I came across several Web sites that recommended a grooming aid for cats and dogs called the FURminator. I was skeptical at first, but our cats really needed something and nothing we’ve tried before has been of much use. Rakes, brushes, combs, those weird loop blade things—they all disappointed us.

I especially wanted something for my oldest cat, who is a bit stiff in her joints and thus has some trouble grooming herself, particularly in her hindquarters and the top of her back toward the nether end.  (Although Cosequin for Cats is helping her noticeably; she is more nimble and mobile and has even slimmed down a bit.) As for our long-haired cat, I wanted something that would reduce the amount of fur that he was ingesting while grooming himself. The other cats are less in need of grooming, since they spend a lot of time outdoors, which seems to help them shed more easily.

With our oldest cat before, whenever I petted her, I ended up with handfuls of fur. The best I could do to help her with this problem was to use a flea comb to pull out those loose hairs, which worked okay for her, but not so  well on our long-haired cat.

So, with some trepidation, I decided to order the FURminator, and I am so glad I did. The FURminator is to the other grooming aids we’ve tried as a Lamborghini is to a go-cart. It is a bit pricey, but is worth every penny. It has a very sturdy, comfortable handle, and it works incredibly well. Mind you, you have to pay attention to their fine-print instructions, and when they say to groom your beloved pet in an open area where it will be easy to clean up the fur, they mean every word of it.

The first time I used this tool on my oldest cat, she was a bit dubious about it—for about three seconds. Then she started to purr and knead as she felt me remove masses of loose fur from her coat. She was very cooperative. I was amazed at the results. I quickly pulled out an enormous amount of loose fur. I kept grooming her, and kept pulling out more fur than I thought was possible. Where was all that fur coming from? My poor cat!

I groomed her again two days later and got just as much fur the second time. I also groomed our long-haired cat, and although I didn’t get as much fur out of his coat, I did get a lot. For both cats, their coats look much healthier, shinier, and cleaner.

There are different sizes depending on your pet. There’s

• the cat size (which is what I am using)
• the small dog size (which the FURminator people say is recommended for small to medium-sized dogs, cats, rabbits, and ferrets)
• the medium dog size
• the large dog size
• and even one for horses

A reminder: It takes a very light and gentle touch. Be sure to read the instructions, or you might hurt your pet. Also, this tool is NOT recommended for certain breeds of dogs and cats. Be sure to see the FAQs at the FURminator Web site for the lists of recommended and not-recommended breeds as well as a complete set of instructions.

Legal stuff: This information is provided for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, prescribe, heal, repair, or otherwise affect your pet’s health in any way.

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