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Friends for Life Animal Outreach
Caring for Your Cat

Grooming Your Cat

Bathing

Instinctively, cats are self-grooming animals and do not require baths. However, there may be instances when you need to bathe your feline friend, especially young kittens and senior cats who may need a little help from time to time.

Introduce your cat to being bathed slowly and gently. Don't use the bathtub - it's far too large and intimidating. A kitchen sink is ideal, but a laundry sink, laundry tub, plastic dishpan or large, shallow pail will do. Put a rubber mat or towel on the bottom and fill the sink with warm water. Hold your cat very firmly and place it in the water. Wet it down, starting from the head and working back to its tail. Next, apply a pet shampoo. DO NOT use human shampoo, as cats can become very ill. Avoid getting lather in the eyes or ears.

Rinse thoroughly with warm water. A spray hose works best, but a second tub that's pre-filled can also be used. Be sure to rinse your cat thoroughly to avoid shampoo ingestion from licking its body after bathing. Dry thoroughly with a heavy, fluffy towel.

Combing

Combing out a cat is easy because most cats like to be combed (and virtually all love to be brushed). Comb on spread-out newspapers. This prevents fur and dirt from getting onto your carpets and furniture. Use a fine-toothed comb if your cat has short hair. Comb a few inches at a time, starting with the muzzle and moving back. Follow up with a bristle brush or, if your cat's skin is sensitive, use a rubber brush.

A longhaired cat requires at least weekly grooming. Start with a wide-toothed comb to unsnarl matted hair and to remove dirt and debris. Work small sections, from front to back. Then use a wire brush to remove dead hair, paying close attention to the rump. Brush in some talcum powder to separate the hairs. Keep brushing until all the powder is removed. Finally, use a toothbrush or other small bristle brush to groom the short hairs of the face.

Trimming Claws

If your cat uses a scratching post faithfully, there's no need to trim its claws. If not, then you'll need to do this every three weeks.

Accustom the cat to having the paws handled and gently squeezed. Begin by gently petting the cat's legs and paws while giving the cat a treat in order to make this a pleasant experience. Gradually increase the pressure so that petting becomes gentle squeezing, which you will need to do to extend the claw. Continue giving treats until your cat will tolerate this kind of touching and restraint.

The best position is to kneel on the floor with your cat between your elbow and body. Apply a small amount of pressure to the cat's paw with your thumb on top of the paw and your index finger underneath until the claw is extended. You should be able to see the pink or "quick" which is a small blood vessel. Cutting off just the sharp tip of the claw will dull the nail and prevent extensive damage to household objects and skin. Using only a claw clipper sold in pet stores, clip off only the tip of the claw. If you clip too much, you will cut into the quick, which can be quite dangerous and painful for your cat.

Clipping a cat's claws is not always easy. You might want to watch your veterinarian or a professional groomer once or twice before attempting it yourself. You'll have the best results if you start clipping when the cat is very young.

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Friends for Life Animal Outreach
P.O. Box 60082
Sacramento, CA 95860

Voice Mail (916) 551-3881
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FFLAO is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization