Cat Grooming Basics

Cats are neat freaks. In fact, if you’re a cat owner, you know firsthand that your cat is a fastidious groomer. After all, it seems to spend most of its life either sleeping or grooming!

But as gung-ho as your cat is about keeping itself groomed and clean, the truth is that it could still use a bit of help from you.

Grooming is about more than just keeping your cat looking good. Grooming your cat on a regular basis will also help you to keep an eye on its health. And grooming your cat can even help to prevent feline health issues such as digestive problems caused by hairballs. Regular grooming can also help to improve the health of your cat’s skin and coat.

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How To Remove Matted Hair From Your Cat

Kitty is matted…don’t panic! It’s not as bad as it seems. The very first thing that you DON’T do, is use scissors to try to cut it out. When you pull a cat or dogs hair you will noticed that the skin will move with the hair. For this reason you should not try and cut your cat’s mats off with scissors. There is a good possibility that you will cut through the skin, which will need to be sutured closed by a Veterinarian

You have a few choices:

1. If your cat will let you comb it’s hair, start combing as a regular habit while watching tv and sitting on the floor with your cat. A little at a time. No longer than 15 minutes at a time. Cats unlike dogs will not sit for long periods. Don’t rush and no pulling. Just slow, methodical combing a little at a time, and before you know it, the mats will be gone. It’s good to start the combing method on kittens. This way as they grow they will get used to the grooming. Never attempt to cut mats around their private areas. Matting in this area should always be removed by a professional groomer.

2. You can try and find a professional cat groomer in your area.

3. Finally, depending on the type, and location of the mat, your cat may require shaving.

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Helpful Tips to Keep Those Long-Haired Kitties Looking Marvelous

While long-haired cats may be beautiful, sometimes people are apprehensive to have one because of the extra work they might think will be involved. Long-haired cats have a certain appeal to them and if you look past the grooming, they can make a great choice for a companion.

1. The softer the coat, the more grooming required

This is a general rule of thumb that you can apply to long-haired cats. While some coats never seem to develop tangles, cats with softer and silkier coats seem to tangle easier and will require a bit more grooming. To properly upkeep and prevent against tangles that can become painful mats, daily brushing is recommended. And you will find that most cats enjoy being brushed or combed so don’t be surprised if you get a rise out of your cat each time you break out the grooming tool.

2. Older cats may need more assistance

Although cats are thought to be self-grooming, an older cat may have a trying time keeping their fur looking sharp. With age comes lack of energy and the task of grooming may prove too much of a chore for a tired, aging cat. Help them out with daily brushes so they can look and feel good all the time regardless of age.

3. Flat-faced cats may need help in hard to reach spots

 

Brachycephalic breeds, such as Persians and Himalayans, have distinct “pushed in” faces and will need assistance grooming the areas around their eyes to prevent from tear-staining and eye infections. If practiced routinely your cat should become accustomed and not seem to mind too much with repetition.

4. Overweight cats need a little extra

If your cat is significantly large, they may have difficulty contorting their bodies to get those hard to reach places around their tail and buttocks. By helping them out with brushing in this area this works to eliminate the possibility of excess clumping or tangles. For heavier cats bathing might be a necessity to keep them sanitary and avoid the risk of infection.

5. Bathing for your cat

Yes, it’s true that cats bathe themselves routinely, but giving your cat a bath about once per month may be needed to help with keeping kitty fresh. The more hair a cat has means more grooming, and for older or overweight cats they may need some extra help keeping themselves tidy. If you would like your cat smelling fresh all of the time, start from a young age implementing a bath into their routine so that they can get used to taking regular baths.

6. No need to hire a professional

Contrary to what some might believe, grooming for long-haired cats can be done at home and doesn’t require professional grooming unless absolutely necessary. With regular grooming this will keep your cat looking great and not have to worry about being transported to the groomer–which if it’s anything like the vet, your cat will not be particularly fond of.

7. More grooming by you, less hairballs for them

Every cat is prone to the occasional hairball, but with all that hair long-haired cats are more susceptible to these unpleasantries. Regular grooming will help reduce the number of hairballs a long-haired cat produces as their digestive systems can only break down so much hair at a time. Which will also be nice as cats love leaving these unsightly cat byproducts in the least desirable of places… directly under your feet where you walk.

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