Do Your Part in Grooming Your Cat’s Fur
People might be surprised at just how much fur one cat can actually shed. Long-haired breeds produce a lot of fur, but even short-haired cats can shed astonishing volumes of the stuff. Is there anything you can do to keep the situation under control?
A lot of basic grooming is taken care of by the cat itself, as it licks the fur to keep it shiny and clean and lying straight. But some cats could use help, even with that. If they shed a lot, the constant grooming can result in hairballs as they swallow massive amounts of fur. And sometimes they can’t groom well enough to undo tangles, which lead to uncomfortable mats that just keep growing.
You also need to do your share when it comes to your cat’s grooming by brushing it regularly. Try out different kinds of cat grooming tools to see which are most effective. Many cat owners swear by a brushing tool called the FURminator, which seems to go deeper and pull out more loose fur than other brushes. But whatever tool your cat tolerates best, every bit of combing and brushing you can manage on a regular basis will be a help.
Yet even with frequent brushing, often you’ll see that mats have formed. These can accumulate in regions where the cat can’t easily groom: the bottom of the tail, the inside of the back legs, and so on. Mats can even form in areas where the cat sleeps or rests, for example, along their left side if they most often lie down on that side.
Some of these mats, being made of dead, loose fur, come loose fairly easily if worked at with a brush or even the fingers. Be careful, though, not to pull at them too hard, in case you really hurt the skin. But other mats get too large or well anchored to come off without a lot of work. And some simply have to be cut out.
However, if you get too close to the skin with scissors, you could cut the skin itself, and you don’t want to risk that for poor kitty. One surprisingly good tool for dealing with mats is a small, shielded razor-style letter opener. Sometimes these can be slipped right under the mat, and the razor edge inside will slice through the fur.
The most important thing is that the cat’s coat is kept in good condition. By combing and keeping it mat-free, you can help minimize hairballs, accelerate healthy growth, and provide your kitty a beautiful coat it can be happy about.
When it comes to keeping your pet happy and healthy there is nothing more important than proper grooming. Whether you take your pet to a professional groomer, do the job yourself, or call up a mobile pet grooming service, you are demonstrating your love and affection for your pet. Learn more about how to care for your pet at the Pets Grooming site.
