You are probably asking yourself, I thought cats groomed themselves or each other? While this is true, cat grooming is also possible; just be prepared for a little bit of a struggle. If you didn’t start out grooming your cat when they were a kitten then your cat may not be comfortable being groomed, especially if water is involved. But, with patience and practice, you can successfully groom your cat. If you groom your cat on a regular basis, your feline will get used to the exercise. This will not only help make the process easier, but will have positive, long-term benefits to your cat’s skin and coat health. Should any concerns arise during the grooming process about your cat’s health, be sure to contact your vet.
Here are some steps to the cat grooming process that will make the experience more enjoyable for you and your whiskered friend.
Clip your cat’s claws
Most cat’s nails grow pretty fast and if you don’t clip them with regularity they will quickly become overgrown. If this happens, their nails will catch on things and could lead to injury for your cat or anyone they may scratch.
The first step in cat nail clipping is making sure your cat is used to you touching their paws and nails in general. You may want to just touch your cat’s paws for a week or two just to get them used to the idea.
Once you feel they are ready, it’s cat nail clipping time. Get yourself a good pair of nail clippers. Start by gently pushing down on your cat’s paw. This will extend your cat’s paw and keep the claws from retracting. Clip a little at a time, making sure to avoid the quick (pinkish or reddish part just under the nail that houses blood capillaries).
Make sure you clip your cat’s nails before giving him or her a bath. This will reduce the risk of scratches during bath time.
Brush with regularity
Ideally, you should be brushing your cat weekly. Depending how long your cat’s hair is, you may want to do it more than once per week. A good rule of thumb is to brush short haired-cats once a week and long-haired cats 2 to 3 times per week.
While there are many types of combs and brushes available, you’ll want to make sure you are using a good brush or metal comb that is good for removing excess fur. You may also opt to use cat grooming gloves, which can help your cat feel like you are just petting them while you groom.
Brushing with frequency can help to reduce hair matting as well as brush out all the loose hair that tends to shed all over.
A good rule of thumb to follow…never give your cat a bath if there is matting in their fur. Matting should always be brushed out beforehand as mats trap soap and can cause skin irritation on your cat.
Baths for Cats?!?
Yeah it’s a thing. Every once in a while you will want to bathe your cat. Water, however, can be unnerving to cats so it is best to start bathing your cat when they are very young. When you bathe your cat, it is best to do it in a sink or tub that has a spray nozzle. Putting your cat in a tub with standing water has a tendency to cause anxiety for your cat.
Using lukewarm water, you should start by spraying water on the back half of your cat, slowly working your way forward. Get your cat’s fur completely wet but be careful not to get your cat’s head wet at all. This will be a deal breaker for your cat and you could find that bath time is over if their face gets wet, as they may squirm even more than normal, making the rest of bath near impossible to finish.
You will want to use a shampoo/conditioning combo product specifically formulated for cats; never use shampoos made for human use. A combo product will not only be safer for your cat, it will allow you to only wash your cat once. This will shorten the process, which your cat will appreciate.
Once your cat’s body is completely wet, start lathering their body with the shampoo/conditioner combo product. You will want to make sure you get a good lather over your cat’s whole body (except the head). Once your cat is lathered, you can begin to rinse their fur. Be sure you get all of the soap residue out of your cat’s fur. Leaving some behind could cause skin irritation.
Once you have completely rinsed our cat and removed all of the soap out of your cat’s fur, dry them off with a clean, dry towel. Be sure to do a thorough job, getting as much of the fur as dry as possible. Do not use a hair dryer to dry your cat. Cats can become scared and/or aggressive with a hair dryer because of the loud sound they make, as well as the air blowing sensation on their fur. Hair dryers do have a tendency to dry out or irritate your cat’s skin as well, so it’s best to only use a towel to dry them.
Additional Tips to make the Cat Grooming Process Easier
Positive reinforcement is always a good thing, especially when grooming your cat. This can be done in several ways. Many people use catnip, treats and toys at key moments during grooming. Others use a positive tone of voice, praise and continuous petting during grooming. No matter what combination of tactics are used, positive reinforcement may help make the cat grooming experience for you and your feline more enjoyable. This way the next time you need to groom your cat they may be a more willing participant.
