If you want to buy or adopt a cat, you should get used to grooming and bathing it on a regular basis. Cats are some of the furriest pets you can have in your home. They shed their hair every year, and leave quite a substantial amount lying around. This wouldn?t be so bad if they?d shed their hair outside, but most of the time it?s on your bed, carpet or sofa. This is not a pretty sight at all. Thankfully, grooming and bathing can help lessen this problem.
Most cats require grooming not only for hygiene purposes, but also for their comfort. Longhair cats get their fur all tangled up if they are not groomed regularly, although even short haired one?s should be brushed every once in a while. Brushing should start while it is still a kitten. That way your cat will not oppose resistance when it is older. Actually, it may even grow to like it. When brushing your kitten for the first few times, have patience and do it gently. You should pet the kitten softly and with great affection. When it is calm you can start brushing, but do it in a delicate way. Your kitten might resist this at first. Pet it gently and when it is calm again, continue the brushing. This technique requires some time but eventually you will get the hang of it and your cat will start cooperating.
Brushing must be done thoroughly. Start with the back of the head and continue in the direction of the tail. You must also remember to brush it on its belly as well. Their bellies are very sensitive, so you must take extra care when brushing this region of the body. Sometimes, felines develop clumps of hair which cannot be separated, called mats. These are very hard to remove. If your cat has mats, you should use a pair of blunt scissors. Try and cut the mat in the direction of the skin, not sideways. That way you can break it up. Once that?s done, you will be able to brush and comb your cat more easily.
Bathing your cat should be done a little less regularly than brushing. Cats do a good job of keeping themselves clean. However, they do need a little help from time to time. A cat can get dirty for spending too much time outside. When it comes home and it?s full of dirt and dust, you have no other alternative than to give it a little bath. It is recommended that you use special cat shampoo. If you don?t have one, you should use either baby shampoo or mild soap. Kittens under three months must not be bathed and you should never dunk your cat?s head underwater.
As long as you know how and when to groom your cat and bathe it, you will encounter no problems when it comes to proper hygiene and your house will be a lot cleaner and free of hair in the process.
