Cats have different needs according to their race and even if most people think that cats can take care of themselves but there still are some things you need to consider doing for your pet. Delicate operations like cleaning a cat’s eyes, ears or teeth should be left to the professionals, but the other activities can be done at home, so here’s a guide for the cat grooming basics.
Brushing
The races with longer hair will need it taken care of and frequent brushing will ensure that the cat won’t get any hairballs because these can be really harmful and might even require surgery to remove.
There are de-shedding tools available for small sums, but make sure your movements are closer to gentle strokes. You should do some research before buying something, because not all brushes or combs will suit your own pet.
Mats removal
The cats with long hair will get these at one time even if you brush their hair daily and thus you should know how to remove them. The problem is that they will bring discomfort to the cat and even restrict the pet’s movement.
To remove them, clippers are the best idea and you should have two persons doing this, one to hold the cat and the other to cut them away. If you notice many of them then perhaps the best idea is to find a professional groomer to take care of them.
Bathing
Unlike dogs, most cat races don’t need to bathe because they clean themselves, but there are certain breeds that will need to be washed weekly. Cats are usually quite scared of water and this is because they weren’t accustomed to it from an early age.
Use damp washcloths to clean the cat instead of splashing water on them and always use shampoo that is specifically designed for cats or baby shampoo if you can’t find any.
Nail Clipping
Once a month the cat should have the nails clipped and as with the removal of mats this is a job for two persons. Leave the pink area along and simply press the toe pad to extend the claws. You have to clip straight up to prevent the nail from splitting and try to talk to the cat to make her feel more relaxed through this operation.
If the cat really doesn’t like you doing this a solution to keep the pet steady is to wrap her in a towel and only expose one paw at a time, but do this only if it’s necessary.
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