A long, thick coat, shimmering in the sun, is a true decoration for a domestic cat. Sometimes, this is the main reason why owners choose their feline friend. However, if in cooler weather it warms the animal, in the warm it can cause discomfort due to heat, making them sweat and shed excessively. Owners who care for their pets sooner or later ask themselves whether cats can be groomed. The issue mostly concerns long-haired individuals; on short-haired ones, the owner might want to trim an odd “sticking out” area. We will tell you when this can be done and when it is absolutely unacceptable.
If the animal feels well and does not require treatment, there is no need to trim its fur. Cats, both long-haired and short-haired, successfully take care of themselves. Constant grooming, characteristic of furry ones, helps them not only surround themselves with a specific smell, but also keep their coat healthy, as well as relieve stress.
Apart from themselves, animals actively groom each other, and sometimes, as a sign of special affection, people too. To help your furry friend look even more beautiful, the already enlightened owner, wondering whether or not to trim the cat’s fur, is recommended to mimic grooming by emulating the pet’s brushing with their paws. For this, one can use a special or a regular comb with blunt teeth.
Grooming should be carried out regularly:
• For short-haired pets, the procedure is performed once every 5-7 days;
• For long-haired – at least 3 times a week.
Additionally, cats must be bathed. A timely bath helps rid the animal of unpleasant smells, accumulated surface hair oils. It is recommended to get the pet used to water procedures from a young age — then they will be easier for them to handle, and the inherent fear will recede into the background.
So when is it recommended to groom a cat?
If it comes to the health or even life of a pet, one has to accept both its attitude towards the process and the slightly tarnished appearance.
Whether or not cats should be groomed can be determined based on the following circumstances:
- There are affected areas on the skin that don’t heal on their own. Special attention should be paid to weeping wounds and open ulcers — they are treated with special ointments, which are applied not to the fur, but to the exposed skin. In addition, the sick spot needs air access – regrown hairs will not allow this.
- Mats form in the fur, causing the animal discomfort or even suffering. A common cause of their appearance is insufficient care for the fur. A cat cannot lick them off by itself, and an owner who skips a few “sessions” of grooming or even just regular brushing may risk a real armor forming on the animal, not allowing air to reach the skin and severely chafing it. In this case, the answer to the question of whether or not to trim a cat is obvious.
- The condition of a pet’s fur can deteriorate not just due to insufficient grooming. Often the problem lies in an improper diet. If a cat is fed a balanced diet, providing the body with all necessary micronutrients, its fur will be shiny and smooth, sometimes a little oily to the touch. To prevent problems from arising, it is recommended to choose a diet for the animal based on a veterinarian’s advice.Important: To prevent the accumulation of furballs in the stomach and intestines of a long-haired pet, one should choose food with enough indigestible fiber. It will help remove mats naturally – and the owner will not have to ponder whether they can trim their domestic cat.Can you trim whiskers?While trimming or completely removing fur from a healthy cat is simply not recommended, touching the whiskers is absolutely unacceptable. With their help, the little creature navigates in space, finds its way in the dark, detects the slightest air fluctuations. Moreover, trimming these areas can be particularly painful. The procedure should be banned not only for adults but also for children: what seems like a harmless idea can lead to a serious illness in the animal.
Can you trim the tail?
Some owners trim the fur on the kitty’s tail, leaving just a small fluffy tip. This is safe, but one should understand the nature of the small predator. It may see its tail as a new toy and chew on it during play, introducing infection into the damaged skin areas.
Can you groom cats in heat?
Having received the answer to whether cats can be groomed, the owner is likely to ask a new question: what to do if the animal is suffering from heat? And in this case, grooming will do more harm than good. It is best to provide your furry friend with constant access to fresh cool water and arrange a “special place” for them in the shade or on a surface that does not retain heat.
Furthermore, do not prevent the cat from staying under a working fan – as soon as the body cools down to a tolerable temperature, the furry pet will leave the air flow by itself. And by placing bowls of water all over the apartment, the owner will provide the animal with the most comfortable conditions – surviving the heat will become much easier in them.
