Cat Grooming Supplies

When it comes to their cat, many pet owners do not consider the importance of grooming. You think about giving your dog a bath when it gets dirty or smelly, and we often regularly comb our dog’s coat. But even though cats are pretty cleanly animals and you will see them cleaning themselves up to several times a day, you should also get into a regular habit of grooming your cat. The amount you groom your cat will depend on how long its hair is and as well as the time of year.

To properly groom your cat, you should have on hand the right kinds of cat grooming supplies. These supplies are not expensive and will help a lot in the process of grooming your cat. Keep your kitty clean and healthy with a regular grooming schedule.

Although cats regularly groom their own coat, it can become matted, greasy, or dirty at times and require a bit of extra help from you. This matting of hair becomes a particular issue when cats are shedding a lot during the first part of summer. Long-haired cats will especially require regular brushing and shampooing of their coats.

A short haired cat should be brushed about once a week, whereas a long haired cat might need brushing once a day or every other day. You should start the brushing with a metal comb that can be purchased from your local pet store or online. Work gently and slowly from your cat’s head to its feet with the metal comb. If you are gentle with the comb, your cat will probably enjoy the process. If the cat is skittish, you may need to work up to combing by handling your cat regularly. This might be especially true for combing the cat’s belly, feet, or other touchy areas.

Next, you should brush the cat with a rubber or bristle brush to work out any dead hair that has accumulated. Brush with an upward motion. For brushing the tail of long haired cats, part the fur on the tail in half and brush outward to remove any tangles or matting.

At times your cat’s coat can become greasy or the cat might have accidentally gotten something sticky or oily in its hair. At these times, it will be necessary to give your cat a bath and shampoo its fur. To do so, you should purchase a bottle of cat shampoo, which will be formulated to be gentle and not sting your cat’s eyes. Nevertheless, you might also need to purchase eye drops to place in the cat’s eyes during shampooing to protect them from the soap.

If your cat is particularly greasy, he or she might need a couple shampooings to get completely clean. You can also buy de-greasing sprays at your pet store to apply to the cat’s fur before shampooing to loosen up the accumulated oils. Wetting agents can be applied before shampooing as well to activate the cleaning actions of the shampoo for more effective cleaning. Finally, your cat, especially if it is long haired, might benefit from the application of a cat coat conditioner. This will help your cat stay tangle and mat free. All of these cat grooming supplies can be found at a good pet store or even a well stocked grocery store.  For an organic shampoo, check out CordialCat.com.

If your cat stays indoors, you may wish to perform regular clipping of its claws to help protect your furniture. The best tool for doing this are the squeeze-handled clippers you buy from your pet store. Use of scissors is much more difficult and can more easily lead to injuries to your pet.

When your cat is relaxed, perhaps after eating or napping, place it on your lap and apply gentle pressure to the top of the foot and the pads underneath so that the claws become extended. Using your claw clippers, trim the clear or white part of the claw just before it begins to curl. You will want to avoid cutting too deep or you may cut into the quick, a vein that runs into the claw. If this happens, your cat’s claw may begin to bleed. Quickly apply a styptic pad or powder to stop the bleeding. A number of manufacturers make styptics for use when clipping a cat’s claws.

As you can see, there are a few basic cat grooming supplies that any cat owner should have on hand. Additional supplies that can come in handy include itch stopping preparations, bath towels for your cat, and claw nail caps that slip over the tip of the claw. Keep your cat healthy and clean with regular grooming.