All shorn up

Hey! Look what we did!

Since summer's basically here, we thought it would be nice to relieve Winston of his coat to help him cope with the heat. Well, actually, that's what my boyfriend thought. My thought process was more like, "Winston in brief, slight distress is FUNNIES!!!! LET ME GRAB MAH CAMERA!!!!"

Except it isn't that funny. It's actually kind of annoying since he squeaks and squeaks and squeaks his disapproval. Since we'd never let him out of our sight long enough to take him to the groomers, we just sort of winged it. My bleeding-heart extremely responsible and compassionate boyfriend wanted to basically leave Winston half shaved to stop the whining, but I wouldn't have that because he looked insane. Basically, he did all he could on Winston's body and left his legs long. This gives him the fat-dog-in-sweater look without the sweater. Or dog:

It's maybe more like a corduroy blazer than a sweater, per the texture. My boyfriend didn't want to get to close to Winston's skin with the clippers. If you're going to coddle a cat, why stop at its skin? Believe it or not, a lot of hair was taken off -- we worked on Winston for a good 25 or 30 minutes. Here's like 1/20th of what came off:

It just kept coming off. I thought maybe eventually there'd be a wee little mouse or kangaroo baby under all that fur, like when Lisa found that sheep on The Simpsons and she kept sheering and sheering it until, at the end, it was revealed to be a rat with a pompadour.

So basically, if Winston looked like a weirdo before, he looks like a weirdo, post-lawnmower now. But you know, I kind of like his abstract asymmetrical thing he's got going on. It's very Williamsburg. Hometown pride! What!

Also, Winston is much happier with his hair cut. I've heard that exotic shorthairs don't really enjoy being lap cats because the essentially have two coats of fur (fluffy on top, dense underneath) and are hot all the time. Now he's way more affectionate, although he's not quite at the no-really-come-sit-in-my-mouth level of affection that I prefer from pets.

Another thing is that he's skinny! I really thought he was getting fat. I was kind of worried. Even if you look at the last Winston post, he looks kinda stocky. Not so. Turns out it was just fur!

I can almost wrap my hand around him!

Or perhaps play him like a concertina.

Generally, when Winston looks weird or silly, I think, "Hmmm...but how would he look as food?" Let it be known: I really want to eat my pet. I wanted to do something cheesesteak- (or really, cheezsteak) or perhaps hot dog-oriented to emphasize his newly discovered svelte look. But it didn't really work out.

DOES NOT WORK! Such nerve he has for not wanting to cooperate!

            

Comments

[TheNarcist]

this has nothing to do with nothing (cuz i hate cats even though yours is funny) but i always swear your black! go fig?

[Belly]

Ha!
I shaved my longhair cat last summer and he seemed to love it - he kind of looked like a manticore afterward, and behaved like one as well.
It is kind of disturbing to see what they look like under all that fur. Like when you wash a cat and it looks all drowned and angry and skeletal.
I LOVE Winston posts!

[lucy]

I love you winston. Remember when you did this for the first time last summer? he should be used to it now. Maybe i can try on my kitty. here kitty kitty kitty!!!

[lucy]

I love you winston. Remember when you did this for the first time last summer? he should be used to it now. Maybe i can try on my kitty. here kitty kitty kitty!!!

[milkyaqua]

Okay, so I'm laughing hysterically at my desk. Thank goodness there aren't a lot of people around. My mother and I once tried to wash our cat; there was blood drawn and it wasn't pretty. But they do seem so much smaller when they are wet or newly groomed. I love that pic of you stretching Winston out; that sent me over the edge. Next time though, just take him to the groomers; he'll be okay. We used to take ours to a dog groomer; needless to say he was very docile when I came to pick him up. Nothing like being around dogs or just their smell to make a cat want to be invisible. I still think that Winston is going to try and kill you one day.

[Geist]

Awwww! Winston makes an adorable hoagie!

I like that his new haircut makes his head look Photoshopped on.

[pinky]

i RUV Winston. I CAN HAS HAIRKUT? my dog's name is Winston too! Sometimes I call him Winners, Winny-poo, Win-Win, Kumquat, Bup-bup. Do you just stick to Winston? Your Winston posts never fail to leave my belly-aching. I didn't realize cats were so LONG. He looks about a yard long! Have a great Caturday! I also appreciate that someone remembers as many Simpsons episodes as I do.

[JenL]

I always love the Winston posts. He has the most expressive face. He makes me laugh - I cannot imagine living with him.

[MizoFizo]

I didn't really expect Winston to be that small under there. If only a similar thing could be done with humans...you could make diet industry millions!

Also, how does Rudy feel about Winston's new doo?

[Brittany]

The 2nd picture just screams "DO NOT WANT"

[rose]

He's gone Hollywood...lollypop head, but still cute.

[Shannon]

My husband wants to buzz our cat so bad, but I keep telling him no..however Winston does look happy...so maybe Murphy would be happy too!

[Golden lady]

I saw this crazy lady on The Today Show that collected years of her dog's hair and had it spun into yarn and knitted into a sweater. You know that's the next logical step, right?

[Jennifer]

Cool shirt Rich! What IS that tattoo on your BF's right arm?
Love Winston! Who doesn't?

[Hajnal]

Oh no...why did you do that? The fur is what protects a cat from the heat....

[Leanne]

Your bf's tats look sexy.

When you hold out Winston at arm's length he looked oozy like a snake. You should have superimposed a giant foot long hoagie across the body and left the head and tail out. A big italian hoagie with meat, cheese and tomatoes.

Am I the only one who when I see Winston's face it looks like he has a jaunty handlebar mustache a la the Frito Bandito?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frito_Bandito

[janice]

winston posts make me so happy. :) xoxo

[barby]

Love the pictures, thanks! His head looks enormous. You should do a series of pictures of him trying to cover up his cranial bulk. A la South Park: Animals Close Up With A Wide Angle Lens....With HATS!

Love how someone above said his face is so expressive, yet it's always the same face. It never moves. Kinda like my girl, HasWeen. Maybe there's a future for Winston on ANTM.

[Lynn]

Poor kitty!! Could it be that Winston is even cute when shorn? Impossible!

Thanks for the reminder of why I still read after ANTM season is finished.

[jordanbaker]

This reminds me of the tragicomic things my grandparents used to do to their pomeranian. In that case, though, we always thought the dog was just furry. . . .turns out she actually had very little fur and was just plain old faaaaat.

[Jen]

Thank you for making me laugh so hard. I wonder if they're going to come take Winston BACK from you now...you can't pull this shit with fancy cats!!!

[deeyou]

The third photo made me LOL.

[roxy]

hello, i love your journal and your cat.

last year i had my life ruined by the cutest squish faced stray cat in the world who was nearly impossible to find a home for because, besides being incredibly nice and cuddly and loving, was deaf and categorically refused to go to the bathroom in any kind of appropriate poop holder.

that probably won't work, but it's worth copying and pasting.

What kind of clippers did you use? I'm thinking of doing the same to my cat, but I know he'll freak at the sound of the clippers I have.

[roxy]

oops

http://www.deathtothedaleks.com/eagles3.jpg