7 tips for keeping her coat beautiful
Your kitty-cat is truly an elegant creature, born with natural beauty and self-grooming instincts. Although she probably spends about half her day sleeping and the other half grooming herself, she still needs a little help from her human servants. She needs you to occasionally brush and bath her, and clip her nails.
Grooming not only keeps your kitty looking beautiful, but also helps build a bond between you and your precious cat. Here are a few helpful tips.
Set the mood
- Grooming sessions should be fun for both of you, so be sure to schedule them when you are both relaxed, perhaps after she’s had a meal or done some exercise. You want her to remember the grooming sessions in a positive way, so you have to be patient and calm. If you’ve had a stressful day or are in a bad mood, it’s probably not a good time to groom her.
- Keep your first grooming sessions short – just five to 10 minutes. Gradually lengthen the time, until your cat is used to the routine. You should also get her used to being handled. Get into the habit of touching every single part of her body – including her ears, tail, belly and back. And don’t forget about her feet!
How to brush her
- Regular sessions with a brush or comb will help keep your cat’s coat in good condition by removing dirt, spreading natural oils throughout her coat, preventing tangles and keeping her skin clean and irritant-free.
- If your cat has short hair, you only need to brush her once a week.
- First, use a metal comb and work through her fur from head to tail.
- Next, use a bristle or rubber brush to remove dead and loose hair.
- Be extra gentle near her chest and belly.
- If your cat has long hair, you will need to brush her every day.
- Start by combing her belly and legs – be sure to gently untangle any knots by carefully combing them out or by using your fingers. Remember that this can be painful for her, so rather cut them out, if needed.
- Next, brush her fur in an upward motion with a bristle or rubber brush.
- To brush her tail, make a part down the middle and brush the fur out on either side.
Brushing and nail clipping
Your feline will look (and feel!) like the cat’s meow after a good grooming session. By nature, cats are extremely fastidious. You’ve no doubt watched your kitty wash herself several times a day. For the most part she can take care of herself very well, thank you, but sometimes she’ll need a little help from you.
- Don’t brush your cat to the point where she is so irritated and angry that she is ready to move in with the neighbours.
- Nail trimming can be stressful – sometimes more for the owner than for kitty. Many pet parents avoid clipping claws for fear of hurting their precious pet. But without proper nail clipping, your cat could seriously harm herself. She uses her paws to clean her face, head and ears. If left uncut, the claws could scratch her.
When your kitty’s claws are long, she might file them down by using your furniture. You can keep her from doing that by trimming her nails regularly. Gentle nail-clipping tools make this aspect of grooming easier on both of you. If your kitty is squeamish, try distracting her with treats as you clip her claws. If you are unsure of how to do this, ask a professional, such as your vet or local pet groomer, to show you, or maybe even read this article or watch a video on YouTube.
Benefits of brushing
You don’t have to brush your cat as much as she grooms herself, but brushing her has many advantages.
- Fewer hairballs
Hairballs can be a normal part of being a cat (although, even just a few hairballs a month can mean there’s a problem). However, they can be gross to step in and clean up. But the more you brush your cat and help her to remove excess fur, the less likely you are to find an unpleasant, gooey surprise underfoot.
- Less shedding
Brushing your cat once a day, or every other day, will reduce the excess hair she carries. And that means less hair falling from your cat onto your floor, rubbing off on your furniture, clogging up your vacuum, and turning your clothes into fur coats, making you look like a pet groomer.
- Flea-spotting
Regular brushing can be a good way to spot fleas or flea dirt (a combination of flea poop and dry blood particles) in your cat’s fur, so you can know if the little parasites are trying to set up camp. Remember to keep your cat on a good, vet-recommended flea and parasite treatment programme to keep fleas at bay and to keep her healthy.
Do you have a long-haired cat? Read more about how to groom her here.
