When it comes to cleaning their bodies, cats are no less than the humans. Cats spend most of the time licking their fur, which might look gross but is actually a cat’s way of cleaning and managing the body hair. But they can’t do it all by themselves, and that’s when we (the cat owners) come into play. A cat owner can help a cat groom its hair and keep the body clean. But not every person knows where to start or what to do. So we are going to give you some tips about grooming your cat. But before that, you should know the reason behind it.
Importance of Grooming
Whether your cat has long hair or short hair, grooming is a very important part of its routine. So if you help your cat in grooming then you can save the cat from a lot of troubles. First things first, if you brush your cat’s fur then you are distributing the natural body oil of cat all over its body which helps in better hair growth and healthy skin. This also helps in checking any kind of parasitic infection that could be infesting on the cat’s skin. Also, what happens is that when your cat is self-grooming then it ingests a lot of hair which eventually come out as vomit and if not then it can irritate your cat. That’s why frequent brushing your cat can avoid this issue.
Remember a cat’s skin is very sensitive which means that it can’t handle too much pressure. So, take care while brushing your cat’s fur. Choosing the right tools is also very important, so think before choosing what kind of brush or comb will be comfortable on your cat’s skin.
Not only brushing but also trimming nails is also important. Stray dogs and cats need nails for their survival, but when an indoor cat has big nails then it can become a problem for both the owner and the people living in the house. So, try to clip away the nails of your cat as frequently as possible and if you can’t then you can always visit a veterinarian. Other than brushing hair and trimming nails, brushing teeth and cleaning ears is also important. These are very important for a cat’s health.
Behavior towards Grooming
Cats are known for grooming themselves. Some say that it is more an emotional gesture of cats. When cats feel that they are in tension, stress, fear or anxiousness, they groom themselves. Cat behaviorists say that cats groom themselves to deal with different emotions. Like if they feel embarrassed because of falling from bed while jumping, they start to groom themselves. This can be easily said that a cat’s self-grooming is a type of self-expression. Cats express their different emotions through grooming, but sometimes it can be misunderstood with obsession.
A self-grooming, cat might look good and healthy, but if your cat gets obsessed with it or if it starts to scratch or bites itself then it can be a real problem. Sometimes, cats can form bald patches or infection in their body which can be a sign of unhealthy skin or parasites, so if you see your cat grooming its body all the time then consult a vet about that. Moreover, try to groom your cat yourself. This way you can monitor your cat’s physical health and also make it a habit of a cat of keeping its body well groomed.
Tips for Grooming
The fun part about grooming your cat is that you get to make a bond with your cat. Spending some quality time with your cat can really help in connecting with the cat and winning its trust. Below we’ve mentioned some pro tips which you can follow to keep your cat healthy and well groomed.
#1 If you’ve never groomed your cat before then don’t rush into doing it right because now your cat does not have a habit of getting groomed by someone else. So try to initiate when your cat is relaxing. For the first time, do it for about 5 to 10 minutes and notice the cat’s reaction to it.
#2 A cat is more likely to adjust to being groomed by the owner when the cat is young. So, if you have a kitten, then start grooming it from an early stage. This way, it will come into the habit of the cat which will last throughout its life. Also, understand when to stop because if you overdo it, then it could irritate the cat.
#3 For starting use a soft brush and once your cat is comfortable then use the one that is a bit solid and or the one with the metal spikes. Cats with long hair love the comb or brush with metal spikes.
#4 Try to brush every day if your cat is having long hair because long hair can get tangled and form knots. So while brushing, untangle the knots and brush thoroughly. But be extra gentle on sensitive areas such as the belly and the chest.
#5 If your cat is not used to getting stroked by a brush, then try using gloves (preferably oven glove). Gloves are softer than brushes and can help in building the trust with the cat. Once they get comfortable with the stroking, introduce soft brushes.
#6 Cats shed hair all the time. If you brush your cat’s fur or bath it every day, then the hair shedding can become less messy. But if they start losing too much hair or if you notice any kind of bald patches then consult a vet.
#7 If you are facing trouble grooming your cat or if your cat is avoiding the grooming then you can try giving treats after every session. This way, the cat will become more active towards grooming. Rewarding is a great option and you can give rewards to your cat or any other animal if you want them something to do. Like if you want your cat to bath neurontin informations then after giving your cat a bath which it most probably does not like, so provide it with a treat which can cheer up your cat’s mood.
