Grooming

How do I groom my cat?

It is estimated that the average healthy adult cat may spend up to 30% of its time grooming. Yet, being involved in your cats grooming routine is good opportunity for you to spend quality time together bonding with your cat. There are also many other benefits in being a part of this routine.
Grooming not only stimulates the circulation and improves muscle tone, but also minimises hairballs in the stomach by removing loose hairs. This is also an opportunity to spot any problems such as external parasites, lumps, bumps or mats and even hairloss.
Coat condition is also a good indicator of overall health. Normally your cat’s coat should be sleek and glossy. Consequently, if there are any changes in you cats coat, this may be an early sign of health changes and we would advise contacting your veterinary surgery to discuss the situation.
However, many cats may experience difficulties grooming themselves for a variety of reasons.
If your cat was not groomed for a young age then she may never have become used to it. It may be a distressing experience for a nervous cat that may be reluctant to be picked up and restrained and may also be painful if the comb or brush catches her skin. If your cat is older he may problems if his dental health is compromised or he has joint pain. If your cat is obese, he may not be able to reach certain parts to groom and may require your assistance coupled with a diet plan!
If you are experiencing difficulties, we have enclosed some advice to increase your cat’s tolerance.
You may need to withhold all grooming for a few weeks. Initially we would recommend that avoids using the traditional combs and brushes as this can cause discomfort and may even make your cat less tolerant of the process. We would recommend the use of a very soft rubber brush, which promotes more of a massage-type of action due to the rubber teeth that are more flexible than ridged comb teeth.
If your cat is happy to come and sit on your lap or near you, you can start to introduce a new routine. Ensure that she is relaxed, talk gently to her and stroke her giving food rewards if necessary. Begin stroking in places that she is very tolerant of being touched. Then, pick up the rubber mitt and brush in these places very gently for a short period of time, giving very small treats. End with a period of stroking again. Do this little and often building up the time you spend using the brush and in different parts of the body. The aim is that your cat will learn to enjoy these positive periods of interaction with you. However, you should always end these periods if your cat shows signs of agitation.
Once your cat is happy to tolerate this you can begin to introduce other brushes, again gently and for short periods of time initially. Allow your cat to get used to the brushes in association with a positive experience. Laying the brushes next to your cats feeding bowl so that she can sniff them and not feel threatened when they are introduced can do this.
 

How do I rid my cat of fleas?
There are a number of preparations that can be used to safely treat your pet against fleas. These are available from vets and pet shops. Check that the preparation you use is suitable for the age of animal you intend to treat as puppies and kittens may be more sensitive. Treatments can be powders, sprays (liquid or aerosol), drop on preparations or tablets or liquids to go in food. It is also sensible to treat the home, as there may be flea eggs still in the house. Putting a flea collar in your vacuum cleaner bag is another handy hint.