Grooming in Cats
Cats are usually self-grooming but sometimes need some help from you
MetPet.com Staff Writer
Basic Cat Grooming
Cats groom themselves and each other with their tongues. A cat's tongue
has small, backward-facing barbs and acts like a tiny comb to separate strands
of hair and remove mats and objects. If you have ever been licked by a
cat, their tongue feels rough like sandpaper. A cat's saliva has
disinfectants and deodorants which it deposits on its fur and helps keep it
clean and odor-free.
Cats groom themselves and each other for a variety of reasons.
These include cleanliness and hygiene, comfort and bonding. Generally, a
normally well kept cat that isn't keeping herself groomed isn't feeling her
normal happy and healthy self and this can be one of the first indications that
something is wrong.
Some cats, particularly long haired breeds, aren't able to keep
themselves groomed and need a daily brush to keep the mats and debris away.
Daily grooming requirements and even professional grooming requirements are a
consideration when adopting a long-haired cat. Those long, silky and
beautiful coats are a wonder to see but may be more time and effort than most
people wish to invest.
Some older cats, obese cats and cats who are sick aren't able to reach all of
themselves and may also require daily or weekly help from a brush or slicker
comb. In the worst cases, cats may require you to carefully snip mats and
debris out of their coat or even to take them to a professional groomer.
If you need to groom your cat, consider that cats have a defined
schedule of activities:
1. Hunting
2. Eating
3. Grooming
4. Sleeping
5. Repeat
In the case of the domestic cat the hunting is replaced by
playing. If you play with your cat (we recommend one of many MetPet.com
interactive cat toys) and then feed her she should be ready to be groomed before
sleeping.
Removing Mats From Cats
If you need to remove mats from your cat, try these steps:
1. See if you can use your index finger and thumb to gently
twirl the mat away from the skin. A small amount of corn starch can help a
moist mat ball up enough to separate it clearly from the underlying skin.
If the mat is stubborn, this can take several minutes or even longer. The
trick is to avoid pulling and causing pain.
2. When the mat is clearly separated from the skin, very carefully cut it out of
the fur using blunt-nosed grooming scissors.
An unkempt cat can develop irritated spots on the skin under
mats. Mats can also hide thorns and small twigs and other irritating
debris. In extreme cases, they can cause a break in the skin and become
infected.
Autogrooming is defined as a cat grooming itself.
Allogrooming is defined as a cat grooming another cat.
Related information:
Bathing the Cat: Dry
Baths
Bathing the Cat: Wet
Baths
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