Pet owners are always looking out for the right ways to take care of their animal companion. If you have a furry friend by your side, it’s crucial to groom and keep hygiene in check regularly. Grooming your feline pal can be the most daunting task ever. Cats seem to have a handle on their grooming, and they do a great job. However, this doesn’t mean that they don’t require some pampering from time to time.
From the constant squirms to the little tantrums during the bathing sessions, you are likely to face it all. But, with the right techniques and tips, you can finish the grooming in the comfort of your home. Some things to keep in mind are regular brushing, combing of the matted fur, and nail clippings.
1. Take Care Of The Dental Hygiene
Daily brushing and cleansing is the right way to maintain clean and germ-free teeth amongst the cats. But, your cat pals might resist and run away just by the mere sight of a brush or toothpaste. You must groom and brush your cat since the childhood kitten days. That way, the cats are likely to accustom themselves and might show low resistance during adulthood. You can use a piece of gauze covered with feline toothpaste to clean the teeth.
Make sure to ask your cat’s vet for a full-fledged dental kit and other Cat Grooming Tools. Never use human toothpaste for this purpose, as it can harm your pet. This is due to the high levels of fluoride that can harm your feline pet. Start by cradling the cat from behind and tilt the head to open the chin before cleaning their teeth.
2. Trim Those Huge Nails
Cats are in the habit of scratching the furniture or bed sheets with their huge nails. It may cause the accumulation of germs or bacterias inside the nail, followed by infections. Hence, you need to trim off the huge nails as well while grooming your feline pal. It takes a lot of patience to do the nail trimming on your own. You might need to make your cat used to the process first. For this purpose, try to massage your cat’s paws and reward them from time to time. Also, you can use some styptic powder to prevent excessive bleeding in case you cut the vein.
Pick a quiet place and trim off the extra nails in divided sessions. You don’t have to do it all at once, as that might harm your furry friend.
3. Calm Bathing Sessions
There are times when your cat gets dirty and needs a quick bath. Although cats often maintain cleanliness, you might need to clean them off every once in a while. Before bathing your cat, try to groom and clean the nails for a wholesome session. You must pick a time of the day when your cat is calm and quiet. Or, maybe you can play with the feline for a while to induce drowsiness. Try to fill the bathtub with lukewarm water and add a feline shampoo to get the dirt off the fur. Also, you can put some cotton in your cat’s ears to keep the water from entering inside.
Gentle wash off the dirt and clean the face with the shampoo. Once done, dry your cat and wrap it in a cozy blanket for some time. Consider rewarding your cat to create a fond memory in mind for future bathing sessions.
4. Practice Ear Hygiene
Another hygiene aspect that most cat owners tend to overlook is ear grooming and hygiene. You need to check the ear lobes and canals now and then to take care of the infections. Cats are prone to ear ailments like otitis media or otitis externa that can interfere with daily life. Also, your cat might show signs like shaking the head in the direction of the affected ear or constant pawing over it. You can minimize the chances of infections by cleaning the ear during bath sessions.
Get a cat ear cleanser and read the instructions before using it on your pet. Try to clean the ear and take out all the debris or discharges. At the same time, you must not overclean as it leads to irritation and redness around the ear canal.
5. Brush The Fur Often
One delicate part of your cat’s body is the soft and shiny furs. If you don’t brush them regularly, it may cause matting and the development of hairballs. Further, removing the hairballs can be both painful for your cat as well as challenging for you. Try to brush off your cat’s fur every 2 to 3 days to avoid such issues. You can use a rubber or bristle brush to remove the matting and brush off the excess fur. Also, brush all over the body of your cat, including the abdomen, chest, and other parts. Take care to get rid of the dead fur to make more room for the new ones.
Grooming your cat doesn’t end with brushing, trimming your cat’s nails, and bathing them. You also have to think about how you’re going to deal with issues like wax in their ears, gunk in their eyes, and other d bathing your cat doesn’t end after trimming their nails, brushing their fur, and bathing them. Feline-friendly wipes do a great job of getting rid of accumulated wax in the ears and gunk around the eyes. Research and find the best brand for your cat’s needs.
6. Think Beyond Brushing
Most people believe that cats only need their fur brushed, and that’s it. This couldn’t be further from the truth. You also need to give your regular cat mani-pedis, depending on how fast their nails grow. As a rule of thumb, cut their nails when they become too sharp and ensure there are no injuries before doing so.
To clip your cat’s nails, you’ll need:
- High-quality cat nail scissors or clippers: Always trim the white tip of each nail at the point where it begins to curl.
- Styptic powder: If you accidentally cut too deep, the powder will keep the bleeding in control.
Apart from trimming your cat’s nails, you may also need to bathe your cat, especially if they have a skin condition. This grooming step is, however, not necessary for all cats. Speak to your vet to find out if you need to bathe your cat. If you do, make sure you invest in a feline-friendly shampoo.
Final Words
Grooming is one of the essential parts of your pet’s daily routine. It minimizes the risk of infections, maintains adequate hygiene, and keeps your pet happy. If you own a feline friend, it might be difficult for you to groom and clean the furry friend. But, you can develop a habit by including grooming sessions from childhood itself. Take care of oral hygiene and remove the excess fur by brushing your cat’s fur often. Also, you can go for the bathing sessions using some feline shampoo or clean the ear and remove the excess debris. Therefore consider what your furry friend needs and begin searching for the perfect kit. Don’t forget to read customer reviews to get an idea of the level of quality you’re getting.
