Cat Grooming - More Than A Good Licking

Cats are magical, aren’t they? They’re graceful. They can leap tall armoires in a single bound. They can clean themselves without any help from us humans. Okay, maybe not all cats are graceful. And maybe not all cats can leap tall armoires in a single bound. But, they can clean themselves without our help, right? Right? Actually, while our feline friends spend a great deal of time grooming themselves, once in awhile they really do need our help sprucing up. And, a good brushing once a week helps remove the loose fur that eventually can cause hairballs in your cat’s stomach as she licks herself clean. Let’s take a look at some areas where you can help in your cat’s hygiene. Your Cat’s Coat You can either use a brush or grooming glove purchased from a pet store to brush your cat’s fur. Some pet combs with teeth set closely together also help to remove fleas from your cat’s coat. Be sure to use soft, gentle strokes while brushing, so as not to harm her skin. Short-haired cats are generally easier to brush, while some long-haired cats may need extra attention, especially if the fur is matted. I’ve heard of some people using baby powder (or other powders designed for cats) to make the fur smoother for brushing out mats. You can also break up matted cat fur with scissors, and then brush them out, starting on the outside of the mat and working your way inward. For severely-matted fur, it’s best to take your cat to a professional groomer or your veterinarian. Should you bathe your cat? Normally it’s not necessary, but if your cat is unusually dirty it may be necessary. If you don’t know by now, most cats don’t like taking baths, so it may be something you want to leave to a professional groomer. If you want to take on the task yourself however, just be sure to use a shampoo specially formulated for cats. And, avoid getting water in your cats face or ears. Cats don’t like that. And, you know what happens when cats don’t like something. That’s right…they have claws. Your Cat’s Claws We’re all familiar with our cat’s claws. In a word, they’re sharp. And, they need regular grooming, every two weeks, particularly if you want to lessen scratches on your and your furniture. I happen to be squeamish when it comes to trimming my cat’s claws; therefore, I leave that task to my vet and his assistants. But, if you don’t mind the challenge, just be sure you follow some safety rules. 1. Buy a pair of nail clippers designed for cats. Don’t use the type of clippers meant for humans as these can split your cat’s nails. 2. Become familiar with the two parts of your cat’s nail. The thin part with the point at the end, and the thick, pink part near the paw (the “quick”). Clip only the thin part, not the thick part. The thick part contains blood vessels and nerves. (See why I’m squeamish?) You can also look at the nail and clip beyond the point where it starts its downward curve. Remember that cat’s claws are retractable, so you will have to extend the nail by squeezing the toe between your forefinger and thumb. Your Cat’s Teeth Should you brush your cat’s teeth? Absolutely, and the sooner you begin the habit with your cat, the better. You can use a child’s toothbrush, a finger brush, or one designed for a cat. Be sure to buy a toothpaste designed for cats, as human toothpaste may be harmful to your cat. If you’re just beginning to brush your cat’s teeth, you might want to start slowly with one or two teeth, working up to the whole mouth. Brushing your cat’s teeth is a good habit to get into, and can help save on dental bills later in your cat’s life. It’s also good to have your cat’s teeth checked once or twice a year by your veterinarian. Practicing good hygiene with your cat not only makes your kitty look good, but also makes her feel better. And, if she feels better, you feel better. About the Author: Shari Hearn is a writer and creator of http://www.cattraining411.com. Read more articles by: Shari Hearn Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg

Train Your Cat To Be Groomed

Grooming for a cat should be done on a daily basis for proper care of your cat. In addition, with the proper care, your cat will stay healthy. Brushing, combing, clipping nails, and cleaning ears, are grooming that needs to be done. By doing basic grooming on a regular basis will help in prevention with scratching furniture, and hairball management. Hairball management can be managed using different products that can help with the hairball for the cat. Do not confuse this to substitute for this part of the grooming. Learn more about these products at your favorite pet store or internet site. When training your cat for grooming, one of the first things you will want done, is to have the cat to be able to relax in your lap. By petting your cat gently on the head and then you will want to pet him down the back and continue till you see that your cat is comfortable with you petting him in the areas that you will be grooming. Next, you will want to press gently on the paw pads to look at the nails, you will want to work on checking the ears. When you have achieved all these things, this is the time to introduce the brush by letting him check the brush out. Carefully start to brush him until you see your cat being comfortable with the brush. Remember a cat’s skin is sensitive and you will want to take real gentle precaution when grooming. Training your cat to be comb will be the same step you have taken to be able to brush your cat. Be gentle, cats hair is easily matted, snarled, and skin sensitive. If you using precaution with doing the combing and you cause pain to your cat, they may not let you do this. Brushing a cat’s hair is very important, also with long hair cats combing needs to be done. With combing it helps get out the lose hair, and will make a nice looking fur for the cat. Clipping nails, if you have never clipped your cat’s nails, please talk to a veterinarian, a local groomers, search articles about it, read books, and be very careful when you are cutting them. One thing to practice is having some one with you to help with this, so if the cat tries to move you have reinforcements. When cutting a cat’s nail, toward the paw is a pink area that you do not want to clip. This will be very painful for the cat and a visit to the vet quickly. Make sure when doing this that the cat is very comfortable with you touching its paws. Talk to him when cutting the nails to reassure it is fine and soon will be done. If your cat seems annoyed with cutting their nails, stop, and try later. If you are unable to do this, cat groomers trained to cut nails can do this for you and most time very inexpensive, a lot less then a vet bill. Cleaning your cat’s ears is another basic grooming process, as in the first part of the article, makes sure the cat is comfortable with the touching of their ears. Once you know that you are able to touch your cat’s ears, now is the time to clean. Use soft tip q-tips for this part, gently at first rub the q-tip around the out side of the ear working your way to the inside to be able to clean the ear. If at any time the cat resist, stop redirect the cat and then continue until you can successfully clean the ears. Grooming your cat is also caring for your pet; just feeding your cat is caring. Grooming is also a great way to interact with your pet, for healthy relationships. Search out more information on training your pet, tools to help with the training and caring for your pet. Check out books, pet stores, search on the internet there are great articles, ideas, and suggestions on training your pet. One way of training may not work but some one else may have different approach. Not all cats train the same, just as we do not teach the same. About the Author: Burt Cotton http://www.catcarenews.org Read more articles by: Burt Cotton Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg