Willow's hair cut

Today, Willow got his annual dematting and grooming at the vets.
As he is a long-haired cat, and we didn't get him used to brushing when he was small, his hair gets very matted every year, towards the end of winter, when he starts to shed.
He won't let us brush him properly, so we have to bring him to the vets every year, where they brush him and cut any major matting, all under anaesthetic.

We brought him in at 8 am, and he wasn't a happy cat. He knew exactly where he was going, and he didn't like it one bit. He tried to hide under the cushion in his carry-case, but to no avail!

I picked him up at 4 pm. He was hiding under the cushion again, but relaxed once we got into the car. When we got home, he was delighted, and has been sitting in my lap quite a bit since (I've got fine cat hairs all over my clothes, and a rash on my fore-arm from his drool - did I tell you I'm allergic to cat saliva?). He would love to get out now, but he's not allowed out - his legs are still a little bit wobbly and the vet has advised to keep him warm and quiet tonight.

And I found out this morning that Freddie, his brother, was getting dematted today too!

Have a look at the pictures from last year's dematting. It's not quite so dramatic this year!