8 ways to groom your kitty BEAUTIFUL!

Even though cats spend a lot of time licking and cleaning themselves, they still need regular brushing and combing to remove loose hair, prevent matting and keep the skin free of diseases and parasites, such as fleas. Both short and long-haired cats need to be groomed. It’s to keep them clean and to keep your home clean. Here’s how to groom your kitty beautiful.
Varun Daroch
Bathing facts
Wet your cat thoroughly and apply a good cat shampoo. Rinse her thoroughly and then use a conditioner. You can also use a rinse-out type conditioner as leave-in conditioners can upset the cat’s stomach because your kitty licks himself to groom. Towel dry him. If you are blowdrying a long-haired cat, stop about halfway through and comb the cat again. This will speed up the drying process. And make sure the dryer is not on its highest heat setting.
Start early
Get your kitten accustomed to grooming and being handled early in life. Place the kitten on a table or your lap and start with short sessions, reassuring your kitten constantly in gentle tones. Learn how your kitten likes to be combed and brushed, and where she is sensitive – be careful of her delicate ears and the stomach area.
haircuts
For long-haired cats who need haircut, take them to a professional groomer only. In summer you can get your cat’s fur trimmed to relieve them of some heat.
Brush beautiful
Brushing also removes dead and matted hair, and helps detangle. Regular brushing and combing stimulate the skin, and natural oils will be more evenly distributed to give your cat a healthy, shiny coat. Brush gently in the direction of hair growth with a wire slicker brush (good for thicker coats), or a soft bristle brush.
Brushing too hard can cause brush burns. So be careful about the pressure you are using to brush your cat. If you can hear the brush, you are brushing too hard!
Regular is the key
Regular grooming is an ideal way to spend special time bonding with your cat and is also a good opportunity to check on your cat’s health. Once a week is usually sufficient, though long-haired cats will need grooming at least once every day to prevent matting. Look carefully for signs of fleas, ticks, skin irritations, lumps or sore spots.
Nail clipping
Take your pets to a professional groomer or a vet as you can cut ‘the quick’ – a vein present in their nails which can then bleed and cause pain.
Ear care
While cleaning their ears, do not go deep into the ears, leave that for professionals only.
In case you do not have time to groom your kitty, take professional’s help.
(Varun and Sherry Daroch run Shevar Spa & Grooming Parlour for Pets & Pet Store in Bengaluru)