Grooming cats: features of the procedure

Animal care professionals know what grooming is. Recently, however, this term has become vague, or even incomprehensible. Someone, for example, believes that the so-called pet grooming. Let's look at the nuances of the term, the features of the procedure, and find out who needs it, as well as how it affects the behavior of the animal.

Cat grooming is a complex of caring hygiene procedures. It includes not only a haircut, but also care for the hair, condition of the ears, eyes, skin and teeth of the pet. This is not a breeder's whim, but rather a necessity to maintain the excellent health of the pet. In addition to cleansing the ears, teeth, eyes and grooming, it includes claw clipping. A specialist or the owner himself can carry out a set of measures for caring for a cat if he has the skills and necessary adaptations.

Feline grooming can be classified into two types: hygienic and exhibition. The first type of care is aimed at ensuring and maintaining the cleanliness and health of the cat, giving the pet a well-groomed appearance. Caring complex includes 7 different procedures:

• combing pet's fur;
• swimming in warm water;
• wool cutting;
• cleaning out the ears;
• cutting long claws;
• washing eyes;
• brushing your teeth.

Exhibition grooming differs from the usual one in that it is intended to bring a domestic cat to a certain standard set for the breed. A professional groomer is engaged in conducting it, paying more attention to the hair of the animal. This type of grooming is necessary mainly for cats that participate in exhibitions.

For a complex of procedures use:

• special combs;
• shampoo for cats and cats;
• claw cutters or claw scissors;
• cotton pads or napkins;
• means for cleansing the ears;
• scissors or a hair clipper.

In addition, hydrogen peroxide and cotton wool should be on the desktop just in case. If the cat's hair is long, combs with rare teeth are used in the work, massage brushes, as well as gloves to remove the dropped hairs.

In general, a complex of caring procedures is always needed. However, there are times when an immediate haircut is required. For example, grooming cats is necessary:

• before an upcoming operation or procedurerelated to the need to cut hair in certain places;
• in the presence of skin diseases pet, requiring access to the skin;
• in case of heatif the cat has long hair and there is a risk of overheating of the body;
• in the presence of small parasites in the hair (fleas, ticks);
• when sticking feces on wool near the hind legs and tail of long-haired cats;
• a cat that swallows a lot of wool when licking your own body;
• in the case when the animal's wool falls into mats, but there is no time for constant combing.

In addition, a cat haircut is also necessary if the owner is allergic to cat fur, which may be a peddler of the allergen. This procedure allows you to reduce the concentration of allergenic protein, coupled with the constant cleaning of the house. It is necessary to cut the animal even when the owner is unable to provide proper care for the pet's hair. The rest of the haircut cat do need more for medical reasons.

The cat itself cannot lick itself completely, which is bad for the condition of the coat and skin. For example, she doesn’t clean herself her ears, cannot clean her eyes, and shear her claws. Timely grooming is the prevention of various diseases.

It is impossible to say with certainty that cats love grooming. And the point here is not so much in fear and restlessness of animals, as in their upbringing and mood. If a kitten has been accustomed to elementary hygiene since childhood, he will sit quietly while they are combing out hair, processing ears, brushing teeth. A cat that is on the grooming for the first time will be nervous.

Begin the procedure in the cabin with a clipping of claws, to which the accustomed cat reacts differently. But as for haircuts, few pet treats her positively. Some individuals consider this a humiliation, and therefore for a long time depart from the procedure. For them, such a procedure often turns into stress and sometimes loss of appetite.

It is necessary to accustom a kitten to hygiene from the age of two to three months, gradually including new types of procedures in home cat grooming. When grooming, the cat can scratch, bite, twist and try to escape. In some cases, after the procedure, her stress can develop into a problem such as the appearance of bald patches, which will not grow. A cat may be nervous at the sound of a clipper or even a hair dryer.

Some pets may try to bite the groomer when he bathes them. No need for wild haircuts, which can cause ridicule over the pet. Cats feel intonation very accurately, they understand not only a strict voice, but also a style of conversation. Do not give your pet confidence or a haircut under the lion, nor under another animal. Most confident they feel with their native fur.

