Sometimes, cats know that it's time for a visit to the animal hospital, especially when you give them a bath and groom them beforehand. Unlike most dogs, cats hate getting wet: we've all seen hilarious pictures and videos of cats getting baths and how they hate it. Felines are VERY vain animals – they groom and make themselves look and smell good all the time. Have you seen Mr. Tibbs grooming himself after you pet him? Well, he's trying to get rid of your smell. Regular grooming should be done routinely in order to ensure your cat's good health. Here are some tips, tricks and guidelines:
First off, make it a positive experience
Cats are very smart animals – they know if it's time to go to the animal hospital or when it's feeding time. Having said that, they would also know if it's bathing or grooming time – they may either meet the whole experience with disdain or jump and meet the water with glee. Whereas dogs are always submissive if given baths (even if they don't want to), cats FIGHT back and try to escape. So, in order to avoid situations like these, how can you make it a good experience for your cat?
- It's always recommended to start giving it baths when they're small, defenseless kittens. Although they may not like it entirely, they'll somehow be able to get used to it.
- If your cat is already full-sized adult, it is good to bathe it after exercise or eating, when it's relaxed and pretty tired. Be sure that it's calm before bathing it.
- Be patient. It may be rough at first – you may suffer from lacerations and scratches due to it fighting back, but it's all part of the process.
- Make sure that your cat fully trusts you. You won't gain it overnight – it takes a couple of weeks, and even months. When it allows you to pet its belly while purring, then you're certain that it has given you the privilege of having its trust.
- After the bathing session, whether it liked the ordeal or not, reward it with a good treat. At least it'll willingly bathe next time, knowing that there's something good that came after it.
Brushing and nail trimming
Although it's always recommended to have a professional pet groomer or someone from the animal hospital do it, you can groom your cat at home. However, be sure to keep these factors in mind when doing so:
- Brushing – when you brush your cat, you get rid of the tangled fur (especially if the fur is long), remove dirt and allergens, keep the skin clean and spread natural oils on the coat. First off, use a metal comb to remove the matted and tangled fur. Use a bristled brush to remove the dead and loose hair. Cats usually respond positively to this, just be sure to be very gentle!
- Trimming the claws – trimming the claws is done to remove the chances of claw injuries which could lead to infection. Having said that, it is a very delicate procedure. Every animal is different, although it is recommended to do this when it's relaxed. When trimming the nails, don't cut on or near the PINK area, called the “quick”. If you cut it, your cat will bleed and be in a lot of pain.
Bathing
Most cats hate bathing – all the felines in the world hate water, except tigers. Having said that, giving your cat a bath isn't required: you only have to do it if necessary, like if it came into contact with smelly substances. If you're doing so, remember to make your cat feel secure. Here are some important tips:
- Put a rubber bath mat on the sink or bathtub, in order to provide secure footing for your cat.
- Use warm water – avoid cold and very hot water.
- Use a spray hose or a pitcher to thoroughly wet it. Just be sure not to spray water on its face, eyes, nose and ears!
- Put cotton balls to prevent water from going into the ears. Not doing so could result to unwanted complications.
- Lastly, be sure to use authentic cat shampoo. Using dog soap or shampoo could cause extreme consequences.
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