CATS GROOM THEMSELVES, DON’T THEY?

S ome believe that is true, but basically, cats lick themselves. Licking does nothing to address the following: shedding, hairballs, tangles, mats, pelts, untidy behinds, dirty eyes, ingrown claws, dandruff, fleas and your allergies.

One of the biggest issues feline groomers see far too often is the matted/pelted cat. Mats are extremely painful and pose a major health risk to cats. Mats start from shedding hair that gets stuck in naturally occurring oil in the skin and fur and cannot fall away from the body. As more hair sheds, the mats grow bigger and tighter.

A pelt is mats that grow big enough to meld together and cover the cat’s body. There is risk of skin irritation, infection and flea bite dermatitis from fleas being trapped underneath these mats. Besides being very painful each time the cat moves, this will affect the cat’s ability to walk properly, move its head to eat, and its ability to urinate and defecate, which can cause sepsis and eventually death.

Maybe you take your cat to the veterinarian for a yearly shave-down because he or she gets matted every year. It is almost certain that he or she is anaesthetized each time. It is possible your cat does not need sedation. Some veterinarians refer clients to certified groomers to determine whether it is possible to groom them without sedation because, if so, this is the best option for your cat. Sedation always carries some level of risk. There are certainly some cats that are just too stressed or aggressive, and it would be safer for the cat and groomer to have their mats removed with sedation and under a veterinarian’s supervision.

After the mats are removed, it is recommended your cat be put on a regular maintenance grooming schedule that will keep them comfortable and happy, and one that will help prevent matting from ever occurring again. Prevention is imperative to your cat’s well-being.

The job of a trained professional feline groomer is to assess your cat and discuss, with you, the grooming options most suitable for your cat, based on temperament, health issues, age and condition of skin and coat.

A Certified Feline Master Groomer has solutions and recommendations for the problems you and your cat may be dealing with. Grooming is not just about looks – it is also about helping your cat feel good and maintaining a healthy coat and skin.