Static can be so troublesome in the fall and winter months of the year. Here are some handy suggestions for eliminating static cling in fur.

• Before touching the cat, soak your hands in normal handcream.
• Avoid plastic brushes or combs as well as wire slicker brushes. Instead, use metal and teflon coated.
• During grooming, lay a wet paper towel on the fur.
• By an anti-static spritz (sold in pet stores).
• Lightly rub down the coat with a fragrance-free dryer sheet.

There seems to be some confusion between the terms "Persian" and "Angora." When the purebred cat fancy started, there was no distinction between Angora or Persian - they were all lumped together as longhairs. However, today's purebred Turkish Angora, for example, is rather rare, though slowly gaining in popularity.

The main similarity between the two breeds is they are both purebred, domestic cats breeds with long hair genes. The Turkish Angora is a semi-foreign cat with the following qualities:

	medium- to fine-boned		medium-length body
	long tail		large, high-set ears
	long, elegant head		medium-length coat
	silky, fine hair		loyal and affectionate

While many purebred Persians more closely resemble domestic longhairs or even Maine Coons, most generally display some form of the standard. Today's Persian has the following traits:

	heavy bones		short, cobby body
	short tail		small, round ears
	thick neck		short, small nose
	large, round head		strong, round chin
	large, round eyes		thick, long coat

You can see pictures of Persians at http://www.persian-cats.com/gallery.shtml. Pictures of the Turkish Angora can be found at http://www.cfainc.org/breeds/profiles/turkish-angora.html. (Cut & paste links into a new browser window.)

We all know about degreasing cats with the "oilies." But what do you use for a cat that has flaky, dry skin? BioGroom (http://www.biogroom.com) carries Natural Oatmeal Shampoo that helps relieve dry irritated skin. Also, Revival Animal Health (http://www.revivalanimal.com) sells Hylyt Hypoallergenic Shampoo for sensitive or dry skin. Their Hylyt Spray On Shampoo is great for control of flaking & scaling. Petsmart (http://www.petsmart.com) offers Foaming Waterless Cat Shampoo by Miracle Corp of Australia. It heals irritated skin and helps repair damaged hair. Hot oil treatments are also popular. Lay off the powders!

Dry, flaky skin is often caused by a deficiency in the diet. You can give your cat 1 drop of vitamin E and Cod Liver Oil 3 times a week (store in refrigerator). Pinch a little hole in the capsule. Using your finger, rub it on the cat's tooth. You should see coat improvement in about a month.