In general, cats are very clean pets and like to groom themselves (this activity is familiarly called grooming). However, some cats may not be able to adequately maintain personal hygiene, for example when the cat has fleas or has very long coat. However, you can maintain your cat's appearance by grooming its fur and keeping its body clean like trimming its nails.
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Part 1 of 3: Caring for Cat Fur
Step 1. Brush your cat's fur
Cats can have short or long coats. Although this animal can clean its own fur, brushing the cat's fur will keep it shiny because it also cleans dirt, grease and dead hair. Plus, brushing your hair can be an opportunity to forge that special bond between you and your sweetheart.
- Use a metal comb or a cat-only rubber brush to brush the fur. Brush the fur of the sweet as much as once or twice a week, or more often if the hair is long, fall out a lot, so that his body hair remains shiny.
- Keep in mind that cats generally don't like being restrained. Approach her slowly and gently hold her body as you brush your sweetie's fur. You can also brush its fur while the cat is sleeping or sitting on your lap.
- Comb slowly so you don't startle the cat. Give your sweetie a compliment or treat as he continues to brush his fur.
Step 2. Shave your cat's fur
Most cats don't need to be shaved or trimmed. However, in some cases, your cat's coat may need to be shaved or trimmed. For example, when your cat's long coat becomes dreadlocks and can cause various health problems. Trim or shave the cat's fur only when absolutely necessary, or consider hiring a professional groomer to get the cat's fur trimmed.
- Only use animal shavers and allow plenty of time between shaving to prevent the cat's skin from being burned by the heat of the shaver.
- Shave your cat's coat with gentle pressure. Move the shaver slowly along the cat's body. Leave the fur at least 2.5 cm long to prevent hair growth disorders and skin problems.
- Be very careful when shaving the areas around the cat's ears, anus, genitals, belly and paws so you don't injure them.
- Trim it further with scissors if you wish.
- Consider hiring a professional cat groomer to groom your pet's fur. Keep in mind that cats don't like being restrained, so they will usually struggle and cause injury if you try to shave the hair yourself. Ask your veterinarian if his practice offers grooming services or if he can recommend a professional cat groomer.
Step 3. Bathe your cat
While your cat's tongue and teeth are natural grooming tools that can provide all the care their fur needs, you may occasionally need to give it a bath if your cat has something sticky or smelly. You can reduce stress levels in your cat and remove nuisance from its fur more efficiently by following these tips:
- Bathe when the sweet condition is very calm. Consider trimming his nails, combing his fur and sticking cotton swabs in his ears before bathing your cat to minimize the risk of you getting scratched.
- Place a rubber bath mat at the bottom of the sink or tub to prevent the cat from slipping. Fill a sink or tub with 7–10 cm of warm water and use a handheld sprayer, jug or cup to wet your sweetie.
- Massage the cat's body with one part shampoo to five parts water. Massage in the direction of hair growth, avoiding the face, ears and eyes. Rinse the cat thoroughly with warm water before wiping its face with a damp washcloth.
- Wrap your sweetie in a large towel and allow him to dry in a warm place. You can use a hairdryer on the lowest heat setting if the cat doesn't mind.
- Don't forget to give him lots of compliments and gifts of food in return for a successful bathing session.
Step 4. Visit a professional cat groomer
If you don't have the time or patience to take care of your cat's coat and hygiene, consider hiring a professional groomer. Be aware that the service may be more expensive, but it can save you time and make the grooming experience less traumatic for the cat.
- Your local veterinarian, cat lover's organization or animal association can recommend professional grooming services in your area.
- Consider visiting this groomer's practice first before bringing your cat there. This step will give you an idea of the facility's facilities and help you find out if the groomer can be nice to your cat.
Part 2 of 3: Dealing with Problems when Grooming
Step 1. Check for any skin problems on your cat's body
Whenever you brush, shave, or bathe your sweetie, check his skin for lumps, baldness, or sores. These things can indicate health problems such as allergies or stress. See your vet if you notice any strange or unexplained abnormalities in your cat's skin or coat. Some of the skin problems that cats can experience include:
- Parasitic infection from fleas, ear lice or mites
- Fungal infections such as ringworm or yeast (yeast)
- Excessive bacterial infection of the skin
- Viral infections such as cowpox in cats (feline cowpox)
- Cat acne or seborrhea
- Immune system disorders such as allergies and feline eosinophilic granuloma complex
- Sun damage such as skin cancer
- Infectious skin disease
- Reaction to drugs
- Hair loss due to stress
- Trauma from an accident or wearing a necklace.
Step 2. Get rid of fleas on the cat's body
If you find fleas on your cat during grooming or daily grooming, you should get rid of the parasite as soon as possible. Fleas can make the cat feel itchy, cause skin problems, or even other health problems such as tapeworm infections.
- Be aware that fleas are the most common external parasite on pets. Fleas feed on the cat's blood and can be detected by the presence of white feces or nits on the cat's body, itching or constant scratching, or hair loss.
- Check if your cat has fleas at the vet and ask about the best treatment method. The vet may suggest treatment with topical or oral medications, shampoos, sprays or powders.
- Follow the instructions on the package and never use any medicine on a cat or other pet unless the medicine is specifically intended for that animal. Be aware that you will also have to treat other animals in your home and clean the house thoroughly to help get rid of the fleas and eggs.
- Consider getting rid of fleas in the yard if the cat does go out a lot.
Step 3. Remove any mites you can find
Another parasite that often attaches itself to cats who are out of the house are mites. These arachnids can transmit various serious diseases to your cat, so check their bodies every time you groom or when the cat is in the house. Remove any visible mites and take your cat to the vet to make sure that there are no more mites on her body or to make sure your sweetie doesn't suffer from mite-related health problems.
- Be aware that most mites are invisible to the naked eye. They are about the size of the tip of a needle, but will swell once the animal sucks your cat's blood.
- Put on rubber or latex gloves and pinch off the mites with tweezers. Pull straight up in a steady motion and place the parasite in a vial of isopropyl alcohol for a veterinarian examination.
- Disinfect the mite bite area on the cat's fur with soap and water, then wash your hands and the tweezers.
Step 4. Get rid of ear lice
Tiny parasites called ear mites are also common in cats, although most sufferers are kittens and young cats. Ear lice are highly contagious and can cause skin and ear problems.
- Detect the presence of ear lice by seeing if there is black ear wax resembling a coffee grinder in the sweetheart's ear.
- Take your cat to the vet to confirm a suspected ear mite. Your vet will give you medication to get rid of fleas and relieve itching in your cat's ears. The doctor may also suggest several ways to clean your cat's ears if you suspect that your cat may have ear mites again in the future. Follow the vet's instructions for treating ear lice.
- Be aware that ear lice are highly contagious and other animals in your household will also need treatment.
- Remove fleas from the cat's ears by wrapping them in a towel while they are calm and folding the earlobe out with one hand. Use your other hand to squeeze a cotton ball soaked in the ear cleaning solution over the ear canal. Use an ear cleaning solution that is specially formulated for cats, this solution you can buy at both pet stores and from veterinarians.
- Release your cat so that the cat can shake its head to remove the earwax. After a few minutes, calm down and wipe the wax from your sweetie's ears using a dry cotton ball. Repeat this process on the other ear.
Step 5. Resolve odors and problematic materials
Sometimes your cat may get into a problem where it gets very dirty or requires a bath, such as getting paint or being sprayed by a skunk. You can keep your sweetheart healthy and clean by dealing with these problems as soon as possible.
- Rinse the cat's eyes and mouth with skunk spray with water and bathe if necessary. If he's been exposed to a lot of spray, take your cat to the vet for a blood test to make sure your sweetie isn't anemic.
- Bathe your cat immediately if it gets oil or paint on it. Cats will naturally be tempted to lick themselves clean and you should try to prevent your sweetheart from doing that as much as possible. If your cat's coat is getting a lot of oil, you may need to ask your vet to sedate him and clean him up.
Part 3 of 3: Keeping Your Cat Clean
Step 1. Observe your cat's ears
It's a good idea to regularly check your sweetie's health at the vet which includes the health of his ears. However, between visits to the vet, it's a good idea to check your cat's ears regularly for dirt, debris or infection.
- Check the outside of the earlobe, or pinna, to make sure there are no bald areas. Then, make sure the inner surface of the cat's earlobe is clean and a light pink color.
- Examine the inside of the cat's ears by folding each earlobe back and looking into the ear canal. Make sure there are no debris, odors, and only a small amount of earwax in there. The cat's ear canal should ideally be a light pink color.
- Use a cotton ball moistened with cat ear cleaning solution. Fold the cat's earlobe back and gently wipe away any debris. Do not poke or poke anything into the ear canal as this could cause trauma or infection.
- Take your cat to the vet if you notice any discharge, ear wax that moves, redness, swelling, bleeding, or an unpleasant odor.
Step 2. Trim your cat's nails
Sweetie's nails may need to be trimmed every few weeks. This step prevents the occurrence of broken nails, infection, and improper gait because the nails are too long.
- Only use nail clippers designed for cats. Purchase this kit at a pet store or veterinarian's practice.
- Wrap the cat in a towel to prevent scratching and/or ask a friend to hold the cat while you trim his nails.
- Trim your cat's nails slowly and methodically so you can reduce the chances of hurting her. Don't cut too close to the quick, which is the blood vessel inside the nail. Cut above this area, holding the cat's paw firmly and trimming the nails in one fell swoop.
- Use a blood-clotting agent if you accidentally cut a quick vessel.
- Give the cat a treat for every smooth nail trimming session.
- Don't force the cat to have its nails cut. Ask the vet or groomer to trim your sweetie's nails to prevent injury to the cat or yourself.
- Keep in mind that your cat has to scratch to keep her paws healthy. Provide a scratching post and check for cuts on your sweetie's feet.
Step 3. Take care of the cat's oral health
Every cat needs clean, sharp teeth and healthy gums. Dental disease is a common problem encountered by veterinarians. Checking the cat's mouth and keeping it clean by brushing his teeth and taking him to the vet regularly can help keep oral diseases away and keep your sweet breath fresh.
- Gently press on your cat's gums when the animal is facing you during daily dental hygiene. Make sure the gums are firm and pink, not swollen. The cat's teeth should be clean and free of brown tartar and not showing any signs of wobbling or breaking.
- Brush your cat's teeth daily with a cotton ball or a cat's toothbrush with cat toothpaste. You can also use salt and water. Ask your vet for recommendations for dental hygiene products. Start by massaging the cat's gums gently with your fingers or touch a cotton swab to the gums and then continue with cleaning his teeth.
- Take your cat to the dentist if you notice a strong abnormal odor that could be an indication of digestive problems or gingivitis. You should also be on the lookout for dark red streaks along the gums, red and swollen gums, canker sores, loose teeth, difficulty chewing food, excessive salivation, or the cat frequently touches its mouth with its own paws.
- Don't forget to praise and comfort your sweetheart for being nice during the brushing process.
