Grooming Your Cat

Grooming your cat is good for its physical as well as its mental health.

When you brush or comb your cat’s hair, you remove loose hairs that your cat could swallow when it cleans itself.

Grooming your cat increases the psychological bond between you and your cat. It is an experience that is pleasurable for both of you.

Cats like being clean and feel good when they are groomed.

If your cat is too weak to clean itself because of injury or illness, a gentle grooming is a great way to perk up its spirits.

Grooming an outdoor cat will provide you with the opportunity to check it for fleas.

A flea comb will help you spot any fleas.

After you comb your cat’s fur with a flea comb, drop the contents of the comb onto a damp paper.  Normally, flea debris resembles little black flecks.  However, once you drop them on the damp paper, a red halo will form around them.

You can also simply part the cat’s fur and look closely at the skin to check for flees.

Every cat will benefit from being groomed at least once a week.

However, different cats have different grooming needs. Some cat breeds with long hair need to be groomed every day

If a longhaired cat develops mats in its coat, it may need to be groomed by a professional.

Some cats, for example, wavy haired cats like the Devon Rex, have special grooming needs. If you purchased your cat from a breeder, the breeder should be able to advise you on how to groom it.

A hairless cat, such as the Sphynx, does not need to be brushed. However, you should wipe its skin with a chamois every day, to prevent excess natural oils from building up.

If you or a family member is allergic to cats, wiping the cat down with a damp cloth can help remove some of the cat’s saliva from the fur.  Cat allergies are triggered by a protein in the cat’s saliva.

Bathing a cat regularly can also help relieve allergy symptoms.

A cat that is very dirty may also benefit from a bath.

Although many older cats do not enjoy baths, if you start bathing your cat when it is a kitten, it will become used to the process.

A good way to help your cat get used to the experience is to run the water in the tub while your cat stands outside the tub and watches. Cats are often fascinated by running water.

Some exceptional cats enjoy being in water and love baths.