Feline Grooming

For the month of February I am going to be writing a series of hubs on the subject of general pet care that will be centred on the 4 topics of insurance, awareness, health and grooming. This week I will be looking at the process of grooming your cat and/or dog and why it is important to do so. Today I am going to talk about cat hygiene, illustrating what techniques can be used and what the benefits of such methods are.

When talking about grooming it is essential to note that it does not mean that a cat must be pampered, spoilt or showered with various ‘kitty- products’. It is simply the process of keeping an animal’s hygiene at a level that helps the cat to stay healthy and happy; the most common technique used is to brush a cat’s coat. It is well known that cats are meticulous animals and they can be found frequently licking themselves, cleaning their fur with their tongues and independently keeping themselves dirt-free. However, this is not to say that cats do not need help from humans and it is a good idea to keep a consistent schedule.

There are many benefits of grooming a cat; it helps to cement and strengthen the bond between cat and owner whilst also giving the owner the chance to repeatedly check for any signs of illness or injury. The brushing of a cat’s coat can help to improve muscle tone, increase circulation, stimulate the glands at the base of the coat that help to make it waterproof and spread a natural oil called sebum that helps to protect the hair and skin; it also ensures that the fur is smoothed down which keeps the cat warm and insulates its body. In addition, it will remove any dead hair that has built up and so can help to reduce the amount of dead hair that a cat will ingest, reducing the development of ‘hairballs’.

Cats may not initially love to be groomed but they will soon get used to being brushed. It is a good idea to start the sessions when the cat is young with frequency and consistency being essential parts of the process; once the practice becomes part of the cat’s routine then they will accept it and enjoy the time spent with their owners. It can be a good idea to employ actual petting in-between comb strokes to help the cat feel settled; treats can also be used to help keep the cat in one place so it can be groomed.

There is a variety of brushes/combs that can be purchased to groom a cat. For a short-haired cat the process should be undertaken using a fine-toothed metal comb on a weekly basis, the comb should be used to gently brush through the cat’s hair; make sure to brush in the direction that the hair grows. A bristled brush can then be used to remove any dead hair that has come loose during the combing. Brush upwards towards the head and then back down again to get rid of any hair that has not come out with the comb. For cats with long hair, this process should be exercised daily. Any knots or tangled hair can be cut out using blunt-ended scissors, although it is imperative to be very careful when doing so as it is easy to cut the skin. If an owner is not confident about doing this then they can ask for their vet for assistance.

Of course, grooming does not just involve brushing a cat’s coat. Another common problem with some breeds of cat can be the build-up of a gunk-like substance around the tear ducts that can sometimes stick to the cat’s lower eyelids. To clean this away an owner can use a soft cotton wool pad or washcloth that has been dipped in clean tepid water to remove the substance from the corner of the cat’s eye(s). Again, it is imperative to be very gentle when doing so.

For cat owners that do not have the time to groom their pet there are professional groomers who will undertake this responsibility for a fee. However, cats can form a bond when being groomed and so it always best for any grooming sessions to be between cat and owner. Whilst I write on HubPages often I also write for Animal Friends Insurance; an ethical company that offers cheap cat insurance.