How to Groom a Cat

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Cats are generally very clean pets and groom themselves. [1] But some cats may not be able to adequately groom themselves, such as when they have fleas or very long fur. [2] But by maintaining your cat’s coat and caring for its other hygiene needs such as clipping its claws, you can keep your cat groomed.

Part 1
Part 1 of 3:

Maintaining Your Cat’s Coat

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  1. Cats have either short or long hair. Even though a cat will groom it’s own fur, brushing it keeps her coat especially lush by removing dirt, grease, and dead hair. [3] In addition, brushing your cat can be a wonderful bonding experience for the two of you.
    • Use a cat-specific metal comb or rubber brush to brush your cat. [4] Brush your kitty once or twice a week, or more often if she is a longhair type, or if it is shedding a lot, to keep her coat glowing. [5]
    • Keep in mind that cats generally don’t like to be restrained. Approach it slowly and hold her gently while you brush your cat. [6] You can also brush it when it is sleeping or sitting in your lap but be careful not to wake it up, brush it gently but not too gently.. just normal!. [7]
    • Brush slowly so you don’t startle your cat. Give her praise or treats as you continue brushing it.
  2. Most cat’s will never need their fur clipped or trimmed. However, your kitty may need clipping or trimming in some cases, such as she has long fur that is matting, which can cause health problems. Trim or clip your kitty’s fur only if it is absolutely necessary or consider allowing a professional groomer to clip her fur.
    • Use only clippers for animals and take frequent breaks so you don’t burn your kitty’s skin.
    • Use gentle pressure when clipping your cat. Lightly guide the clippers along your cat’s body. Leave at least an inch of hair, which can prevent hair growth problems and skin issues.
    • Be very careful around the cat’s ears, anus, genitals, underbelly and legs so that you don’t hurt your cat.
    • Touch up with or use scissors if you prefer. [8]
    • Consider hiring a professional cat groomer to trim your pet’s fur. Remember that cat’s don’t enjoy being restrained, which may lead to injuries if you decide to clip her. Ask your vet if she offers these services or can recommend a professional cat groomer.
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  3. Although you cat’s tongue and teeth are built-in grooming tools that can tackle her fur care needs, you might occasionally need to bathe her if she gets into something sticky or stinky. [9] Following these tips can minimize stress to your kitty and ensure efficiency in getting out the offensive matter in her fur:
    • Give her the bath when she is most mellow and consider trimming her claws, brushing her and placing a bit of cotton in her ears before the bath to minimize your risk of getting scratched.
    • Put a rubber bath mat in the sink or tub so your cat doesn’t slip. Fill the sink or bath with 3-4 inches of lukewarm water and use a hand-held spray hose, pitcher, or cup to wet your kitty.
    • Massage her with one part cat shampoo to five parts water in the direction of her fur growth and avoiding her face, ears, and eyes. Rinse off your cat thoroughly with lukewarm water before wiping her face with a moist washcloth.
    • Wrap her in a large and let her dry in a warm place. You can use a hair dryer on the lowest setting if your cat doesn’t mind.
    • Make sure to offer her lots of praise and treats for a successful bathing session. [10]
  4. If you don’t have the time or patience to care for your cat’s fur or hygiene, consider hiring a professional groomer. Be aware that this can be expensive, but can save you time and be less traumatic for your cat.
    • Your local vet, humane society, or the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to animals can suggest local groomers for your cat. You can also ask friends and family members for recommendations.
    • Consider visiting groomers’ businesses before you send your cat. This will let you get a sense of the facility and see if the groomer is kind to your cat.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 3:

Addressing Problems While Grooming

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  1. 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. [11] See your vet if you find any strange or unexplained anomalies on your cat’s skin or fur. Some skin problems your cat may have are:
    • Parasitic infections from fleas, ear mites, or harvest mites
    • Fungal infections such as ringworm or yeast infections
    • Infections from excess bacteria on the skin
    • Viral infections such as feline cowpox
    • Feline acne or seborrhea
    • Immune disorders such as allergies and feline eosinophilic granuloma complex
    • Sun damage like skin cancer
    • Contact dermatitis
    • Drug reactions
    • Fur loss due to stress
    • Trauma from accidents or collars. [12]
  2. If you find fleas on your kitty during grooming or the course of caring for her daily, you’ll need to get rid of them as soon as possible. Fleas can make your kitty itch, lead to skin problems, or even other health issues such as having tapeworms.
    • Recognize that fleas are the most common external parasite in pets. [13] They feed on the blood of your cat and are visible through droppings of “flea dirt” or white flea eggs on your cat, persistent itching or scratching, or hair loss. [14]
    • Get a diagnosis from your vet of fleas and ask for the best treatment of them. [15] Your vet may suggest topical or oral treatments, shampoos, sprays, or powders. [16]
    • Follow the packaging instructions and make sure to not use medication on your cat or any other pets unless it is designated for that specific animal. Be aware that you’ll need to treat other animals in your home and thoroughly clean your house to help get rid of fleas and their eggs. [17]
    • Consider treating your lawn if your cat goes outside. [18]
  3. Another common parasite that cats who go outside can get are ticks. These arachnids can spread serious diseases to your cat, so check her whenever your groom her or she comes indoors. Remove the tick and take your cat to the vet to ensure that she doesn’t have any further ticks or tick-related conditions. [19]
    • Be aware that most ticks are visible to the naked eye. They are about the size of a pinhead but swell as they feed on your cat’s blood. [20]
    • Put on a pair of rubber or latex gloves and grasp the tick with a pair of tweezers. Pull straight upwards in a steady motion and place the tick in a jar of rubbing alcohol for veterinary testing. [21]
    • Disinfect the area of your cat’s fur with soap and water, wash your hands and tweezers, too. [22]
  4. Tiny parasites called ear mites are also common in cats, though mostly in kittens and younger cats. [23] They are highly contagious and can lead to skin and hearing problems. [24]
    • Recognize ear mites by a black, coffee ground-like discharge in your cats ears. [25]
    • Take your cat to the vet to confirm a diagnosis of ear mites. The vet will give you treatment to get rid of the mites and soothe your cat’s itchy ears. She may also suggest ways to clean your cat’s ears if you suspect mites in the future. [26] Follow any instructions the vet gives you for medication.
    • Be aware that ear mites are highly contagious and other animals in your home will also require treatment. [27]
    • Clean mites from your kitty’s ears by wrapping her in a towel when she is calm and holding her earflap out with one hand. Use your other hand to squeeze out a cotton ball drenched in ear cleaner at the opening of her ear canal. [28] Use ear cleaner specially-formulated for cats that you can buy either at a pet store or get from your vet.
    • Release your cat, which may result in some shaking and dislodging of debris. After a few minutes reassure your cat and wipe any debris from her ears with a dry cotton ball. Repeat the process in the other ear. [29]
  5. Sometimes your cat might get herself into something, such as paint or a skunk, that leaves her especially dirty or in need of a bath. Taking care of these problems as soon as possible can help maintain your cat’s health and hygiene.
    • Flush the eyes and mouth of a cat sprayed by a skunk with water and give her a bath if necessary. If the spray was heavy, take her to her vet for blood work to ensure she doesn’t develop anemia. [30]
    • Bathe your cat as soon as possible if she gets oil or paint on herself. Cats are naturally inclined to lick themselves clean and you want to avoid this if you can. If your cat has a lot of oil on her fur, you may want to have your vet sedate and clean her.
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Part 3
Part 3 of 3:

Caring for Your Cat’s Hygiene

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  1. Your kitty should get routine checkups at a vet, which includes checking on the health of her ears. But in between vet visits, it’s important to check your kitty’s ears once a week for wax, debris, or infection. [31]
    • Check her outer ear flap, or pinna, to make sure it has no bald spots and that its inner surface is clean and light pink. [32]
    • Examine her inner ear by folding back each ear and looking down into the canal. [33] Make sure there is no debris, odor, and minimal ear wax. The color should be light pink. [34]
    • Use a cotton ball dampened in liquid cat ear cleansing solution. [35] Fold back your cat’s ear and gently wipe away any debris. [36] Avoid probing or poking anything into the ear canal, which can cause trauma or infection. [37]
    • Take your cat to the vet if you notice any discharge, caked wax, redness, swelling, bleeding, or unpleasant odor. [38]
  2. Every few weeks, your cat may need her nails trimmed. [39] This helps prevent breaking, infection, and an irregular gait because her nails are too long. [40]
    • Use only a nail clipper designed for cats. Purchase this item a pet store or your vet’s office. [41]
    • Wrap your kitty in a towel to prevent her from scratching and/ or ask a friend to hold your cat while you clip her nails. [42]
    • Trim your cat’s nails slowly and methodically so you minimize the risk of hurting her. [43] Avoid clipping too close to the quick, which is the blood vessel inside of the nail. [44] Clip above this area and hold your cat’s paw firmly and cut the nail in a single stroke.
    • Use a clotting agent if you accidentally cut the quick. [45]
    • Give kitty a treat for a successful nail clipping session. [46]
    • Avoid forcing your cat to endure trimming. Ask a vet or groomer to clip the nails to prevent injury to your cat—or you. [47]
    • Remember that your cat needs to scratch to maintain the health of her paws. Offer her a scratching post and check her paws for wounds. [48]
  3. Every cat needs clean, sharp teeth and healthy gums. Dental disease is a common problem seen by veterinarians. [49] Checking your kitty’s mouth and keeping it clean with brushing and regular vet visits can help keep disease at bay and your cat’s breath fresh. [50]
    • Push back your kitty’s gums gently when she is facing you during daily oral care. Make sure her gums are firm and pink and not swollen. Her teeth should be clean and free of brownish tartar and show no signs of being loose or broken. [51]
    • Brush your kitty’s teeth daily with a cotton swab or kitty toothbrush and a feline toothpaste. You can also use salt and water. Ask your vet for product recommendations. [52] Start by gently massaging your cat’s gums with your fingers or touching a cotton swab to them and then proceed to the cleaning. [53]
    • Take your cat to a vet if you notice abnormally strong odor, which can indicate digestive problems or gingivitis. [54] You should also look out for dark red lines along the gums, red and swollen gums, mouth ulcers, loose teeth, difficulty chewing food, excessive drooling, or pawing at her mouth. [55]
    • Remember to praise and soothe your kitty for good behavior while brushing.
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      Tips

      • Holding your cat on a soft pillow or warm blanket may help your relax and make the whole grooming experience much more comfortable. especially if your cat has many knots or matted fur.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/cat-grooming-tips
      2. ↑ http://www.americanhumane.org/animals/adoption-pet-care/caring-for-your-pet/grooming-your-pet.html
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      3. ↑ http://www.cats.org.uk/uploads/documents/cat-care-leaflets-2013/VG04_Itchy_cats_and_skin_disorders.pdf
      4. ↑ https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/fleas-and-ticks
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      46. ↑ https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/cat-grooming-tips

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To groom a cat, brush it with a metal comb or rubber brush twice a week to remove dirt and and dead hair. If your cat has long hair that’s become matted, use clippers to trim its fur, making sure to leave at least 1 inch of hair. Once a day, use a cotton swab or kitty toothbrush to gently massage your cat’s gums and clean its teeth. Additionally, clean its ears once a week using cotton balls and an ear cleaning solution made specially for cats. Every few weeks, trim your cat’s nails using a nail clipper so they don’t get too long. For more tips from our Veterinary co-author, including how to know when your cat needs a bath, read on!

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      Reader Success Stories

      • Heather Boutte

        Dec 9, 2019

        "She had bad mats and had to be shaved; this gave me what I needed to keep them from coming back."
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