#8 While bathing your cat, notice carefully for anything suspicious like bald patches or skin problem. Skin problems can easily occur in a cat. The problems can be due to parasites or fleas. So take care of these small things as they can tell about your cat’s overall health.
#9 If your cat is too active then it can become really hard to give it a bath. Try to tire it out by playing. If your cat is mellow then it can be bathed easily. Before giving your cat a bath, close the ears of the cat with a cotton ball. This can avoid the ears from getting damaged by water. Also, trim your cat’s nails before cleaning it to avoid any scratches.
#10 After bathing your cat, pat its face and body dry. You can do this by wrapping it in a towel or use a blow dryer. Do this as soon as it gets out of the water because a cat’s body is a bad insulator which is why many cats hate water. So to prevent your cat from catching the cold, dry your cat thoroughly after bathing it.
#11 Taking care of a cat’s ear is also an important part of grooming. To clean the ears of a cat, use ear drops that are specifically made for cat’s ears. Use these ear drops and once the discharge comes out, wipe it away with a cloth.
#12 Look for ear problems such as bleeding, loss of hearing (which can be easily judged by the reaction towards sounds), bad odor from the ear (the smell of ear should be nothing), or any kind of redness as these are signs of ear damage. If you notice any of them, then consult a veterinarian.
#13 To clean your cat, you can either bath it in a tub that is not very deep or you can spray water through a hose which is a pretty good option but avoid spraying the water inside the eyes and ears of the cat to avoid any kind of problem as these parts are very sensitive.
#14 Before trimming your cat’s nails, give it a foot massage and a lot of treats. Cats are not very comfortable with a feeling of getting their nails trimmed. So to make them comfortable a little foot massage because if you try to force it, then they usually make their nails disappear or get upset and might even scratch you. So don’t rush into it and bring it into a habit of cats to get their nails trimmed. If you give them a massage around their foot and toes, then they can become more open towards nails clipping.
#15 To start with the training session, make sure that the cat is tired and sleepy. This way you can make sure that the cat would not get distracted in between the session. Then start by trimming one nail at a time. Means if you can get only one nail in a day, then it is totally okay. Take your time and make sure that your cat is comfortable.
#16 Trimming is a better option than declawing. Declawing is not recommended; instead, try to trim nails very often. Once it comes to the habit of the cat, then trimming nails can become a lot easier.
#17 Taking care of cat’s eyes is as important as taking care of any other part of the body. There are many health problems that can affect your cat’s eyes like inflammation or formation of cloudy substance in the eyes. So make sure your cat’s eyes are clean all the time.
#18 Use a cotton ball to clear any discharge coming out of the eyes of the cat to prevent any infection from spreading. Also avoid eye drops if you don’t have any recommendation from a vet as it can be proven harmful. Furthermore, if you feel that your cat’s eyes are infected in any way, then take your cat to a vet. Regular checkup can help in keeping the eyes and overall health of a cat perfect.
#19 Between all this, don’t forget to clean the teeth of the cat. People usually neglect the teeth, whereas teeth are an important part of grooming. Dental hygiene has an effect on the overall health of the cat. So if you smell any bad odor coming from your cat’s mouth, then it means that your cat must have some kind of digestive issues or you haven’t cleaned your cat’s mouth in a while.
#20 To check your cat’s dental health, push back the lips of your cat so that the gums are visible. Now the easiest way of checking your cat’s teeth is to make sure the gums are pink and free from any kind of swelling. Also, if you see any kind of inflammation in gums then provide your cat with medical care. To avoid any kind of virus and bacteria to grow in your kitty’s mouth, brush your cat’s teeth daily. There are a lot of brushes and toothpastes available in the markets that are made especially for cat.
#21 To brush the teeth of your cat, like any other grooming process, this one also needs time and patience. Make your cat used to brushing teeth. Before introducing toothbrush, use fingers or cotton balls to massage the gums of the cat. Once it gets used to that, start using the toothpaste. Once the cat gets comfortable with the taste introduce the toothbrush that is specially designed for cat’s use.
These are a few tips that you can follow to keep your cat well groomed. Also, remember if you are facing troubles related to grooming your cat, then give it treats to make it listen to you. And if you fail, then you always have an option to take it to a veterinarian.