Two, Two, Two Times the Fun! (Part 1)

I was going to write just one post about two pairs of cats that I groom. I love them to pieces! But then I was watching some MLP: FiM and kept thinking of Pinkie Pie exclaiming that twin baby ponies were two, two, two times the fun! And I realized I would need to find a third pair. Since I need to think on that, I'm splitting it into three posts. 

Ah, now that the long, probably unnecessary  intro is over, please meet some of my favorite kitties, Goldie and Zushia, a beautiful pair of Siberian Cats. 

No. Gonna hide in the CORNER. 

Awww, hi Zushia! I love your hour glass facial markings.

I love Siberians, and I was over the moon excited when I saw two pop up on my schedule. I groom these ladies when they board. Luckily, they stay with us on a pretty regular basis, so I groom them about every other month. Unlike some kitties that are in desperate need of a professional grooming, Goldie and Zu have always been pretty tidy kitties. Of course, they look exquisite now that they get the special Beth Rex touch! 

Hmmm...'Beth Rex touch". I don't think I'm going to keep that as a catch phrase. It's kinda weird. Forget I said anything! Let me distract you with Goldie.

No!

Aw, what's with you girls? Not in a picture taking mood?

Maybe I'm grumpy!

Ha! No, you're not. Neither of you are! Goldie and Zushia are little love bugs. Sometimes they get a little nervous, but in general they love being groomed. Actually, they love being dried. They stretch out and purr and air knead their little paws. Well, their paws are pretty big, but trust me, it's cute!

I love these two! They're a lot alike in so many ways, yet, in many ways they're not. I would love to know what they're like at home, I bet they're fun. Zushia often looks a little concerned, but Goldie usually has a lovely, soft expression on her face. Except when I start taking pictures.  Maybe next time I'll get their true expressions. 

I doubt it!

Three Black Cats

Meet Star. She's an older kitty and has never been professionally groomed before.

Yuck! People keep saying that cats groom themselves, but you guys, they are SO BAD at it!

I promise you this is the same cat. Same day. Actually, these pictures were taken only 2 hours apart. It's not magic, just some hard work and know how. 

Star thought the whole thing was a little scary, but not too bad. Her owners warned me ahead of time that Starlight tends to be easily frightened, and I know they were apprehensive about having her groomed. Since I've groomed their other kitty, they know they could trust me to take care of their little scaredy cat. I was happy to report to them that Star did wonderfully for her grooming. Very brave! 

Next up: Francis! It's been almost 3 months since I last saw her. She's a little grungy, a little flakey and dandruffy, but don't worry. I'll fix it! (Sorry, folks. No 'before' photo of Francis. Just trust me, she was ready for some grooming!)

Stunning. Don't you wish your cat looked this good?! Don't you wish you could pick her and snuggle her? I do! But I won't. I'll tell you why...

Francis doesn't especially like me. That's ok. Sometimes that happens. I like Francis, though. And I love making her look so good! She loves her family, they love her, and that is good enough for me.

Finally, my cat. Just sleeping in her usual sleeping position. This cat is so weird! 

I love her! 

Oh Noes! Extra Toes!

Being a cat groomer, there are certain things I expect. For instance, when I open a cat carrier, I expect to see a cat.

Hi Dobby!

That's what I expect to see when I open a carrier. So you can imagine my confusion when I opened a carrier and saw this:

ummmm...

It barely seemed to weigh anything, so I began to wonder if there was actually a cat in there...

oh...you found me...

This little cutie was around 6 months old. I've groomed her 'big sis', Dobby, a few times before. I cannot remember this kitten's name for love or money. It makes me sad, she's really cute!

She and Dobby are both Domestic Shorthairs and both get Full Coat Grooms, which is a bath, blow dry, nail trim, ears wiped and comb out. Dobby also gets a little mini deshed.

Dobby is a striking feline to be sure!

While Dobby is a regular DSH, I noticed something interesting about her new friend. Let me show you!

SO

MANY

EXTRA TOES

How cool is that? She's a polydactal! Which simply means she has a genetic defect that causes extra toes. Polys do require extra attention, the nails on the extra toes tend to grow and grow until they grow into the pad. Ouch! I recommend weekly paw checks and trimming as needed. Talk with your favorite veterinarian or Certified Feline Master Groomer for tips on how to do this safely and easily. Other than that, polys are just regular ol' cats. Of course, many people might recognize them as the favorite of author Ernest Hemingway, which gives them their nickname of Hemingway's Cats. In fact, the Hemingway House in Key West still has a healthy population of polydactal cats. If you check out the linked website, please ignore the statement:

The polydactyl cats are not a particular breed. The trait can appear in any breed, Calicos, Tabbies, Tortoise Shell. White, Black, etc. They vary in shapes, sizes, colors and personalities.

Those are colors, not breeds! *facepalm* The Hemingway cats look to all be Domestic Shorthairs, in a variety of colors, as DSHs tend to be. 

Seriously, how cute is this kitten!

I'm happy to report that this little girl is just as lovely in nature as her big sister, Dobby. I can't wait until their next visit. I love extra toes!