Cat Grooming Basics

Are you tired of your feline shedding all over your house? Tired of her smelly litterbox? Litter scattered on the floor? Can't find a place to put it without visitors being disgusted? You've come to the right place.

First, let's address the issue of shedding.

With spring setting into full bloom, our feline friends will begin shedding their coats. Cats do need regular brushing and grooming. Now that warmer weather is here, they will begin shedding that long coat. Do you feel like the hair is out of control? Do what I do. Give your pet a haircut. For long haired cats, I find that a lion style cut is best. Don't shave the hair around the face and head. You do not want to cause any damage to the whiskers. I also leave the hair on the lower section of the legs and this tends to be shorter and I merely trim the long hair on the tail.
If your cat wears a collar or harness it is best to remove them. I find that they only get in the way. Before you get started, clear an area to work in. I find sitting on the linoleum floor in the kitchen works best and it allows for easier clean up. Get out the clippers and shears, as well as your brush. Make sure the clippers are well oiled before you begin. Dull shears can pull your pet's hair. I also recommend wearing long pants. Once everything is set up, you are ready to begin.
Retrieve your pet and calm him / her. Sit down and brush through the coat to insure that there are no tangles. The noise of the clippers tends to startle the cat, so turn it on away from the cat and bring it in close to him / her. Hold onto the scruff of his / her neck. This will not hurt them. Begin around the neck working your way down the cat's back. Go with the grain or how the hair lays. Going against the grain can cause the skin to get pulled to close to the trimmer blade and hurt the animal. It may be necessary to go over areas a couple times to get things to even out. As you move down the chest towards the stomach, make sure that you are careful to avoid any nipples. They may be hard to see through the fur, but nicking, cutting, pinching can occur if you are not careful. GO SLOW! Cut a little hair at a time until each is revealed and you can cut around them. Work your way towards the tail and down the legs. Be careful trimming fur around the pets rectum and genitalia. Leave the genitals untrimmed but carefully trim around the rectum as this hair can mat and knot easily. Congratulations, your pet's haircut is complete.

*TIP*

Listen carefully to the sound of the clippers while you work. They may need to be reoiled a time or two as you cut through a thick coat of fur. Also, if you are reoiling, you will want to give your pet a quick bath when you are done to remove any oily residue they may have on their skin. They will want to lick themselves and you wouldn't want them licking the oil. Yuck!

Now to address the issue of that pesky litterbox.

There are fancy litterboxes out there that are self scooping, but you still have the issue of smell and the unattractiveness of it itself. A quick and inexpensive way to help with litterbox odor is to use a little baking soda with your litter changes. To help with litter scattered on the floor, there are a few different things one can do.

First of all, there are covered litter boxes. Some of these boxes include a pet door that closes. I find that the doors tend to get in the way and do not always work as well as they should. However, the doors can also to help in the odor department. There are also items called litter mats. These work much like a doormat for us. The mat merely catches the litter that comes off of the cat's paws.

But, now there are new innovations available to you. They are called litterbox cabinets. These range in style and design. They are a functional piece of furniture that encloses that hideous litterbox. Company won't even know that you have one. This also solves the problem of scattered litter and will help with odor as well. Check them out for yourself.

Looking for a way to have your cat safely explore the great outdoors? Why not build a cat run. A cat run can be made in a variety of sizes. They can be a permanant structure that utilizes a pet door. But, they can also be quick and portable. There are several examples of these. Some are made for the yard and others for decks. All are sure to be enjoyed by your indoor kitty.