Grooming a senior Burmese who can't reach his tail

A senior Burmese who's put on a bit of weight and can't reach his own tail anymore — that's a really common and very fixable problem, but it does need the right approach. Burmese have short, fine, silky coats that don't tangle, so you're not fighting knots here. The issue is more about keeping that lower back and tail base clean and free of loose fur and any waxy or oily buildup that can happen when a cat stops self-grooming a particular area. Before I point you in the right direction, a couple of quick questions: does he have any sore or sensitive spots around his lower back or tail that you've noticed? And how does he generally respond when you touch that area — is he fairly relaxed about handling, or does he get a bit grumpy?

That's really helpful — and honestly, a tolerant Burmese is a gift when it comes to grooming. The greasy buildup you're describing around the tail base is called stud tail sometimes, or just sebaceous buildup, and it happens quickly when a cat stops cleaning that spot themselves. Because his coat is short and fine, you don't need anything with long teeth or a rake. What you actually need is something that can work close to the skin in that hard-to-reach area without dragging or scratching. Can I ask — are you looking to do this as a daily quick routine, or more of a weekly proper groom session?

Perfect — a few times a week is exactly right for this. My clear recommendation for your boy is the Mikki Soft Grooming Mitt. It's a grooming glove that fits over your hand, with soft rubber pins on the palm side. For a short-coated, tolerant senior cat, this is ideal — you just stroke him normally and the mitt does the work. It lifts loose fur, stimulates the skin which helps with that oily buildup, and because it feels like a hand, most cats don't register it as grooming at all. Crucially, you can get right into the tail base and lower back without any awkward tool angle, which matters a lot when you're working around a rounder middle-aged cat frame. It's gentle enough for daily use, easy to clean, and won't scratch or irritate thin senior skin. For the greasy residue specifically, a wipe-over with a damp cloth or unscented pet wipe after the mitt session once a week will sort that out completely. The Mikki mitt is widely available on Amazon UK and costs around £6–8, so no commitment at all.

It genuinely does both. Burmese aren't heavy shedders, but they do shed, and the rubber pins on the mitt trap loose fur really effectively — you'll be surprised how much comes off even on a short coat. It won't do anything for tangles because there aren't any to speak of, but for a short-haired cat it covers shedding and skin stimulation in one go. The only thing it won't replace is nail trims and ear checks, but for coat and skin maintenance it's all you need. He sounds like a lovely, easy-going old boy — this should make life a lot more comfortable for him.