Cat grooming is one of the most common headaches of cat owners here in Singapore. Cat owners understand that unlike dogs, cats are unlikely to sit still for long enough for a compete brush or comb down. However, it is important that cat owners at least try their hand at trying out some basic grooming with their cat as it is important to maintain a certain level of cleanliness and hygiene of for the overall health and well being of the cat. If all else fails, you can try our grooming services here at Nekomori.
To get started with the basics of home cat grooming, you only require a few simple tools. We will be linking some products from our sister company Nekojam Online Pet Store to make it easier for you but you can purchase any similar products at any pet shop or even Daiso!
Overview
There are 3 main areas to pay attention to for a basic cat grooming session at home. The first one is the face area; namely the eyes, ears and mouth. Second, the nails / claws and lastly the coat. The main intention of the article is to help new cat owners who are unsure of the basic handling of their cats. Once you are confident, you can try bathing your cat and maybe even clipping or trimming its fur!
Read more: Top 5 Reasons to Groom Your Cat Regularly
1. Nails
Here at Nekomori Cat Salon, we always start with the nails and the claws. Cats are able to extend their claws from their paws either to catch something or for self-defense. Cats may extend their claws intentionally or unintentionally such as in situations when they get too excited. In order to protect the safety of not only our artisans but for the cats as well ( they may hurt themselves if their claws are too long), we usually start with the nail clipping.
There are 2 main types of nail clippers for cats that are available on the market. The most common type are shaped like a scissors. They are usually cheaper and lightweight making them relatively easy to use. This makes these type of nail clippers a great starting point for new cat owners. However, some owners with larger hands may experience difficulty using these type of nail clipper. Usually in these cases, we will recommend for the guillotine style nail clippers. The guillotine style clippers are usually larger and allow for more accurate clipping but they do cost slightly more compared to the scissors type. We recommend most cat owners to try both to see which they are most comfortable using.
2. Facial Area
Teeth
Once you are done with the nails, you can safely move on to the facial area. The basic grooming of the facial area only requires a tooth brushing set and a wet pet-grade wet wipe. Brushing of your cat’s teeth is usually not the easiest part of grooming your cat as some cats are not keen about opening their mouth’s wide open as it is an unnatural behaviour that leaves them vulnerable. If possible, it is recommended to start brushing your cat’s teeth from a young age so that they are able to get used to it when they grow older. Dental health is important for cats because an accumulation of plaque on kitty’s teeth can result in the occurrence of bacteria! When severe, it can even cause an infection in your cat’s lungs, liver, kidney and heart. So it would be good to try your best to brush your cat’s teeth at least 2 to 3 times a week. If using a toothbrush is too difficult, some cat owners have reported success with using a pet grade wet wipe instead of a toothbrush. A wet wipe might not be as effective compared to a toothbrush but it does allow the cat to at least develop some confidence before moving up to the toothbrush.
Ears
The pet grade wipe can also be used for the cleaning of your cat’s eyes and ears. Your cat’s ears should be relatively clean with little earwax and dirt buildup. Wrap your wet wipe around your finger and try to reach into your cat’s ear for a quick clean. Do not stick your finger in too deep as you may hurt your cat. If there is a heavy buildup, check the soiled wet wipe for any tiny white specks that are moving. If you discover any, they may be ear mites and we recommend bringing your cat to see the vet for a check.
Eyes
The eye area is the last spot to cleanse for your cat’s face. Simply use a NEW wet wipe and gently wipe it around the eye area of your cat. Most of your cat’s eye boogers should come out easily. Dried up eye boogers may require multiple wipes but do not use too much force as it will cause discomfort to your cat. If the stains are unable to be removed, you may have to purchase special eye cleaning solutions.
3. Coat Grooming
Lastly, we will be touching on coat grooming. The duration of this will highly depend on the temperament and the coat length of your cat. There are many different brushes and combs available in the market but we recommend a simple comb for most cats. Combs are readily available at a relatively low cost. You can check out this one from Nekojam which is popular with our cat customers. Otherwise, Daiso may have some cat combs available from time to time.
To begin, simply lay the comb flat on your cat’s body and run it along it’s coat in a long stoke motion. This will help remove any undercoat that is in your cat’s coat. Do not yank or use more force should you encounter any stubborn tangles when combing your cat’s fur as it will cause discomfort for your cat.
These items are really all you need to put together a functional cat grooming kit for your feline! Cats are creatures of habit so it’s crucial to start socializing them from when they’re young! Once they’ve gotten used to the feel of being handled, cat grooming sessions need not be the stuff of nightmares that veteran cat owners often lament about.
*Featured Image Source Credit: Pixabay