Thursday, July 18, 2013

Bad Fur Days

Do you remember the TV show Friends? Remember the episode where they went to Barbados and Monica's hair went poofy frizzy in the humidity?

Star has this in common with Monica..

Star's fur is soooo soft, no guard hairs, all soft under-fur. Her belly fur is curly all the time, the rest of her fur is curly when it's wet. But Star does a great job keeping it smoothed out. Usually.

It has been rain rain rain rain around here lately and the humidity has been hovering around 97%. Seriously, you have to wring the air out before you can breath it! So guess what's happened to Star's fur?

Yup, POOFY! Frizzy fluffy puffed up! Even the parts of her hair that don't appear curly are extra fluffed out! She feels like she has twice as much fur as usual!

Just look at this curly tummy and legs!
 
 
See the rest of her, all floofed out!

Trust me, she's not usually this puff puff baby!

But it's causing a problem.. Because her hair is so soft and downy, it has been tangling. A lot.

Star usually grooms so well that I never have to look for furballs in her coat, but I went to rub her tummy the other day and felt some. Not good. So far I've had to cut matted balls of fur from each of her arm pits, up and down her pantaloons, on her thighs and near her neck.

And is she a baby about it! My gosh, she screamed so loud the first time I took scissors to her that I swore I must have cut skin not fur! My hands were shaking as I looked for blood. Nothing.. Not even close to skin! I made another cut, in the middle of the mat, and she screamed again! Still shaking, I made a cut AWAY from her mats, not touching any fur, just snip in the air.. Yup, she screamed...

Greg, who was holding her while I worked on the mats, was convinced I was slicing her skin.. I think he thought we were going to have to go to the vet to get her stitched up! But no, she was just being a drama queen..

Star is 14.. We've had her for 12 years.. And this is the first time I've seen her behave like this! Seriously! Is it age or did she think her daddy would make me stop if she cried?


Oh by the way, Leo is as sleek and smooth furred as usual.. Must be a girl thing.

21 comments:

Crafting Queen said...

Poor Baby, hope there is no more cutting involved. :)

Hannah and Lucy said...

Hannah needs to have matts cut out in her paw pits and pants too - she is usually very laid back but when she spies the scissors and me feeling for the matts she's like a dervish! Lucy just sits and watches.
Luv Hannah and Lucy xx xx

Gigi said...

Star, my brave darling, I am proud of you! You sang the Song of Our People as that evil peep wielded the instruments of pain. You are a WARRIOR.

Also, what's with this post lingering on your Bad Hair Day?? (Not that you EVER look less than beauteous!) It's not nearly so bad as when my Human posted THIS atrocity (http://spittyspeaks.blogspot.com/2013/06/freaky-friday-furiends-dont-let-this.html), but it still seems a little less than kind. I think your Peep deserves a little punishment. Don't you think so?

Sparkle said...

OMC, Star has fur like... MY HUMAN'S HAIR!!! And trust me, if someone tried to cut out the tangles, she would scream just as loudly.

Cats Herd You said...

That is crazy curly hair, Star. Newton needs mats cut out of his pits periodically, and the past couple years, he hasn't been willing to let the head peep do it, so he goes to the vet to get armpit manscaping. He screams like that, too, even with vt wielding the clippers.

Katie Isabella said...

Admiral screamed like that too. The last two years she was with mom, her curly furs matted in her armpits, along her legs, her chest, her pantaloons..it was terrible. Mom was no permitted to cut them out. Maybe a few when she sneaked up on her while she was sleeping and had memorized where they were..but eventuallyshe had to go screaming off to the v-e-t where they would shave her armpits, leggies and pantaloons!

Cat and DOG Chat With Caren said...

that is the curliest hair I have EVER seen on a kitty and that Courtney Cox photo is purrfect with it today!

The Florida Furkids said...

Poor Star. We're lucky that we don't mat.

The Florida Furkids

Safe Haven Hotel said...

Awwww poor baby but I couldn't help but snicker a little when you mentioned the Drama Queen bit - so true and yes I suspect her age and being female have given you her best acting yet! *L*

Random Felines said...

poor Star (snicker)..... does sounds like a lotta drama up there

Jacqueline said...

Poor baby, we hope beautiful Star's gorgeous furs are better soon!...We always fuss when our Mommy has had to cut mats or just our lovely pantaloons and yes, Sukki is a screamer!!MOL...Have a fun day, precious friends!...kisses...Calle, Halle, Sukki, Mommy Cat, Daddy Cat

John Bellen said...

The poor girl. My Tungsten is 13 now and she cries and wails much more than she used to. Every time I move to pick her up, it seems. Yet I'm not hurting her; I make sure of that. She has just become a complainer in her old age.

I hope all the histrionics were worth it and she's good for a while.

Kitties Blue said...

Must be…Giulietta looks just like Star and is having bad snarls on her back legs. Dad has worked on them some, but she sure doesn't like it. Poor Star, just the anticipation of that snip is really upsetting her. Hope you were able to finish the job with no blood being shed. Purrs and hugs, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo

da tabbies o trout towne said...

my stars... star...curly is THE in fashion fur this year....why the rest of us have to pay top $$$ at the finest cat spas to achieve these gorgeous curls....& tell your mom if she would be so kind as to purchase you the Kong Zoom Groom....why it's like a cat massage & brushing at the same time...it's the ONLY brush I allow upon myself...hugs from dai$y =^..*=

Brian's Home Blog said...

Star poof is pretty floof!

Quill and Greyson said...

That is super cute looking! Maybe it was just pulling her furs?

Unknown said...

Ohhh, that can be painful!!! Poor dear Star...Purrs,
Kitty

Tama-Chan, Benny, Vidock, Violette, Ollie, Heloise, Momo, Ryu said...

Actually, she looks really cute with the curls, but the tangles are certainly no fun for anyone.

Purrs,
The Chans

Furries said...

Poor floofy baby. You might try rubbing a little watered-down human hair conditioner on your hands and then rubbing it through her fur. It might help prevent all that frizziness and tangles.

Robyn said...

Oh Andrea, come on. Tell the truth. You gave Star a perm, didn't you? :)

I LOVE her curly fur. And every household needs a Drama Cat; it looks like Star takes her responsibilities seriously!

Gigi said...

Seriously? The Bad Hair post is still here? Is your Mommy TRYING to be mean, or what? Horrors! You don't think that Barbarian could, you know, be paying her off with extra snuggles or something to lay off him?? Nah, she wouldn't fall for that....or WOULD she???