
each follicle provide the waterproof top layer.
- Vibrissae: Thicker than
guard hairs they project deep into the skin with associated
nerve endings at their base. These act as important sensory
organs in the cat.
- Wool hairs or undercoat:
These provide insulation by trapping air between them.
Many wool hairs can sprout from 1 follicle.
In the spring cats will moult most heavily and it is at
this time when owners of long haired cats like "Tilly"
come to realise that "self sufficiency" does not
always extend to removing the volume of hairs that can be
lost by certain individuals. Fortunately, Tilly has been
well groomed over the years and demonstrates some patience
when some "clumps" or "matts" have to
be teased out!
Other breeds such as Persians have large numbers of wool
hairs for each follicle and are frequent visitors to the
surgery for "Sedation and dematting".
Chinchillas have the densest coat known with over 70 hairs
from each follicle.
Having only ever owned short haired cats my experience
of "difficult grooming" has been limited to my
daughters' hair who have all expressed a desire for sedation
before their "dematt!"
Terry
Dunne BVMS, Cert SAO, MRCVS
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