- Why is grooming important?
- How to properly groom kittens?
- Combing wool
- Cleaning the ears and wiping the eyes
- Trimming kittens’ claws – how to do it right?
- Bathing a kitten
- Why is it better to visit the salon?
Grooming is a set of procedures to maintain a healthy and well-groomed appearance of an animal. Small cats, like children, can respond to care in different ways, so owners will need patience and knowledge. We will not be able to help with the first, but we will certainly share our knowledge.
We have collected everything useful for you in one article, and if you have any questions, V.O.G DOG SALON administrators will be happy to help you.
1. Why is grooming kittens important?
Despite the fact that most people associate grooming only with beauty, we never tire of focusing on health. In particular, regular brushing prevents the formation of mange, improves blood circulation, and helps to detect irritation, parasites or other skin problems in time. It is also quite natural that kittens do not yet know how to fully take care of themselves, so they need outside help. And regular grooming can form a great habit, thanks to which care in the future will be easy and stress-free.
2. How to properly groom kittens?
Before starting a grooming routine, you must take into account the mood of the Tails. If they are restless, overexcited and cannot sit still, you need to postpone the procedures until better times or divide them into several stages, between which there will be time for games and hugs. In order to give the kittens a sense of security, it is advisable to talk to them in a soft, gentle voice during all activities. Yes, they won’t understand the words, but the intonation will do the trick. And remember the reward: treats or games during and after grooming will create a positive association.
Now we can consider the main stages of grooming, which can be combined with each other or performed as independent procedures. The main thing here is to understand the needs of the kitten at the moment.
2.1. Combing wool
In order to comb your pet’s coat, you need to purchase a special tool, the choice of which will depend on the type of coat. If the cat is short-haired, an ordinary brush with soft bristles or a silicone coating is enough. If it is long-haired, you will need a comb with wide teeth to detangle small tangles.
How to comb correctly? First of all, you should not try to comb the wool quickly or in jerks. It is best to start with the head, gradually moving to the back and sides. These are the most comfortable areas for a cat. At the end, pay attention to the tail and paws. If the wool is already very tangled, do not pull it hard or tear it. It is better to use a special moisturizing spray for untangling collars and a collar cutter. A coat cutter will help cut a large coat into several small ones, which will be easier to comb without causing great stress to the kitten.
2.2. Cleaning the ears and wiping the eyes
Cleaning the ears and wiping the eyes often causes excitement in the owners. Many people are afraid to do something wrong, but in reality these are quite simple procedures. It is only necessary to have cotton pads at home and special lotions for ears and eyes, which are sold in every veterinary pharmacy and pet store.
What needs to be done? Apply a few drops of the lotion to the disk, and with gentle movements, clean the inside of the ear. It is not recommended to dive deeply, because you can injure the auditory canal. To wipe the eyes, you should also apply a few drops of a special lotion to a cotton pad and clean the area around the eyes with light movements, removing dirt and mucus.
If there is an unpleasant smell, a dark coating or redness during the examination of the ears, this may indicate an infection. In this case, it is better to consult a veterinarian immediately and not to self-medicate. Medical consultation will also be needed in case of abundant discharge from the eyes, their swelling or redness.
2.3. Trimming kittens’ claws – how to do it right?
Trimming the claws can cause real stress in your pet, especially if you do it without preparation. But, fortunately, there is a lot of information about the technique of this procedure.
To begin with, you should purchase special scissors for cutting claws. Manicure scissors or nippers will not work, because they are designed for the nail plate of a person, not an animal. Next, we spend some time studying the structure of cats’ claws to understand how short they can be trimmed and at what angle. In practice, everything is quite simple. You should look at the claw under bright light to notice the pink area where the blood vessels pass. You can cut the claw only along this pink zone at an angle of 45 degrees. If blood does appear, it is enough to treat the place with hemostatic powder and wait a few minutes before releasing the paw.
2.4. Bathing kittens
Most kittens do not need regular water procedures, because they take care of themselves perfectly. However, there are situations when bathing is unavoidable: for example, if there is oil or dirt on the coat. For such cases, you need to have a special shampoo for kittens with which you can bathe in advance. For bathing, warm water is collected in the bathtub. Its level should not be higher than the pet’s paws. It is necessary to wet the wool, apply shampoo to it, then thoroughly wash everything and wrap the kitten in a towel. When the moisture is sufficiently absorbed into the towel, you can start drying the wool with the help of warm air from a hair dryer at low speeds. If your pet is afraid of the noise of the hair dryer, you should use several dry towels to remove excess water from the fur as much as possible.
Photo of a kitten
Why is it better to visit the salon?
First, the grooming salon employs specialists who have undergone training, practice and passed an exam in order to work with animals. If you’re worried about accidentally clipping a nail too short or missing minor skin irritations, a groomer won’t have that problem.
The second big advantage is the equipment. The grooming salon always has professional tools for various procedures, including special boxes for drying cat fur, clippers, scissors and cosmetics.
Salon grooming is also suitable for those cases where more complex care is required. For example, in long-haired cats, goiter occurs periodically, and sometimes it is impossible to deal with them at home. Even a groomer doesn’t always manage to untangle the swallows, but he has enough knowledge and skills to safely cut them or to cut a pet in general to simplify home care.
Another important argument is security. In the salon there is always disinfection of tools and surfaces, which is especially important to prevent infections.
And, of course, we cannot ignore the fact that grooming saves you time and nerves. A professional will do all the work for you, and your apartment/house will remain clean. It is enough to simply bring and pick up the kitten from the grooming salon at the agreed time.
Sign up for a kitten grooming at V.O.G DOG SALON and give yourself more free time and less hassle! Trust us and we will do everything to ensure that your kitten is well-groomed.
