Laid-back Maine Coon wears AIR MUZZLE while being professionally groomed

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I learned about the air muzzle from this video. I had no idea what it was until I saw it in the video and wondered what it was called. She mentions it in her commentary but she speaks fast so I had to look it up. And as you can see it stops a cat biting when they are being subjected to professional grooming which can be quite vigorous. I am sure that sometimes cats are somewhat traumatised at professional groomers as they work fast and are quite tough on the cats. And the place is going to be scary to some cats.

Air muzzle
Air muzzle available online for around £25 in the UK. Probably a similar price in dollars in the USA. Image: in public domain.

This Maine Coon has a bit of stud tail which was treated and the nails were trimmed. Afterwards he was given a full shampoo and wash and then a sort of modified lion cut which is a less-severe version. Throughout the treatments the Maine Coon behaved impeccably and I am sure that the vast majority of domestic cats would not behave in such a laid-back way or am I wrong?

@askacatgroomer Meet my “Maine” man #mainecoon #catsoftiktok #cats #catbath #catbathchallenge #catgrooming #catgrooming #pepsiapplepiechallenge #foryou #cathaircut ♬ original sound - Lynn Paolillo

Note: This is an embedded video from another website. Sometimes they are deleted at source or the video is turned into a link which would stop it working here. I have no control over this.

I think the air muzzle (about £24 upwards in the UK on Amazon) is something that cat owners might consider if they really have to bathe their cat because, for instance, they've fallen into some paint or their coat has been stained with a substance which was impossible to get off unless they were bathed thoroughly. Normally it is unnecessary to bathe a domestic cat because they are such good self-groomers. 

Note: the air muzzle in the video is a deluxe version and expensive:

Maine Coon wears air muzzle while being professionally groomed
Maine Coon wears air muzzle while being professionally groomed. Screenshot from video.

Matting

The biggest problem I would have thought with a Maine Coon with respect to coat maintenance would be avoiding matting. They have 'shaggy coats' as per the breed standard. That means potential matts in my mind. Clearly the best way to deal with matting is to take preventative action which means regular brushing to keep the coat sleek and growing. This should eliminate the need for bathing. Brushing can be as regular as you want it. The key is to totally prevent the possibility of the coat matting.

It is perhaps worthy to note that before bathing a Maine Coon - if that is deemed to be necessary - the coat should be combed to remove all knots and mats. Matted hair tends to "set" when wet and is more difficult to brush. Matts should be removed with great care and scissors used perpendicular to the body with a comb between the skin and the base of the hair strands.

It goes without saying that any shampoo used should be made for cats. Dog shampoos can "CONTAIN INGREDIENTS THAT MAY BE TOXIC TO CATS".

Stud tail

The beautiful Maine Coon in the video who behaved so well suffers from a little bit of stud tail as you can hear in the commentary by the professional groomer. This is a condition similar to acne because it is caused by over secretion of the sebaceous glands. You can see it on top of the tail. You may see an accumulation of waxy brown material. The Maine Coon has a mild version of it. The condition is normally seen on unneutered males.

RELATED: What is stud tail?

The professional groomer washes the area with a special treatment (medicated shampoo?). Veterinarians might say that the tail should be washed twice daily with a medicated shampoo and you might sprinkle cornstarch or baby powder on the base. The skin might be infected and in which case you can treat the area for cellulitis and abscesses. It is a chronic condition which requires constant management.

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