With the cat hair you harvest off your couch each week, you swear you could knit a whole new cat. Professional groomers earn their money, but there are things you can do at home to keep your cat as beautiful as he thinks he is. Start grooming with a gentle massage, to get your cat used to being touched. To avoid uncomfortable static, spritz your hands with water. (Don't spritz the cat--you know how that will work out.)
The most pleasurable task for both of you is brushing. Cats love it, especially older cats who can't contort like they used to. Start with a routine cat-call so Muffy knows it's brushing time, and she'll come running.
Begin with her face, and let her guide the process. Hold the brush still and she'll happily rub against it on her own.
Long-haired cats may require some combing afterwards to work out mats. Cat skin is especially sensitive, so don't tug. Avoid scissors if you can. Cats are squirmy, and a stab in the ribs will not soon be forgiven.
Cats are self-cleaning, thankfully. If your kitty gets into something messy, give him time to clean it himself. Bathing isn't good for cats--they don't have the body oils we do and shampoo dries them out. If you must bathe your cat, use milder cat shampoo. To spare your plumbing, brush your cat before bathing it, and for obvious reasons, trim his nails too.
|  |
Nail trimming is tricky. Do it wrong and you'll spend the rest of the day glaring at each other from opposite ends of the room.
Cats don't like having their feet touched. You'll do yourself and your groomer a favor by gently rubbing your cat's feet a little every day to help him get used to it. Keep clippers near your couch. During quiet times, snip a nail or two, then quit. Only a groomer with a straightjacket can get through all 20 nails at once.
When clipping, err on the long side. If you snip the fleshy "quick" of the nail, it'll bleed and so will you if your cat has any nails left. Groomers save nail trimming for last, for good reason. Your cat will probably take off in the middle of it, and at least you got the rest of your grooming done!
