Cat Grooming Bag

November 10, 2010 8:47 pm | By Zootoo Editor CynthiaLo

Okay, don’t tell your evil 10-year-old neighbor boy this product exists. It’s a little mesh-sided gym bag, specially designed to stuff a cat into. Once in the bag, the cat’s head sticks out a little Velcro-collared opening, while its legs and tail stay confined in the bag. Five strategically located zippers provide access to the cat’s paws and tail. The purpose of this tote is not torture; it’s to control your cat safely during grooming, medical treatment or even bathing if you must.

Test subject #1: My fluffy-butted cat, Star, had something stuck in her fluff and no amount of scooting was going to fix it quickly. I can’t stand to let her handle this on her own. I whisked Star, along with the grooming bag, to the powder room for a little touch-up. As I predicted, Star became incensed when I dressed her in the bag. Although the size medium looked as though it was made for her, she threatened to spontaneously combust when I tried to assist her through the tail area zipper. If it had been a matter of life or death, I would have pressed on, but I abandoned the mission, fearing I would inflict psychological damage.

Test subject #2: My goal was to give my cat Lucy a manicure. I fastened her into the bag while my boyfriend distracted her with salon-worthy flattery. Front claw trimming was a success, but when I worked on the back she started thrashing. I took pity and let her out. She immediately regained her composure, then dove back in the bag, rolled around in it and started batting my fingers through the mesh. Finally, she settled into it backwards for a long nap. Freak!

It seems this weird bag could come in handy for everything from serious medical issues to common grooming, but all cats would benefit from a playful introduction before you zip them up like a nylon “cat”erpillar.

Pros: Product might scare off skittish cats.

Cons: Once a cat is comfortable with the bag, it's a useful product to have.