It's that time of year!

Once again, Winston has been shorn, and once again, he's uneven to the point where it looks like he was intentionally trying to blend in to the Williamsburg crowd we live amongst. Life is simultaneously cyclical in lopsided. Now Cute Overload will never pick him up again!

The short account is in the video. Longer, illustrated explanation is after the jump.

Because Winston gets overheated like a nun in a titty bar during the summer, we like to give him a haircut each year. The past two times ('07 shaving here, '05 shaving here), we did this ourselves. But, as you can see from the old posts, this has always resulted in patchiness. We figured that the only way to have ourselves an impeccably, adorably styled cat was to take him to the groomer's. And so we did. And the result is...

...less than impeccable.

But it's all good! By design, even. Here's how he came to be partially shaved:

My boyfriend looked around for a place that would allow us to be present for Winston's grooming and found Jay Andors' HydroSurge.

Within a minute of starting the clippers, Winston was squirming and fussing like he was possessed. Where's a good religious figure when you need one? Titty bar, probably. Anyway, Jay told us up front that the little lion who couldn't hurt a fly (or even ground hamburger, for that matter) that we were after was not going to be a reality. Because cats' skin is so delicate, shaving them must be done carefully. He said that other groomers either tranquilize the animals or tape their mouths and legs to achieve that just-out-of-the-salon look. He doesn't do that, and that's exactly why we took Win to a place that would allow us to observe. So we figured whatever. We'd get done what we'd get done and, at the very least, Winston would be cooler this way than if he didn't get cut at all.

Another great thing about this place, as you can see above, is that Jay lets the owners have a hand in the process. That meant situating Win for maximum fur access.

It also meant providing moral support.

The final thing that was so awesome about this groomer was that he let us record this process (obviously!). This resulted in at least two of my all-time favorite Winston photos:

It was not without snags: at one point while I was filming Winston get a bath, the groomer told me to put the camera down and help, and I wanted to snap back, "You're intolerant of my lifestyle!"

But everything worked out for us, at least. For a few hours after getting home, Winston was still pissed.

His proximity to that knife is no coincidence, I'm sure.

Comments

[steele]

I completely agree with your new favorite Winston photos. Very cute.

[mary]

The poor thing looks like a bent q-tip.

I agree with the new fave pics although there are quite a few cute ones to choose from. Aww Winnie.

[syd]

Sleep with one eye open. I'm just sayin'

[Annie]

His facial expression is not unlike the one I imagine Wilford Brimley would make if you told him he couldn't get discounted testing equipment for his Diabeetus.

[SarahD]

Thank god there's no Smell O Vision for that stinkeye!

[Flirting.With.Disaster]

a wet winston may have been the funniest and saddest thing ive ever seen.

[Michele]

I see Caesar Milan in the background pic..?

[Driver B]

I think my fave pic is the one for 'moral support'. Two sweeties!

Also, Winnie is quite trim under all that fluff! His sloppy diet must be keeping him in tip-top shape.

[Cheryl]

The last picture gets me - the way he sits, totally Winston!

Sounds like you picked an awesome groomer, I couldn't imagine someone taping my cat to get that 'perfect' look. Beauty is in the flaws.

Stay cool Winston!

[Elsp]

Poor Winna Poo! He'll be more comfortable but still feel like a hipster doofus.

[Rainbucket]

At the end of the video Winston looks sort of like the close-up alien from Close Encounters.

http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2421069824/tt0075860

Then again so did Fatima from ANTM, but I couldn't find a picture anywhere back then.

[Jen]

When I moved to NY 7 years ago, my roommate started dating a girl who was really allergic to cats. The solution? We got the cat shaved. I didn't even know it was an option. At first, I went to a professional, but after that time, my roommate at I did it ourselves. We bought clippers and would spend a hour defurring the cat. We got really good at it. I would hold the cat down and my roommate would shave him with clippers. Then, all three of us would get in the shower to rinse off. Fun times.

Seven years later, I'm still shaving the cat--it REALLY helps for summer fur and shedding.

Thanks for sharing your super cute Winston pics!

[debbie]

why does winston get shorn and not rudy? is it the breed?

[Jennifer]

Poor Winnie! I always feel so bad for cats when they yowl during a bath as if somehow pleading for someone to help them. Tough luck, cat! That'll teach you to smell like feet!

[Dolph]

Win looks like he's wearing awesomely fierce thigh-high boots! (Tell him that, and maybe he'll cut you guys some slack?)

[margaret]

His giant lollipop head and pantaloon butt are killing me.

[Holly B]

Oh god he's so cute. You're so lucky though, my cat loses her shit when we have her shaved, to the point where we have to have her sedated. Winston is so cute and calm!

[HouseofJules]

Winston is the only cat that could make this non-cat person a TOTAL cat person. Love him.
Jules
House of Jules

[sallysitwell]

"His facial expression is not unlike the one I imagine Wilford Brimley would make if you told him he couldn't get discounted testing equipment for his Diabeetus."

Yessssssss. That is who Winston reminds me of. That big dude on the horse with the mustache talkin' about his Diabeetus.

I didn't know Winston was so skinny! I guess he really was just fluffy! (Unlike my cat, who is not fluffy at all, and just fat.)

[likeswinston]

Oh dear, he was so distressed during that bath, under the water pressure. It broke my heart to hear him scream! That was so different from the gentle baths you give him at home, where he seems to get used to it and perhaps enjoys the experience after the initial shock of getting wet.

I know he was only freaked out, but poor adorable Winston!

[MoNYC]

Winston kinda looks like Dianne from Fat Camp in the last two pictures.

[Charlotte]

So cute!! He looks like he's wearing assless chaps.

[CAT]

LOVE THE POSE WITH THE KNIFE... VERY SEDUCTIVE

[Kira]

Winston sets NEW trends.

[Katie]

Haha that is the cutest video ever! I love the "sniffle pause" hahaha :D