She graduated from the University of Glasgow in with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years. There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 75, times. Cats are generally very clean pets and groom themselves.
To groom a cat, brush it with a metal comb or rubber brush twice a week to remove dirt and and dead hair. Additionally, clean its ears once a week using cotton balls and an ear cleaning solution made specially for cats.
For more tips from our Veterinary co-author, including how to know when your cat needs a bath, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No. Random Article. Home Random Terms of Use. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. How to Groom a Cat. Explore this Article parts.
Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Article Summary. Part 1. Cats have either short or long hair. Use a cat-specific metal comb or rubber brush to brush your cat. Approach it slowly and hold her gently while you brush your cat. Give her praise or treats as you continue brushing it. As portrayed in this YouTube video , a trial run of any medication is often a good idea. You can also obtain tips for giving oral medications to your cat.
Be sure to allow enough time before the procedure for any medication to take effect. Oral drugs especially will take a while to reach appropriate levels of activity in the bloodstream. Your cat should be calm before you administer medication. He can have an unpredicted response to tranquilizers if administered in a heightened state of excitement. Acepromazine and some opioids, for example, can cause the opposite effect to what you want.
Keep in mind that just because a cat has been previously sedated for grooming does not mean she will always require a tranquilizer to be bathed or clipped. Sedation should never be taken lightly. Vomiting is a common side effect with anesthetic administration.
Once you sedate your cat, look for any signs of adverse reactions. Cats can suffer hypersensitivity to a wide range of substances, or some compounds just do not agree with them. Generally, prescribed sedatives are safe, but if you experience any concerns, contact your veterinarian immediately. If any medications do not have the effect you were anticipating, contact your veterinarian.
Never go beyond dosing ranges without consulting a professional. According to Wedgewoodpetrx , Your veterinarian will propose the safest plan for sedating your cat. With appropriate drug choice, dosing plan, and precautions, sedation is often safer than the alternative of creating unbearable stress for your cat. Your veterinarian will likely suggest periodic bloodwork and pre-anesthetic work-up assessing organ functions before any drug administration begins and assess the effects of ongoing use.
Your veterinarian will evaluate the liver, kidneys, heart, and medical history before prescribing any medications. Respiratory depression is a universal side effect of many tranquilizers and injectable pain medications. Careful monitoring and correction of changes in breathing patterns during sedation are vitally important and even more so under general anesthesia.
Acepromazine has a variety of uses but its interaction with other drugs must be closely supervised. It is processed through the liver, so liver enzymes are monitored with repeated use.
Cats can sometimes have a paradoxical response, becoming excited instead of sedated. Diazepam, or valium, and other benzodiazepines require liver monitoring if use is repeated and over a long duration. Grooming can be a source of angst for both you and your cat.
Many cats are not accustomed to being bathed, having their feet touched, or experiencing hair removal by electric clippers.
When it comes to how to groom a cat, the tummy area is a sensitive area, so a lot of cats prefer not to have this area touched. If you would like to avoid having your eyes scratched out by your loved one, Battersea Dog and Cat home has some good advice on how to interact with your cat. Here are some things you should be looking out for when grooming your cat:.
Whenever you brush, clip, or bathe your cat, check her skin for bumps, bald spots, or cuts. This can indicate health problems such as allergies or stress. Check out my posts on Is Cat Walking Possible? Make sure the room or space is silent, relaxed, and free of other stimulations such as playing children, other pets or excessive noise. To begin, hold out the brush to your cat as you would your hand to see if they choose to sniff and rub their face against it to deposit their scent. This is their way of making the cat brush smell familiar to them.
Allow your cat to choose whether or not they would like to rub a certain part of their body on the brush first. Cats particularly enjoy being stroked around the face, so it is a good idea to start with a few strokes of the brush on the head and cheek areas before moving onto other parts of the body during your cat care. If your cat is comfortable or enjoying the grooming around the head region, move onto a few grooming strokes in between the shoulders and along the back.
Bristles can be hard, soft, wire, or pin, and you can also use grooming gloves that you wear over the hand. Softer brushes tend to make cats more comfortable, so consider starting with soft brushes and working your way up to the harder ones, which tend to be more effective.
Keep brushes next to where your cat likes to nap so you can quickly seize the moment to groom your feline friend. Grooming sessions should be as long or short as your cat is comfortable with. Remember to take the brush away every now and then and re-offer the brush to your cat as a way of checking that your cat is still comfortable for the grooming to continue.
Give your cat treats afterwards so they will learn to associate grooming time with positive outcomes. Finicky felines are not against bribery. If this is somewhere sensitive, like her tummy, there are two options. If your cat is comfortable with being touched there, you can tease it apart gently using your fingers from root to tip.
Can we blame them? Due to their built in grooming tools and fastidious self-grooming habits, regular grooming by brushing is usually sufficient. However, there will be times when your finicky feline friend needs a little extra help, like if she has come into contact with something sticky or smelly.
Senior cats may also have trouble keeping themselves clean during and after using the litter box. Possible health issues—such as urinary tract infections, according to VCA Hospitals — can cause frequent urination, exasperating the problem. Learn more about litter box problems in senior cars here. One consequence of many litter box issues is the cat can end up standing in highly concentrated, urine-soaked litter, which then clumps into the paw fur and onto the pads.
It may be beneficial to request they trim the fur around the paw pads. If you notice your cat has stopped or lessened the amount of time they spend grooming themselves, your best course of action is to visit your veterinarian.
Together, you can determine the underlying cause of the change in autogrooming habits. If left unkempt, a poor-quality coat mats easily, turning tiny tangles into tight knots. This is particularly painful for a senior cat who lacks excess fat and muscle tone. This makes them more prone to injuries such as bruising and tearing. A few moments of minor discomfort or annoyance is far better than the excessive de-matting and intense grooming required for a neglected coat.
Frequent, regular grooming is much easier on your cat and more enjoyable for both of you. If the task feels overwhelming, seek out the assistance of a cat groomer who specializes in working with older cats. To lessen the amount of cat fur matting on old cats, spend a few minutes every day on some form of assisted grooming. Follow the simple steps below to learn how to groom an old cat.
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