Cat Grooming Tips:

"Helpful Cat Grooming Tips Including
Brushing, Nail Clipping and Ear Cleaning"

Grooming your cat is an important part of your cat’s health care regiment. Learn why it’s important to groom your cat, and learn some great cat grooming tips.

Why Cat Grooming Is Important:

1) Cat grooming removes excess hair, which helps to minimize hairballs.

2) Combing or brushing your cat will prevent tangles and mats.

3) Cat grooming also allows you to give your cat a quick checkup. It alerts you to things such as fleas, mites, hair mats, or miscellaneous objects that get stuck in the fur such as thistles or burs.

4) Brushing cats will stimulate their skin’s glands and help to keep their coat healthy, shiny and soft.

5) Also, grooming will help remove dirt and excess fur, which will end up in your house and on your furniture.

Cat Grooming Tips: How Often Should I Brush My Cat?

Shorthaired cats should be brushed or combed once a week.

Longhaired cats should be brushed or combed daily, especially if they are Persian cats.

Cat Grooming Tips - Brushing:

1) It is best to begin grooming your cat when they’re young so they will get used to it.

2) Start by using a soft bristle brush so it will give your kitten a nice gentle massage. When your kitten becomes an adult, switch to a wire slicker brush or a wire comb.

3) Another cat grooming tip is to use the same location for grooming your cat each time. If you use a tabletop, it will be easier for you to brush your cat and check for mats. To protect your table, lay a non-slip mat on top.

4) If you cat jumps off the table, or walks away from the designated location, pick them up and bring them back. Then reward them with a treat to help the training process.

5) If you brush in the opposite direction of the fur (towards your cat’s head), you will effectively remove any dead fur.

6) If your cat has any small mats or tangled fur, gently and slowly pull them apart. Do not cut it out incase you accidentally cut your cat. To remove large mats, take your cat to a professional groomer, or your vet.

7) And my favorite cat grooming tip is to give your cat a treat when you’re done. Rewarding your cat will make the process more worthwhile for your kitty.

Cat Grooming Tips For Cats Who Hate to Be Brushed:

Some cats just refuse to be groomed. If brushing is not an option, try some of the neat products on the market. I’d recommend a cat glove brush (a glove you wear that will remove fur when you pet your cat), or some product that removes loose fur when your cat rubs up against it (such as the cat magnet brush).

Cat Grooming Tips - Nail Clipping:

If your cat is an outdoor cat, only clip their nails when necessary, as they need them for climbing, defense and balance.

If your cat is an indoor house cat, clip regularly when they become long. If your cat’s nails are getting stuck in the scratching post, carpet or furniture, then it’s time for a clip.

Use professional clippers and only cut to the hook of the nail. Never cut too close to the “quick”. The quick is the visible blood vessel within the nail that has a slightly darker color than the nail. Cutting the quick is very painful to your cat and will bleed.

If you accidentally cut the quick, cover with a cotton ball, and apply pressure to the center of the nail. Remain holding until the bleeding stops.

Cat Grooming Tips - Ear Cleaning:

Cats, just like humans, accumulate wax and dirt in their ear canals. To clean them, just put a bit of feline ear cleaner on a cotton ball and gently wipe the inside of the ear clean.

Never use Q-tips. Cats tend to move a lot during the ear cleaning process, and you could accidentally jab them with the Q-tip.

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