The Basics of Grooming Your Cat
Having a cat can be fun and provide great companionship. However, grooming your cat is one of those things that takes time and energy. All cats need to be groomed to some extent. Most grooming can be done at home by yourself, but you can take them to a veterinarian to get it professionally done also. Things such as keeping their teeth clean, cleaning their ears out, and combing them enough to get rid of fleas and extra hair are all part of the grooming process. Here are some suggestions on what and how to keep your cat well groomed so they stay nice and healthy.
Bathing your cat
Bathing is needed to help maintain a soft and manageable coat texture and also for odor control. Fleas become more of a problem when the hair is unwashed and oily. You should bathe your cat at least once a month; some may need more than that if their coats get really oily. Getting them into a bath however can sometimes be tricky. If you decide to bathe them at home then you will need a large towel, shampoo, cotton balls, and a blow dryer. You can do it in your kitchen sink, or if the weather is warm enough you can do it outside in a big tub. You can use dishwashing liquid for shampooing the hair as it is a good degreaser, or you can buy pet shampoos at any pet store. Place the cotton balls inside their ears before you begin bathing and try to avoid getting shampoo and soaps in their eyes and face. Make sure that you rinse everything out thoroughly, and then dry them off by patting with a towel and then using a blow dryer on a low, cool setting.
Basic cat grooming will make for a happy cat.
Grooming their coat
Cats have real fur, which means that they have an undercoat and an outer coat. Keeping the coat clean and well groomed is important and will cut down on the amount of fur your cat licks when they groom themselves and how much hair is shed around the house. Frequent bathing will keep the coat clean, but you must also comb the coat frequently to keep it manageable. As each cat is very different, it will be up to you to determine how much combing it needs. During the shedding seasons (spring and fall) a cat will go through heavy shedding and require much more combing in order to get rid of extra hair and dead skin cells. You can buy metal combs to help with getting out mats as well as fleas. Combing should be done on a daily basis paying close attention to the hair behind the ears, around the neck, and in between the legs. Sometimes if the matting on a cat gets too severe you may have to go to a professional groomer.
Grooming your cats eyes and ears
Cats have special eyes; the inner eyelid helps to protect it from dryness and damage. You will notice when your cat is ill that the inner eyelid will close frequently making it visible to the observer. Sometimes cats have trouble with tearing because of their narrow nasolactrimal duct. This is why they need their faces washed daily. Use a warm wash cloth to clean the eyes and remove any stains from around the eyes. You can also use unpreserved saline solution.
A cats ears also need to be cleaned out thoroughly after each bath. You can use Q-Tips or cotton balls to clean them out. Be careful when you clean them not to get inside the ear canal. If you see any crust like formations, or there is an odor that usually indicates an infection or something more serious. You will need to take your cat to the vet to have them looked at.
Grooming your cat will definitely take some time out of your day, but it's really the only way to keep your cat healthy and free from disease. If you want to earn the love of your cat then take care of them.
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