Having a well-groomed pet is good for not only your cat’s physical health but also your mental well-being. It is not always easy to keep up with all the cat grooming needs of a feline friend, but luckily this post will walk you through the basics of 5 grooming tips every cat owner needs to know:
1) Nail clipping for cats
Your cat’s nails grow like a dog’s teeth but do not stop growing like dogs’. The risk of your cat scratching you or someone else increases exponentially as their nails grow. Clipping your cat’s nails is not an enjoyable task for anyone, but it is important to maintain your and your pet’s safety. Here are five tips to make the process easier:
- Be patient with your pet and work slowly – Cats can be unpredictable when handling their paws. You do not want to scare them off by suddenly yanking on a paw too quickly, so it is best not to rush through this process.
- If you are starting with a kitten, work off their paw tips to reduce the stress – This reduces adverse reactions and will also prevent your kitten from kicking while clipping out all the extra fur.
- Know where the claws of your cat are positioned
- Get Clippers that fit without cutting into your cat’s skin – That is critical to avoid cutting into their nail bed and causing bleeding.
- If the clipper is still cutting into their nail bed for whatever reason, be comfortable knowing you can get them professionally groomed if needed. Professional groomers are always available to help out if you are not confident enough to do it yourself.
2) Bathing your cats
Cats do not require you to bathe them often since they are self-sufficient. In particular, their tongue helps remove looser dead fur, ridding their coat to eliminate parasites and fleas and cleaning food from the body and whiskers. However, you can bathe your cat by following the tips below:
- Thorough brush the hair of your cats before bathing them. Ensure you untangle any tangled hair since it can tighten when placing the cat in the tub. After thoroughly clipping and brushing your cat, you can look for towels, cat shampoo, rubber bathmat, cotton balls, and treats.
- Ensure you place the cotton balls in the ears to prevent water from entering the ear canals.
- You can place your cat into the water.
- After your cat is wet, you can drain the tub to apply shampoo starting from the head. You can then rinse your cat.
- You can blot dry the cat with a towel. However, you can gently use a blow dryer if your cat has long hair.
3) Brushing your cats’ coat
Professional groomers recommend brushing your cat’s coat when they are relaxed. You can start by gently stroking your cat in the places they love to be petted. The areas might include under the chin, between their ears, and back.
The ideal way to remove dead hair is by brushing against the hair growth direction before moving to the growth direction. Remove any excess hair from the brush to avoid creating more clumps or knots. After brushing, you can wipe the fur with a soft chamois. Such a piece of clothing will add a sheen to the coat and help to remove dead hair.
4) How to clean the cat’s ears
You need to wrap the body of your cats with a towel, leaving their head exposed. That will offer a sense of comfort and make grooming easier. After that, you can gently bend back the ear flap of your cat and wipe wax using a pet ear wipe. Avoid using a cotton swab since it can damage your ear canal. Normally, healthy inner ears will be light pink without visible wax or odour. Therefore, you must consult your vet doctor if you notice small black debris, redness, or swelling.
5) How to Brush Your Cat’s Teeth, gums, and mouth
Before you brush your cat’s teeth, you must ensure that you acclimate them to toothbrush-like objects in their mouth. For instance, you can attempt to dip your finger in their mouth and allow them to lick it by gently touching their gumline. You can introduce a toothbrush after the cat feels comfortable with your finger in its teeth.
You can squeeze cat-friendly toothpaste onto the toothbrush. However, you must let your cat lick the toothpaste to get used to the bristles’ feeling. In reality, your cat might feel nervous after brushing for a few minutes. You can begin to clean the front teeth and be assured your cat will become comfortable if you frequently brush their teeth.
Every cat owner must know that cat grooming is critical for their pets. In reality, your cat will love you for taking them on regular grooming sessions, but they’ll also love you for brushing them daily or combing through their coat with a rubber brush. Besides making them feel good, removing excess hair and preventing tangles that can lead to painful knots is helpful.
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