CAT GROOMING: FROM SCRUFFY TO FLUFFY
Nothing beats regular grooming to prevent hairballs in cats.
Nothing beats regular grooming to prevent hairballs in cats.
Q: Can you give cat owners some advice on regular grooming for their cats and the equipment required for this purpose?
A:Regular grooming such as fur brushing can help prevent hairballs as this will assist the cat in removing dead or loose fur on its coat. Cat owners should have a regular or routine brushing session to prevent their cats from licking and swallowing all the loose fur which causes hairball.
Less swallowing of fur would mean lesser hairballs. Both long hair and short hair cats require a routine brush. Long hair coat cats need regular brushing so their owners need to be more diligent.
Basically, there are three types of coats: Shorthair cats such as American Shorthair, Bengal, Siamese, Domestic Shorthair, need a brush at least once a week.
For semi-long hair cats such as Maine Coon, Siberian Forest, it is best to brush them at least three times a week.
Finally, long hair cats, especially Persian, Himalayan and Domestic Long Hair need a brush at least every alternate day. The best is to brush them for about 10 to 15 minutes per session.
It’s best to have a slicker brush at home for this purpose. The slicker brush will get rid of any debris, loose hair and mats/ knots in the fur. Typically rectangular in shape, it comes with fine wire bristles packed tightly together. Each wirebristle is angled slightly so as not to scratch the skin.
Other than for removing dirt and hair, this brush is ideal for keeping your cat’s coat in good condition, with the bristles distributing oil through the fur.
The other essential brush is the anti-static comb. The anti-static comb is specially coated to reduce static electricity while combing your pet. It’s the ideal tool for fluffing, detangling and removing dead hair.
Other than the above two brushes, there are a few different combs can be considered: One is a pin brush which is often a wooden brush with wire pins that have a protective ball at the end to prevent scratching the cat’s skin. This brush is recommended for long fur coats, as this brush has a wider gap between bristles and allows thorough brushing without damaging the coat or causing a static charge.
The pin brush leaves hair looking glossy and shiny, without aerating it too much.
Next is a flea comb. As the name suggests, a flea comb is a grooming tool used to comb through your pet’s fur. But unlike regular combs, the teeth of a flea comb are very finely spaced allowing the comb to physically trap and remove fleas, flea eggs and flea “dirt” from your pet’s fur.
The tightly-spaced teeth on the comb are also useful for picking up and removing dander, dirt, and other debris from your pet’s fur. Q:
Where are the more difficult areas of the cat to groom, and how can the pet owner deal with this?
A:
Some cat owners find difficulty trimming the fur around the sanitary area and the paw pad area. Some are not able to trim the nails as cats tend to move around and get uncomfortable quickly.
These areas are a little sensitive, and if you are not careful, you might accidentally cut their skin or nails, causing injury to your pet cat.
To avoid these accidents, cat owners should have an assistant. Do not attempt to trim on your
own. Another way is to wrap your cat gently with a towel before trimming these areas. Once done, always give your cat a treat as it keeps the cat in a relaxed mode.
Q:What are the advantages of going to a professional groomer and how regularly should I do this?
A:There are a few advantages of going to a professional groomer as they can do things that you may be unable to do independently.
Based on my experience as a cat owner, full grooming should be done at least once every three months. This will help keep your cat’s coat in a tip-top condition.
I noticed that some owners did not know that their cats have flea or mites. Hence a professional groomer can assist you in looking into the condition of your cat’s coat. The groomer would then give appropriate advice on what type of grooming the cat requires and how best to maintain its coat.