A Cool Kitty Cut – I’m Not Lion!

Meet my beautiful blue eyed kitty, Frank, or Frankie as he prefers to be called. Named after Old Blue eyes himself, he is popular with all the ladies and pals around with all the men. Frank has certainly become a prized member of my household. Let’s face it, whether he is lounging on my Family Room sofa, basking in the afternoon sun, strewn about my Living Room ottoman, or snuggled up amongst the pillows on my Master Bed, he just helps everything seem a little cozier and more inviting. Not to mention his  fresh pop of white against my  brightly colored  house is always a welcome accent.

However, now that summer is here, the intense Florida heat is causing my lion-like sidekick to shed his long locks, leaving bundles of fluffy white fuzz wherever he goes, not to to mention the hairballs!  No matter how much I brush Frank or how many times I vacuum and sticky roll  my   furniture and clothes,  before I know it, they’re covered again.  His beautiful  yet inconvenient fur has practically crafted a winter sweater for the furniture in my humble abode. My butter cream colored chenille sofa now looks like it is  styling a  grayish wool overcoat. Not that I don’t appreciate Frank’s natural talent for redecorating, seeing as how it is the middle of July, his winter coat designs just seem all the more inappropriate if you ask me.

I tried to cope as best I could. I turned the air down to help keep him cool, I bought the godfather of all brushes (the furminator), put him on special hairball control food and turned into a round the clock cleaning machine, but it all seemed to be in vain. This past weekend I decided that I had had enough. Drastic times call for drastic measures and there was only one thing left to do: The Lion Cut. My husband fought for Franks “male pride,” but in the end, my vacuum and I won the battle. At first Frank seemed shy and timid with his new “do”, surely feeling a bit exposed and naked. But that did not last long. Once he learned to set modesty aside he realized that it’s okay to show a little skin. Now that Frank is sporting his new sleek and chic cut he seems to strut a little longer, stand a little taller and has turned into quite the ham.

In the end it was a win for all sides. My furniture and clothes are back to their natural crisp colors. Frankie is (1) week hairball free and his energy and confidence seem to be at an all time high. And instead of having the vacuum in my hand each night, I have been able to switch it out occasionally for a nice glass of red wine.

My theory is this: if we put our coats away for the summer why can’t your cat too.