Cat Shaving and Other Skills

Summary

The article discusses the author's unexpected journey into self-sufficiency, particularly learning to shave their long-haired cats during the pandemic lockdown.

Abstract

The author recounts their experience at Pioneer Wilderness Camp, where they learned traditional self-sufficiency skills. However, these skills did not prepare them for the challenges of the pandemic lockdown, which required a new set of domestic skills, such as grooming their long-haired cats. Drawing parallels from knitting, the author explains the process of felting and how it relates to the cats' grooming habits, leading to the necessity of shaving the matted fur. Over time, the author has become adept at cat shaving, a skill they attribute to the constraints imposed by the pandemic.

Opinions

The author believes that the skills learned at Pioneer Wilderness Camp, while valuable, were not directly applicable to the unique challenges of the pandemic.
They imply that self-sufficiency in the modern world may require learning entirely new skills, such as pet grooming, rather than relying solely on traditional survival skills.
The author seems to have a sense of accomplishment and perhaps humor about becoming an "accomplished cat shaver," suggesting a positive attitude towards adapting to new circumstances.
There is an underlying appreciation for the understanding of natural processes, such as felting, and how they can be applied to everyday life.

Cat Shaving and Other Skills

Self-sufficiency in the modern world

As a kid, I spent one summer at Pioneer Wilderness Camp, in Vermont. We learned skills required to survive as pioneers: foraging, growing crops, caring for livestock, and navigating the wilderness.

None of that prepared me for being self-sufficient during the pandemic lockdown. We have two long-haired cats. Unable to take them to the groomer, we had to learn how to care for them ourselves.

I know from knitting; you need three things to transform wool into felt — heat, moisture, and pressure. A long-haired cat who grooms herself and then naps is providing heat, moisture, and pressure. She’s felting her fur.

You can’t un-felt fibers that fused together. The only answer is to shave it off.

It’s taken most of the pandemic, but I am finally an accomplished cat shaver.