Grooming

Your kitten has been cared for and handled from day one.

Actual grooming starts from three to four weeks so they become fully accustomed to the routine.

It is essential that any long haired cat is groomed on a daily basis, failure to maintain this procedure will result in the cat or kittens coat becoming knotted and thick mats will form.

This is not only very unsightly but the cat suffers because the matting that forms under the front legs will attach its self to the fur on the rib cage and in a short space of time movement is restricted and would result in pain and discomfort.

Long haired cats when they are kept as they should be, are amongst the most beautiful and glamorous in the feline world.

Neglected they look pitiful.

Anyone considering a long haired cat must be prepared to spend the short time each day to groom.

 

  

The most important tool in your grooming kit will be a good quality metal comb with no more teeth than 10 to the inch.

Good quality baby talc can be sprinkled through the coat to help absorb any grease and then comb through.

There is no hard and fast rule about how to groom, I prefer to stand the cat on a hard surface and work from the head back, but everyone finds there own method and as long as it gets done and you manage to comb under the legs it really doesn't matter how this is achieved.

I try to groom in the morning if possible as I find once groomed the cats know it's done and relax and enjoy the rest of the day.

Not all cats particularly enjoy being groomed but it has to be done regardless of noisy protestations.

You will find of course, that by grooming daily, mats do not have a chance to form so the daily groom is a ten minute job quickly done with the minimum of fuss.

Steps to Grooming a Persian Cat

Step by Step cat grooming methods for a long haired or Persian cat or kitten:

  1. Firstly, use the wide toothed comb and comb the coat backward from the way it lies. For heavy thick coats, you may need to do this in small parts. Make certain you comb all the way to the undercoat to loosen and straighten and knots or tangles. Always use extra care when grooming the belly and rear sensitive areas.
  2. Use a baby powder or unscented talcum powder next, to help the brushes ease through the fur by separating each hair. Sprinkle the powder onto the cat's coat and work in with your fingers. Never use a heavily scented powder as this could irritate your cat's sensitive nose, and/or cause allergic reactions.
  3. Brush the coat well using first the wire side of the combination brush. Be gentle as the wire bristles can break delicate hair. Use short strokes that move out from the body in a fluffing motion.
  4. Then use the bristle brush to lay the fur back to its natural lie.
  5. Use the toothbrush to groom the facial area.
  6. The slicker brush can be omitted, if desired. It is used mainly on the tail and back end to add the extra fluffiness for shows.

Paraphrased from: The Complete Cat Book, by Paddy Cutts

Training an Adult Cat to be Brushed

So your adult cat hates being brushed..?. Well this is a necessary fact of life, especially in the warm seasons. With persistence, consistency and patience, you can train your adult cat to be brushed. As mentioned before it is very important to groom your cat every day or knots and clumps will occur, and this will mean the use of scissors or even the services of your local vet to cut them out.

Make it a routine, if you haven't already, to pet/groom your cat. Every day at the same time, pet your cat or kitten for several minutes. That action alone will help remove hair and help straighten it.

When your cat comes to you to be groomed/petted, start using an oven mitten or a cotton rag wrapped around your hand.

Eventually, purchase a groomers mitt. That is a specialty type of mitt used to help remove fur. Once Kitty is accustomed to the groomers mitt, start alternating your touch with the groomers mitt, with a brush. Put the mitt on one hand, and a brush in the other; alternate between the two. Once you are at this level for a few days, you should be able to groom Kitty with the brush. Slowly decrease the number of ´pets´ with the mitt and increase the number of ´pets´ with the brush.

Once your cat is tolerating the brush, I would suggest you start with the mitt and then switch to the brush in your daily routine. That will help him to feel like he is being ´loved´ and not just brushed.

 

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