It keeps your cat looking great and is important to its health.
It's not even close. Much more than dogs, cats do not like to be dirty. Watch your cat for awhile and you'll notice that most cats spend a good part of their day licking their paws and face to stay clean and tidy. You might think as an owner, you don’t have to groom your cat. Wrong.
Grooming your cat is very important. Why? It's because this process helps remove loose hair from your cat's body. If you never brushed your cat, a lot of this hair would have ended up in your cat's stomach. Since hair is not easily digestible, it often forms the proverbial hairballs.
Yes, cats can sometimes cough up hairballs, but if they don’t cough up them all, they can clog the intestinal tract. And In addition to that, grooming your cat can remove dirt and debris from your cat's coat. It is also a great opportunity part its hair so you can check for fleas and ticks.
Perhaps you think your cat would hate to be groomed. You may be surprised at how much he actually enjoys the experience. Of course, it is much easier to accustom your cat to brushes and combs when he is still a young kitten. Gently brush or comb over your kitten's coat, following the grain of the fur from his neck to his tail. If he begins to grow irritable, stop grooming your cat and play with him for a few minutes until he is relaxed. Do not groom his face or paws with the brush or comb, as most cats do not like this.
For cats who do not like to be brushed, you can try a different grooming tool, the grooming glove. While your cat is happily enjoying a nice, luxurious kitty massage, the glove is working to remove loose hair and debris, just as a brush would do. Your cat should not mind having his face groomed with a glove, but he may still object to having his paws groomed.
While gooming your cat, be sure you take the time to check out his eyes and ears. His eyes should be clear and bright, without matter in their corners. His ears should be clean and pink. Excess dirt in a cat's ears can be a sign of ear mites. These mites can actually cause the ears to shrivel up and your cat can lose his hearing, so be sure to take your little guy to the veterinarian if you suspect mites.
Next, if your cat is not de-clawed, you should use pet nail clippers to remove the hooks on the ends of his claws. If these hooks snag on things and get caught, it can be painful both to your cat and your possessions. You should also check his teeth to be sure there is no tartar buildup. Since teeth problems can lead to serious cat health problems, you may want to brush your cat's teeth once a day with a finger tip brush and pet toothpaste.
Finally, if you have a long haired cat and his coat has become a tangled matted mess, you may need to have him shaved. Most cats need to be sedated since they will not tolerate the animal clippers, so you may have to take your cat to the veterinarian to be groomed. Being shaved is a stressful experience for your cat, so it is best to avoid this process by keeping his coat tangle free.
As you can see, there is more to grooming your cat than just making him look great.