Cat grooming is one of the key stages of grooming. In this case, the unenlightened man in the street may not know some of the points that are important to pay attention to. For example, you can not cut the head of an animal, cut hair from ears and sideburns, since the probability of damage to the vibrissae is high. In addition, it is impossible to completely shave off the hair from the tail, because cats constantly gnaw it, and therefore can cause themselves serious injuries.

In the course of grooming, a specialist often reveals the presence of such problems as incipient dermatitis, increased greasiness of the coat, deficiency of vitamins. As a rule, the cat stands on the table during the grooming. Other "clients" are laid on their side, and after processing - on the other side. After grooming cats bathe, then, at the request of the client, are engaged in the care of the ears, claws and eyes.

Rarely what animals behave too calmly: this is typical of those cats who adore when they comb their wool, constantly stroke and cherish. Often, when trying to cut the fur, cats become aggressive. This is a natural defensive reaction, and therefore the groomer sometimes needs an assistant who keeps the animal while cutting its fur. However, there are limitations under which certain stages of hygienic manipulations are excluded.

For example, you can not cut and bathe the animal, if the room is cool, as the pet may catch a cold. You can not abruptly perform the whole range of procedures if the animal is not accustomed to them. It is necessary to do the preparation gradually: you can start with short visits, treating the cat at each stage of grooming. Something you can and miss, giving your pet to get used to the environment and manipulation, in order not to provoke further stressful situations.

To reduce the cat's resistance to cutting, some salons work with muscle relaxants.The preparations do not immobilize the animal, but remove its activity, due to which the pet's reactions become inhibited. In fact, the cat is given an injection, choosing the right type of drug and the necessary dosage.

Other groomers use a leash, putting it on the cat during the haircut. Still others prefer a special bag-lock, which simplifies the conduct of various manipulations by a specialist. Bags are used to simplify injections to any of the extremities, to care for the ears and eyes. In fact, this product is something like a straitjacket for a violent pet.

It should be noted that not all the stages of grooming must be performed continuously. For example, a haircut is not recommended to do more often 1 time in 3 years. In addition, no matter how much you want to make your cat special, you need to understand that this is, first of all, an extreme measure, and not a change in appearance through a model haircut.

If a haircut is needed, it is started after the claws are processed and the special preparation is injected. Apply the machine for haircuts and scissors, paying particular attention to the armpits and abdomen. At the end of the haircut, the animal is bathed, its wool is dried, after which it is combed out. It is necessary to wash the cat well, so that there are no cut hairs on its body.

The specialist picks up the washing shampoo and proceeds to bathing the cat. After bathing, he wraps it in a towel to dry wool. Other masters use a hair dryer to speed up the procedure. If necessary, a haircut, which is selected based on the length of the coat and the preferences of the owner.

Sometimes pets need trimming, which provides for comprehensive grooming with the removal of old wool and cutting out specific hairs. For example, the individual individuals cut the hair between the toes. This should be done carefully so as not to injure the animal. Being engaged in hygiene of ears and eyes, the master will prompt the owner to do this daily.

If the cat has diseased organs, perform anti-parasitic treatment with the removal of purulent secretions. If the wool fell into mats, they are removed, the wool is combed for a long time, using different combs and brushes. If the cat has no wool (hairless breed), instead of haircuts and combing wool, the master pays attention to the places of possible accumulation of dirt in the folds of the skin. So cats need a frequent bath.

As for the ears and eyes, they are cleaned using a decoction of chamomile or boiled water. Ear sulfur secretions are cleaned with a damp cotton swab or disc. From dust and dirt in the corners of the eyes get rid of with the help of wet wipes dipped in boiled water. The claws are clipped with a clipper not more than 1.5 mm.

As for the removal of tartar, then this should only be done by a specialist. Ideally, a cat needs to brush its teeth with a special paste and brush every day. However, rarely can any breeder do this on his own, and not everyone knows that toothpaste for cats differs from that used by humans.

On the features of grooming cats, see the following video: