Happy Grooming Month!: Tips from Just Cats Groomer Stephen
Grooming your cat is an important part of keeping your furry friend’s coat healthy and happy. Longer haired cats have the potential to develop uncomfortable matts that oftentimes are too difficult to comb out. At Just Cats, we offer sedated medical grooming that can be greatly beneficial for kitties in need of matt removal, nail trims, sanitary shaves, brush outs, soft paw applications, and even full lion cuts!
In celebration of National Grooming Month, we asked our highly skilled and talented groomer, Stephen, to offer up some of his advice when it comes to caring for your cat’s coat!
“Daily combing and brushing of your kitty can help to prevent matting and accumulation of dead fur,” Stephen says. Many different types of brushes and combs are available commercially at your local pet store and are usually fairly inexpensive. A good brush is fine-toothed, allowing for a thorough comb-through of your cat’s coat. To get your kitty accustomed to the feel of being brushed, try to brush your cat while he or she eats or provide positive reinforcement whenever you use the brush. Starting with a few strokes at a time and slowly working up to a full comb-through of your kitty’s coat can help them become comfortable with brushing. For cats who are more difficult to brush, consider purchasing a “corner comb”. These can be placed on the wall corners of your house and act as a brush when your cat rubs up against it.
Stephen also recommends that any matts that are too tight to comb out be shaved off. “Tight matting can be very uncomfortable and sometimes even painful for cats.” If you suspect that a matt is too tight, pet safe clippers can be used to shave them off. If you are unsure of how to use clippers, it is best to bring your cat in to have the matts shaved off professionally. Stephen warns that a matt should never be cut off with scissors!
Some breeds of cats with especially long coats can be prone to continual matting. Stephen sees these cats on a yearly basis for annual lion cuts. “This is a type of groom where the entire fur coat is shaved off, except for the hair on the legs, mane, and tail,” Stephen explains. Named for its lion-like appearance, this groom is the most popular for long hair kitties.
If you think your cat may be due for a groom, Just Cats would be more than happy to provide your kitty with the best care possible. We carefully monitor our sedated patients to ensure that the groom goes smoothly for both you and your kitty. Interested in booking a groom? Give us a call at (518)-869-5779 or send us an email at info@justcatsvet.com today!
