Cats spend a lot of time auto-grooming. Cats groom other cats they love. Some cats will even groom their human companions. It represents a deep form of bonding for felines.

Home grooming sessions should be an enjoyable and positive experience, for both you and your cat. Frequent combing and brushing a cat’s coat stimulates the skin encouraging healthy cell growth. It also keeps the coat free from tangles and matting. Mats cannot form if a consistent grooming routine is followed.

By being truly hands-on with your cat regularly you will more readily notice changes to the skin and coat which could indicate a health issue. You will also help your cat become accustomed to being handled. This will directly translate to less stress when visiting a professional groomer, during exams by a veterinarian, while boarding, and other intense situations.

Daily home grooming sessions can be an incredibly positive and relatively inexpensive opportunity to provide exceptional care for your beloved feline friend.

Instructions for a Home Spa Treatment:

Spending at least 2 minutes every day grooming your cat at home will maintain its general appearance and health. Find an area that’s comfortable for everyone in a quiet, uninterrupted environment. Start the grooming session with calm, relaxed petting. Have the necessary tools laid out beforehand. Let the cat smell the tools if it’s interested.>

Using the CC Buttercomb #006, comb the head, cheeks and neck areas.  For shorthair breeds continue over the body with the same comb or use the #000 Fine/Coarse for the dense-coated breeds. For longhair breeds use the Extra Coarse side of the CC Buttercomb #003. Work through the cat’s coat from head to tail in a line pattern. Once the comb glides through the coat without resistance, switch to a finer width. Move the comb from the base of the hair shaft to the tip.

A soft-pin slicker brush is helpful for grooming the tail by separating the coat without removing excess fur. To ease combing and brushing, occasionally spritz the coat with an anti-static coat spray. This will eliminate the static electricity created by combing and help pull the dead coat out.

Trim the claws using cat-specific clippers by pressing on the individual paw pads which extends each claw. Clip only the tip in front of the pink quick. Check the ears and gently wipe away visible debris. Do not attempt to clean down into the ear canal as this can cause extreme pain and damage. Lift the lips of the mouth to examine the teeth for signs of periodontal disease like tartar, red gums, and bad breath. Daily sessions are a great opportunity to introduce teeth brushing to your cat. (more on that topic to come).

Lift the tail and inspect the genitals, anus, and anal sacs (small holes on each side of the anus that can become plugged). Gently wipe away all debris. Consult your cat’s veterinarian if the anal sacs appear plugged, your cat has been licking the area excessively and/or scooting. These sacs can fill and become infected requiring medical assistance. Left untreated the anal sacs can rupture and abscess causing additional pain to the cat. I mention this step last because it’s important to save the part(s) of grooming the cat dislikes the most for the end of the session.

By following these guidelines your cat will likely encourage you to spend even more time attending to its beautiful coat.  Enjoy your time together.  I’m confident you’ll learn a lot about your cat. They have wonderful ways of communicating with us that we can only truly recognize by spending quality time together bonding and grooming.

Purrs and Happy Grooming!

Look for Home Grooming Care Tips – Part 2 where I’ll share more of my purrsonal favorite grooming product recommendations.