Mary Allen
Cats are incredibly beautiful and exciting animals, so it’s no wonder they’re one of our most popular pets. If you decide to have one or more cats, you should not underestimate the care and responsibility that comes with it. In this way, life together is not only enriched by many hours of cuddling.
Cat owners must always ensure that their cat is fed healthily and cared for properly. This also applies to the grooming of the cats, which is not, as many people think, done by the cat alone.
Of course, most cats do most of the grooming themselves, but they still need help from their owners.
In this article you will find out everything you need to groom your cat and how you can best do it.
Adjust the cat’s grooming
Cats have very different coats depending on their breed. While the so-called naked cats naturally do not have to be brushed, this breed would of course also need to take care of the skin. Coat care must therefore be individually adapted to the cat. Due to the breed, there are very clear differences in the coat structure.
For example, there are cats with rather short and uncomplicated fur, but also pedigree cats with particularly long fur. Of course, this has the property that it knots faster than the shorter fur. And of course even the cats can’t beat the knots. It is also important to remember that a cat sheds a lot of fur every day. At the time of the change of fur, which usually takes place in spring and autumn, it becomes particularly hairy.
Cat owners must therefore be particularly thorough when changing their fur. Especially in spring, when the animals shed their thick winter fur, they depend on the help of their owners. The cat hair spreads very quickly throughout the house and after cuddling, of course, also on your own clothes.
If the fur care for the cats is carried out thoroughly, this effect can of course be contained, but never completely disappears. Here you should remember that any cat hair that you comb out does not end up on the floor or on your clothes. However, in addition to changing the fur, regular grooming by the cat owner is very important, especially for long-haired pedigree cats, so that the fur does not become matted.
Benefits of brushing
The grooming by the owner brings many great advantages for both sides. First of all, the hair that is loose or has already fallen out is naturally removed and does not end up on your clothes or in the apartment. On the other hand, brushing the cat’s fur also promotes blood circulation in the skin, which can accelerate the change of fur.
Furthermore, brushing the coat is valuable for the bond between you and your cat. This is mainly because most cats particularly like this procedure and therefore enjoy it to the fullest. In addition, you will naturally spend intensive time with your cat.
Advantages at a glance:
- Cats love to be brushed;
- Your cat will swallow less hair;
- brushing promotes blood circulation in the skin;
- the coat change is accelerated;
- there is less fur in the home and on your clothes;
- the bond between you and your cat is strengthened.
Only brush with the right fur brush
However, if you want to actively help your cat with grooming, you should only do so with the appropriate fur brush. This includes, for example, a special comb and a fur brush. Of course, you should make grooming as pleasant as possible and use utensils that won’t hurt your cat. Furthermore, you should of course also make sure that the individual items also contribute effectively to grooming. Some brushes even tug because they pull out the loose hair.
Once you have brushed your cat’s fur with the wrong brush, it can quickly happen that the velvet paws develop an aversion to this procedure. Therefore, use gentle brushes and a comb that has a massaging effect.
Get the cat used to grooming
As mentioned above, most people think that grooming is the cat’s job of grooming, and the owner has nothing to do with it. For this reason, it is not uncommon for cats not to know to brush. If you have bought a small cat, you should groom it right from the start in order to get the animal used to this procedure. You don’t have to sit together for hours and tame the animals. It is enough to spend a few minutes a day on it. With older cats who are not familiar with brushing, it can be more difficult. This is especially true for animals that don’t seek too much proximity to humans.
Work your way up slowly and first show your cat the comb and brush so that she can get to know them in a relaxed and relaxed manner. Then you can start to gently brush the fur with the brush. If your cat flinches at the first touch, you should try again another time. Additionally, work with small treats so that the animals associate this procedure with something positive.
Gradually, you can now rid your cat of excess fur not only on the back but also on the stomach, head, tail, and the rest of the body. The comb should not be used until the cat is used to the brush itself. Because a comb could pull a bit and also naturally touch the animal’s skin, which is often a bit strange for cats at first.
