Cat Grooming The Stress Free Way
For A Happy Cat

We have always viewed cat grooming as part of the general everyday cat care routine we provide for our pet.

Mo is a short hair tabby cat, but with quite a thick coat which tends to shed all year round. If we did not provide any cat grooming help for her she would suffer quite badly from fur balls and our house would be even hairier than it is.

I thought cats groomed themselves!

Well yes they do, in fact they are very fastidious about it. Most cats when they are happy and content will groom several times a day.

It keeps their fur clean and free from any loose fur or debris that may have got caught in it. The cats tongue is covered with long barb like hairs which is an excellent tool for washing with.

Grooming has several important benefits for your cat.

- cat grooming by Wallis on flickr It is good to have a little pampering from their owners and is an important bonding and trust building exercise. This is one of the reasons cat grooming should be started when your cat is a kitten if possible.

- It gets your cat used to being handled, which is helpful in later years when visits to the vets become necessary.

- It prevents matting of the fur, especially in long hair breeds.

- It reduces the likely hood of hairballs forming.

- It enables you to check your cat’s ears, body and eyes for any lumps and bumps which may be forming.

Your cat grooming routine

The main areas for cat grooming are:

Brushing
Bathing
Nail Clipping
Ear cleansing
Eye Cleaning

There are two other procedures that may be carried out, the first is checking your cat for lumps and cuts beneath the fur and also checking for any signs of flea infestation. Do this on a regular basis.

The second depends very much on the breed of your cat. Unlike dogs most cats do not get impacted anal glands, which would need expressing to prevent abscesses. However Siamese cats are the most likely candidates for this kind of problem.

So a quick check to see if there is any redness in the area or your cat is licking the area excessively. If you suspect a problem, visit the vets as soon as possible.

Lets begin

The earlier you can get your cat used to the cat grooming routine the easier it will become.

Most cats won’t find the whole grooming procedure very appealing and will struggle and even bite if they are subjected to this procedure without a gradual approach.

So a good idea is not to do the whole grooming routine all at once, this will be less stressful to your cat and may save you from a painful injury.

The basic cat grooming steps are:

Step 1 - Start by gently stroking your cat to get them use to you touching them.

Step 2 – Part the fur and check for any injuries, lumps or parasites.

Step 3 – Check the feet to ensure there is no matted fur or debris like chewing gum or tar between the toes.

Step 4 – Make sure the claws are not too long. If they are you should clip them.

Step 5 – Long coats will need daily brushing to remove any debris and to reduce the likelihood of matting. Special cat grooming tools are available which will make the job both easy for you and comfortable for your cat. Matted coats will need further attention.

Step 6 - Remove any dark brown wax form your cat’s ears using either a damp soft tissue or a special Ear Cleanse pads that can be bought from pet supply outlets.

If this is done regularly your cat should become used to you rolling his ear back and gently rubbing it.

Any hard to remove wax can either be treated by the vet or special cat eardrops can be used to soften the wax for removal.

Step 7 - If bathing is required, (generally it is not necessary, but occasional circumstances might warrant it), make sure the coat is well groomed first, to enable the shampoo to easily spread through the fur.

Cats should not be bathed too often as it removes the natural oils from the skin that help with waterproofing and insulation. Always use a specially formulated cat shampoo to reduce this risk.

What’s all the fuss about?

Just a short note to say that as much as you may love and want to pamper your pet, as a general rule cats don’t like too much fuss and definitely some will find the whole cat grooming procedure quite traumatic.

So, always approach grooming your cat in a fun and gentle way.

Praising your cat and providing a little treat will make the whole situation less stressful and may even becomes a fun thing for you both to do. After all the last thing we want is an ANGRY CAT.

Mo has never been bathed, she has never had to be, but we do groom her and clean her ears and eyes regularly. At first she struggled and moaned through the whole thing but now she sits quietly until it’s over, knowing that a special cat treat is on its way.

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