Cats typically handle their grooming themselves as they’re very meticulous and hygienic animals. Nonetheless, it’s nonetheless good apply to brush your cat recurrently particularly if they’ve medium or lengthy hair.
Fast Overview
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All cats want common brushing, and a few breeds require it extra often than others.
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Common brushing your cat hold the coat shiny, clear, and tangle free, and prevents mats from forming.
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Lengthy-haired cat breeds require extra frequent brushing, with particular consideration paid to their chest, armpits, and backs of their legs.
That is particularly essential within the shedding season or in case your cat isn’t in a position to groom themselves properly because of sickness, lack of flexibility, or points attributable to arthritis.
Why Do Cats Want Brushing?
Brushing is a obligatory a part of your cat’s care, and plenty of cats come to find it irresistible.
Brushing your cat gives an a variety of benefits. At the start, brushing can be utilized as a technique to bond along with your cat and provides them some consideration, particularly if pair it with treats whilst you get them used to it. A pleasant brush can really feel actually good for cats, so many cats take pleasure in a grooming session with you.
Brushing additionally lets you verify your cat for any fleas, flea grime, pores and skin ailments, or lumps and bumps on the physique. In the event you do discover something unsuitable, it’s price searching for recommendation out of your veterinarian, who can supply the proper therapy for fleas or advise you on what to do about any pores and skin lesions. Use a flea comb if you wish to be additional vigilant for fleas.
Common grooming additionally retains your cat’s coat good and glossy, tangle free, and prevents fur mats from increase. Brushing dissipates pure oils all through the pores and skin and coat, which in flip retains the hair and pores and skin wholesome.
In case your cat is an out of doors cat, brushing them will do away with grime and outside particles like burrs, twigs, and leaves. A cat’s fur can decide up a whole lot of your backyard and convey it inside!
As talked about earlier than, older cats usually tend to endure from arthritis, which impacts their mobility and skill to bend round and groom their our bodies. These older cats want extra frequent grooming by their house owners to make up for his or her incapability.
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How Usually Ought to I Brush My Cat?
Cats with quick hair want brushing a few times every week, although you’ll be able to brush them extra in case you each take pleasure in it.
Lengthy-haired cats ideally must be brushed as soon as day by day as their fur is much more liable to matting and shedding excessively. Grooming for medium-haired and short-haired cats doesn’t must be as laborious—a few times weekly ought to suffice.
Which Breeds Want To Be Brushed Extra Regularly?
The shorter the hair, the much less possible it’s to mat and tangle, so you’ll be able to brush much less typically.
A couple of cat breeds want day by day grooming because of their naturally lengthy hair. A couple of examples are the Birman, Persian, and Himalayan. It’s price making the hassle and setting apart time for day by day brushing to cut back the quantity of hair they shed and save your cat from nasty mats and tangles later down the road.
Medium-haired cat breeds nonetheless want common brushing, however not as often as their long-haired counterparts (about as soon as weekly reasonably than day by day). This consists of breeds such because the Ragdoll, Maine Coon, and Ragamuffin.
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What Else To Examine When Grooming Your Cat
Whereas grooming, carry your cat’s lips and take a look at their tooth or gums, noting if something appears amiss.
As talked about earlier than, you should utilize these hands-on classes to verify your cat’s pores and skin, be sure that your cat’s claws aren’t too lengthy, and take a look at your cat’s tooth and gums. In the event you discover dangerous breath or plaque buildup, your cat might need dental illness. Good dental care is essential, particularly for older cats, so use the chance to offer them a great as soon as over.
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What Occurs If You Don’t Brush Your Cat?
Common brushing prevents tangles and mats, which might be uncomfortable and even painful in your cat.
When cats groom themselves, they decide up unfastened hairs with their tongues and ultimately swallow them. The hair kinds hairballs within the abdomen, which regularly get regurgitated up.
If cats don’t get brushed or in the event that they’re struggling to groom themselves correctly, they may develop an extreme buildup of swallowed hair of their intestine. In very extreme instances, a cat’s intestines can change into fully blocked which is deadly with out pressing veterinary consideration.
When cats (particularly long-haired cats) are left with none grooming for weeks, critical tangles can kind, which might flip into mats. Badly matted fur might be very troublesome to comb out and would possibly require knowledgeable groomer to de-mat your cat.
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How To Brush Your Cat Correctly
At all times brush in the identical route the hair is rising—brushing in opposition to hair progress isn’t nice for cats.
A really delicate brush or a plain wide-toothed comb is advisable for cats as they’ve a lot thinner and extra delicate pores and skin than canine. Check out the comb in your arm first and ensure it’s snug and never too scratchy earlier than you apply it to your cat. A brush that’s too harsh would possibly trigger pores and skin irritation.
Get your cat used to grooming from after they’re a younger kitten so it turns into an gratifying factor to do collectively. You can provide them tasty treats and rewards to encourage them to love brushing whereas preserving the classes quick and frequent.
Use light strokes throughout their physique within the route of the hair, and pay particular consideration to behind your cat’s ears, chest, stomach, armpit space, and backs of legs. These are the place tangles and knots usually tend to kind.
For long-haired cats, it’s a good suggestion to make use of a wide-toothed comb to softly detangle any knots. In case your cat begins to change into tense, swish their tail, or begins hissing, cease the grooming session instantly and check out once more later when your cat is calmer.
Additionally Learn: How To Scale back Cat Shedding In 9 Easy Steps
Cat Brushing: Ultimate Ideas
When correctly launched, brushing classes are gratifying for many cats.
Ensure to know what kind of coat your personal cat has so you understand how typically to groom them. Preserve brushing classes quick and frequent, and use them to enhance your bond along with your cat by giving them numerous consideration and treats.
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Regularly Requested Questions
Must you brush your cat daily?
In case your cat is a long-haired breed equivalent to a Persian, then it’s endorsed to brush them daily to keep away from extreme shedding and mats forming.
Do cats really feel higher after brushing?
A lot of cats take pleasure in being brushed and definitely if their fur is all tangled they’ll really feel higher afterward for it.
How lengthy ought to I spend brushing my cat?
Brushing classes should not be too lengthy as your cat would possibly get bored or begin to resent them. Begin off with quick five-minute classes after which you’ll be able to progressively construct them as much as 10 to fifteen minutes.