D-I-Y Cat Grooming
To some extent, all cats need to be groomed at some point, depending on their habits and specific coat. Grooming isn’t just a thing good for you (having that odd smell or itchy fur cleaned up) it’s good for your feline too! Eyes need to be cleaned up to prevent infections, combing to keep fur unmatted.
The best way to keep a cat’s eyes clean it to use a warm damp washcloth daily to prevent eye infections. Cats have a full inner-eyelid, or nictitating membrane. This inner-eyelid helps protect the eye from dryness and scratches. When the cat is ill, the inner-eyelid will close partially, making it visible to us.
If you cat tears leaving stained fur. Have no fear, using some Johnson & Johnson “No More Tears” shampoo should help clear that up. It’ll make the kitty a bit more presentable and less, well…sick looking. Nobody likes a sick kitten!
Combing
During the shedding seasons (spring and fall) and when kittens are growing and maturing (around 7 months to a year) they will both go through heavy sheds. During this time period, they will need to be groomed more regularly. That does not mean more baths necessarily, just some simple combing will do wonders. You will need to have a metal greyhound-like comb (these will have teeth at one end that is medium and the other that is more fine) and s a more coarse comb (the teeth are longer and are wide spaced). A comb with pins but no balled tips is OK but only for daily maintenance.
Bathing
Hair that is oily or a cat that has fleas will mat. Bathing should be done once a month. Some more oily coats might need to be bathed twice a month. Your cat will not be hurt by an extra bath. However, if your cat really fights against a bath they should be bathed more often to get them more accustomed to them.
It is best to use a deep or two compartment sink so that your cat can place its paws on the ledge and feel more secure. To “degrease” your adult cat you can even use Dawn dishwashing liquid on the body and Tear Free shampoo around the eyes. You can also use conditioner to help your cat’s fur. It is always a good idea to have a container to put your cat in once it’s bath is over, to make it easier to dry.
Nail Clipping
It’s best to gently squeeze the paw to protrude the uncut nail and clip the tip with a quick motion. Be careful to stop short of the quick where the blood vessels are. If you are unsure about the procedure, you can ask your vet to give you a quick rundown on how to do it safely.