How to properly brush your cat
It is important to take the time to groom the animals. For example, brushing should not be carried out under time pressure. Starting at the head, run the brush down your cat’s back or down the sides. However, it is important never to brush against the direction of the growth of the fur. Some cats find this particularly uncomfortable. With particularly long-haired cats, such as the Maine Coon, you should lift the top coat of hair in order to be able to brush the dense undercoat extensively. Then, of course, the entire field can be treated.
Furthermore, as already mentioned, choosing the right utensils is very important. To avoid the risk of injury, the brushes and combs must be carefully selected and have rounded tips. How narrow the brush or comb should be also depends on the density of your cat’s fur and the thickness of the individual hairs. During the change of coat, it is advisable to brush short-haired cats about every two days and long-haired cats daily. Basically, it can be said that you cannot brush too often and too much. This is because only superfluous and loose hair is removed.
What tools are there?
There are different grooming accessory items that can be used to groom cats. You can find out what these are below:
Cat comb
A cat comb looks very similar to the normal comb of us humans and is constructed in the same way. It is ideally suited to removing knots in the fur and even small tangles can be solved optimally. It is also ideal for combing out the undercoat, which often cannot be caught with a normal brush. Please stay away from the normal plastic combs. These can become electrically charged when grooming and, in the worst case, give you and your cat an unpleasant blow.
Cat brush
Please never use normal brushes to groom your cat’s fur. These are usually not suitable because the hair structure is completely different from that of us humans. There are now many different brushes that are made for grooming. For example, there are models with very soft bristles but also versions with metal bristles. While the metal bristles are ideal for brushing out the excess hair, the other and softer products are more suitable for smoothing the coat and making it shinier. So it is best if you have both variants at home.
Gloves
There are also different grooming gloves. These are particularly suitable for cats who do not find grooming with brushes and a comb pleasant. With such a glove it is possible to groom your cat’s fur and pet it at the same time. Grooming gloves are now also available in numerous designs, so that the right model can be found for every cat and its fur characteristics.
Grooming from the inside out
Of course, it’s not just important to brush and comb your cat. Coat care is not only very important from the outside but can also be influenced from the inside. Diet plays an extremely important role in this. Protein forms the basic building block here, so that a protein-rich diet is particularly important for both the cat’s skin and fur. Generally speaking, cats eat mostly protein and fat. Unsaturated fatty acids are just as important for a beautiful coat. This can be added, for example, by giving them salmon pie. Vitamins, copper, and zinc also ensure that the coat has a nice shine and is easy to comb. In addition, there are now very special fur care products for cats.
Bathing cats?
Many cats that come from a breeder household are used to being bathed or washed. However, most cats are afraid of water and therefore do not like bathing at all. Experts believe that bathing should only be done when the animals are used to it, or when the fur is so dirty and matted that there is no other option. However, it is important to do this carefully and slowly, to get the cat used to washing and to use high-quality products. Even if the fur is infested with parasites, cats often need to be washed. Otherwise, let your cat out of the bath and do her a favor by not bathing her. However, if it is about cats that love the water, there is of course nothing to be said against one or the other bathing fun.
Do cats need to be shorn?
Normally you should not clip your cat. However, if fur plates and fur knots are close to the skin, it can cause the cat to hurt by tugging. Damage to the skin is also not uncommon in such cases and, if left untreated, can become a major problem for your cat. In this situation, unfortunately, the only thing that can help is going to the vet, who can remove the affected areas under a light anesthetic. However, clipping and shearing stimulate fur growth, which means the field tends to grow back stronger and denser. However, if the fur is healthy, it usually does not have to be clipped separately.
Conclusion
Contrary to many opinions, fur care by the owner is particularly important for cats and essential for long-haired house tigers. This means that less hair is swallowed by cats and the living area and their clothes are less covered with loose hair. However, make sure you only brush your cat when she really wants to. As soon as you have to be held down for this, you should rather grab the glove and use it to groom your dog.