Guide To Grooming Your Cat

Grooming is also a big part of having a cat. Just as you get a shower every day, do your hair, and whatever else your grooming entails, your cat needs to be groomed as well. Although you don't need to bathe your cat on a daily basis, there are other things that need to be taken care of regularly.

Bathing your Feline Friend

You really don't have to bathe your cat too often, especially if they are an indoor pet, but there will come the time that fluffy needs to get a bath. Giving your cat a bath is more of a two person job so you might need to ask someone to give you a hand. A good tip is to put something like a rug or towel in the tub that the cat can cling onto since there is a good chance the cat is going to freak out when it hits the water.

Make sure that you check the temperature of the water before you decide to dunk them; you need to make it a hot bath so they will be comfortable. Using shampoo specifically made for cats, start at the head and work your way down the body. You need to wash the head, ears and neck, don't skip any spots when washing, but don't get soap in your cat's eyes. After your cat is washed and dried, keep them out of drafts until they are fully dry.

Making your Cat Look Pretty

If you start grooming your cat from an early age, they will love for you to take out the brush or comb and start grooming them. It's important to brush your cat when you notice they are beginning to shed their hair, this is for your benefit and your cat's. You cat will love having that extra hair removed, there will be less hairballs, and your furniture won't have hair all over it. If you find the coat knotted when you are brushing, use your fingers to untangle the knot and not the brush or comb.

You also need to make sure that your cat's nails are trimmed; you can choose to do this yourself or have a grooming service do it for you. If you decide to take the task on yourself, you need to get clippers that are especially designed for cats. You also need to be careful not to cut into the quick of the nail or you will end up injuring your cat, this is why many prefer to have a groomer take care of this chore. After the coat and the nails are taken care of, you need to make sure that your cat's ears are clean...

Does any of this sound familiar to your own grooming habits?

Cleaning the ears should be done on a monthly basis. Do not use a cotton tip to clean your cat's ears! This process should only be done with a cotton ball and some mineral oil or alcohol, do not go any further into the ear than you can see to avoid causing your cat injury. The last step in the grooming of your cat involved their dental care. Many cats suffer from plaque buildup and it can become quite a serious health problem. In order to avoid this you need to try cleaning your cat's teeth.

Of course this might not be fully appreciated by your feline friend, but you need to wipe the cat's teeth with a baking soda and water mixture. The only other way to ensure that your cat's teeth get the attention that they need is to have your veterinarian look at their teeth and possibly perform a dental cleaning on them as well.