Brushing your cat from time to time helps remove dead hair, especially during shedding, while promoting good blood circulation. If you have a short-haired cat, weekly brushing is enough to maintain the shine of its coat. On the other hand, daily brushing is recommended for small long-haired felines, in order to avoid the formation of hairballs. While grooming your cat, you can also observe its skin closely and notice any injuries or irritations. Grooming sessions also include clipping claws, when they are not sharp enough. If your little Persian cat is arriving at your home soon, now is the time to complete your grooming equipment with brushes and shampoo adapted to its hair type. Don't forget the nail clippers either. What if you let yourself be tempted by a complete grooming kit?
Why Groom Your Cat?
Washing your cat is the ideal way to check all parts of its body in detail. By gently running the brush over his back, stomach and paws, you can see if he has any wounds or other skin problems. This way, you can contact the veterinarian as soon as your cat's appearance seems abnormal, in order to treat the health problem from the start!
In addition, grooming your little feline helps keep it safe from certain infections and diseases. By removing dead hair, you prevent hairballs from forming in the stomach. Indeed, as cats spend their time licking themselves, their rough tongue grabs the hairs and they swallow a lot of it.
Furthermore, by grooming your cat, you accustom it to being handled. This will be very useful when the animal needs to go to the veterinarian.
Finally, washing your cat yourself allows you to save money in the long term, since the price of cat grooming can be quite high.
How often should you groom your cat?
It depends on your pet's hair type. If you have a long-haired cat, it is recommended that you brush your cat every day. This helps prevent the formation of tangles and hairballs to which breeds with dense fur are prone.
On the other hand, if your cat has short hair, you can groom him once or twice a week. No need to brush him every day: his hair doesn't get tangled!
Choose short brushing sessions, lasting three or four minutes. Your cat will tolerate three minutes of grooming a day much better than half an hour a week.
Please note, if your cat is shedding, it is recommended to brush it every day, whether it has short or long hair.
As for the claws, they should be trimmed once or twice a month. It's up to you to choose the best frequency based on the condition of your little cat's claws.
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What are the types of accessories for grooming your cat?
To wash your cat completely, you must have several accessories adapted to its hair type. Buy a cat comb, as well as a cat brush, carding card and curry comb. You will also need a clipper and small round-tipped scissors to get rid of stubborn knots.
To bathe your cat, use a special cat shampoo with a mild pH.
You will also need small cotton balls or wipes to clean the ears and around the eyes. Finally, don't forget the nail clippers.
Choose a time when your cat is relatively calm and relaxed to begin its grooming session. Cats rarely appreciate being constrained: put all the chances on your side for this to go well by choosing a day when your animal got up on the right paw! Start by stroking him to reassure and soothe him, then introduce him to the comb or rubber brush. Let him sniff the various grooming accessories to build his confidence, then brush him gently. Do the back first then slowly go down towards the sides, legs and stomach.
If you need to bathe your pet first, opt for a special pet shampoo. You cannot take a human shampoo because the pH of our skin is not the same as that of cats.
What should you pay attention to when grooming your cat?
Don't make any sudden movements that could frighten or annoy your little one: a scratch is quickly gone! Besides, as most cats don't like water at all, don't hesitate to wear gloves to protect yourself in case of an aggressive cat.
Do not get water in your cat's ears. Animals have sensitive ears and this could cause a painful ear infection.
When trimming the cat's claws, make sure you don't cut them too short. If you're not careful, you could cut into the pulp and injure your cat (it's like the pink part of human nails!)
When brushing your little feline, be careful not to pull its hair. Even if there are a lot of knots in dense fur, go gently, untangling each knot by hand if necessary.
