Tuesday 3 November 2009

Grooming Your Cat



Grooming Your Cat

No cat wants to be dirty, & it’s up to you to ensure that your cat stays tidy. Grooming is important, as it helps your cat remain tidy & healthy. Grooming starts with brushing, as brushing helps to keep the felines hair from becoming hairballs. Brushing will remove loose hair, & help prevent the risk of hairballs. A lot of felines have trouble dislodging hairballs. If the cat isn’t able to receive a hairball out, it could result in a blockage of the intestines. Blockages are serious, & can quickly become life threatening for your pet.
Felines that have long hair require to be brushed & combed on a daily basis, while felines with short hair require to be groomed on a weekly basis. When you brush your cat, you should always watch for lumps in the coat & skin irritations. You should start brushing along the cat’s back, going from his head to his tail. Do this a few times on one side, & then switch to the other. Each area should be brushed a few times in the direction of the way your cat’s hair is growing.
When you brush your cat, you should always avoid brushing his face & paws. If a cat doesn’t like to be brushed, you can still groom him using another device. The grooming glove is an excellent alternative to the brush, as most felines don’t mind it at all. Beginning out young is the key to grooming, as it will get your cat used to brushing & grooming. Some felines that have started grooming when they were kittens grow to love it, plenty of of which often look forward to their grooming time.
Each time you groom your cat, you should always aim to go a bit further with your examinations. When your cat remains still, you should always praise him & give him a treat. If your cat doesn’t cooperate & starts to struggle, you shouldn’t fight with him, but instead let him go & try the next day. Once your cat gets used to grooming he will look forward to it each & every day.
When brushing your cat, make sure that you check his ears, eyes, teeth, & claws. His eyes should be bright & clear with nothing residing in the corners. His ears should be tidy, pink in color, & no sign of ear mites. Ear mites result from dirt built up in a cat’s ears, & can result in the ears shriveling up & your cat losing his hearing. Ear mites are annoying for the cat, & hard for you as an owner to get rid of. The best way to get rid of them – is to ensure that your cat’s ears stay tidy & healthy.