Why cut your cat's hair?
The main purpose of grooming animals is to care for their fur.
Cats have a natural need to constantly care for their fur coat. But very often this is not enough, especially for fluffies with a fur length of more than 3 cm. Special care is recommended for such pets, including regular combing, removing tangles and trimming excess hair.
Cat trimming procedure
The cat trimming procedure consists of the following steps:
- It is necessary to fix the pet in a position lying on its side, holding it by the hind and front legs.
- First of all, the tangles are cut off with scissors. After this, they continue cutting the hair on the sides of the body and back using a clipper.
- When trimming fur from the belly, you should carefully avoid the nipples and intimate areas. Experts recommend first cutting the hair in intimate areas with scissors and then completing the manipulation with a clipper. It must be remembered that cats' skin is very thin and easily injured. Therefore, while working with the machine, you need to tighten it so that skin folds do not get under the blades.
- At the end of the procedure, the cover on the paws is cut off.
- The hair on the animal's head is not trimmed; it is possible to shape it with thinning scissors. It is strictly forbidden to trim the mustache, as it is an important organ of touch.
- Tail trimming is carried out at the request of the owner.
If you can’t cut your cat’s hair in one procedure, you can divide it into several stages. This will allow the pet to avoid unnecessary stress, and the master from bites and scratches.
After grooming, the animal must be bathed and dried with a hairdryer. If your cat is afraid, you can remove cut and stuck hairs by wiping it with a damp cloth or chamois cloth. During the cold season, you should create a comfortable microclimate without drafts in the room where the pet is.
Required Tools
A hygienic grooming of a furry pet can be done using only scissors as the main tool. Naturally, they should have rounded ends, be well sharpened and not very large in size.
But it is preferable, of course, to use a trimmer (a special hair clipper). It is completely safe and you won’t be able to inadvertently injure your pet, and it does the job much faster and easier. The only problem that can become an obstacle is the noise the machine makes. Your pet may get scared of the device and simply run away. There are regular trimmers and ones for hard-to-reach places.
Additionally you will need:
- Comb with rounded teeth to avoid scratching the animal.
- Hydrogen peroxide and cotton wool in case you accidentally injure your pet.
- Bedding, for example, an old towel, which will have to be thrown away after the event.
- A table or couch is any horizontal surface where you can comfortably place your cat.
- A distracting object that the pet can engage in during the procedure, for example, a toy, a dental bone.
Which machine to choose for grooming a cat
Retail chains offer a very wide range of devices for grooming pets, from very expensive and functional to budget ones. The disadvantage of inexpensive models is, first of all, their unstable and indelicate operation - such models can cut fur poorly or pull out hair. Another disadvantage of budget models is that they overheat during use, and you can simply burn your pet. Inexpensive trimmers have a short service life.
As mentioned above, there are regular trimmers and ones for hard-to-reach places. The latest models are distinguished by their small size and shorter blades (no more than 2 cm). A similar device can be used to treat areas of anatomical curves, ears, muzzle, and areas under the tail. But this is more of an auxiliary tool; it is impossible to give a full haircut with it. Conventional trimmers are used for these purposes.
For representatives of especially fluffy breeds with a thick undercoat (Persians, exotics, etc.), choose devices with a power of at least 45 W, they will not overheat and can cope with thick hair. Pay attention to the blades: they should be wide and sharp. The speed and delicacy of the work depends on the sharpness of the blades. For cats with not very thick and long hair, you can use clippers with a power of 20 W or more.
A very useful option for the trimmer is the ability to automatically adjust the cutting surfaces. When choosing a device in a store, pay attention to this; not all models have this function. With a minimum length of cutting surfaces of 0.5 cm, the length of the pet's hair after cutting will be equal to 0.5 cm. It is dangerous to use devices with very small blades yourself at home - you can injure the animal's skin.
Mains-powered electric trimmers are preferable to those that rely on batteries or a battery. They guarantee stable and long-term operation of the device. If you frequently have to pause and turn off the device while cutting, the battery or batteries may drain very quickly. An even more convenient option is models that have both a battery and a network connection. The noise level produced by the device is also important. The quieter and more pleasant the device is, the more the cat will like it.
Make sure that the machine is comfortable to hold in your hands. It should be moderately light and moderately heavy. It is difficult to ensure smooth movement with a device that is too light, and a device that is too heavy will quickly tire your hand. Therefore, try to find a “golden mean”.
Pay attention to the shape of the handle; it should fit comfortably in your hand and not slip out.
Be sure to check the device before purchasing, especially for overheating and foreign odors.
Grooming aggressive cats
It is recommended to use special collars for grooming aggressive cats.
Very often, cats behave aggressively during grooming. In such cases, the following recommendations may help:
- Using a plastic collar. Such devices can be purchased at a veterinary clinic or pet store. Before the procedure, it is placed around the animal’s neck and secures its head. In this position, the cat simply will not be able to bite. It is imperative to hold your paws.
- Stationery clip. An ordinary stationery paper clip, which is placed on the scruff of the neck, can calm an unruly pet before a haircut.
- Hair trimming. When using this technique, the fur will remain longer, but the animal itself will behave more docile. This is due to the fact that cutting against the grain irritates the pet, contributing to the appearance of unnecessary aggression.
- Assistant. Grooming a rambunctious cat is much easier and faster with a helper to hold him.
- Use of sedatives and sleeping pills. Overly active pets are sometimes given herbal-based sedatives or sleeping pills. To avoid harm to the cat, the use of such medications should only be carried out under the supervision of a veterinarian.
- Anesthesia. The use of anesthesia to subdue an animal during a haircut is unjustified and can cause irreparable harm to the health and life of the pet. It is carried out only in the most extreme cases and no more than 2 times a year. Before a cat is euthanized to be clipped, she needs to undergo a full examination in order to eliminate all possible risks of complications.
What to do if you accidentally hurt your pet?
Even with the most careful procedure, an unpleasant situation is possible when you injure the animal. You need to prepare for this and always have the necessary disinfectants on hand (peroxide, brilliant green, iodine), as well as cotton wool. It is necessary to treat not the wound itself with a disinfectant, but the skin around it. Treat the cut site in such a way as to stop the bleeding. Calm and caress the animal; in this case, you can prepare some kind of treat that will distract the pet.
There is no need to be nervous or lose your composure. Your anxiety will be transmitted to the animal, and the cat will begin to panic. Moreover, it is unacceptable to shout at a cat or use physical methods of influence. The procedure can be carried out further only when the animal has completely calmed down and allows manipulation to continue.
Carrying out a hygienic haircut for your furry pet yourself is a completely doable task. Hygienic care is necessary to ensure that your pet looks neat, well-groomed and does not suffer from the heat in the summer. But, if a fluffy cat is preparing to go out into the world, for example, to an exhibition, it is better to contact a grooming salon or veterinary clinic. Professionals will do the job more efficiently and decoratively. The only thing you need to pay attention to is that during the procedure, veterinary clinics usually use light anesthesia or give sedatives. It's not entirely harmless. If your furry pet behaves calmly, you can refuse to use these products.
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Features of grooming cats of popular breeds
In most cases, the type of haircut is determined by the breed of the cat. Below are haircuts for the most common breeds.
British Shorthair
British shorthair cat
Nature has endowed true Britons with short, silky hair that is not prone to matting, so experts generally do not recommend cutting representatives of this breed.
If the pet is provided with proper and proper care for its coat in the form of regular combing out of excess fibers with rubber or bristle brushes, it will have an attractive appearance without any hairstyle.
Persian
Persian cat
Persian cats are known for their long and fluffy fur, which can form mats very quickly. That's why they need the services of cat groomers the most.
Despite their sedate and docile nature, such animals tolerate haircuts very poorly. These cats need to be trimmed together with an assistant, especially if this procedure is being done for the first time in their life.
The classic hairstyle for Persian cats is “Puss in Boots.” The procedure begins with cutting the fur from the sides of the body, then from the back and abdomen.
To avoid injuring the animal, experts advise using a clipper with a 3 mm attachment.
The fur on the head, tail and paws is left untouched, sometimes the tail is cut in half with scissors or a tassel is formed at the end.
Upon completion of the manipulation, the cat must be bathed or wiped with a damp cloth.
Siberian breed
Siberian cat
For representatives of the Siberian breed, haircut options can be any; these cats cannot be spoiled by outlandish hairstyles.
The structure of the fur of Siberian cats is very similar to human hair, and the more often and shorter it is cut, the better quality it becomes.
The most popular haircuts for this breed are French Lion, Dragon and Plush.
Is it possible to shave?
A domestic cat that is not allowed outside by its owner can be shaved. In other cases, such a procedure is not necessary, as it is useless. Thanks to excellent thermoregulation, even a long-haired cat feels good in hot and cold weather, but trimming and shaving can disrupt it. Some very clean owners consider it right to shave their cat bald during the shedding period, but this does not solve the problem, since the hair grows and falls out as often as that of an unshaven animal, differing only in the length of the hairs. It is possible to shave and trim cats in winter, but until the fur grows, the animal is not allowed to leave the house to go outside. A short-haired breed, such as a Scottish cat, can benefit from simply brushing.
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Grooming at home
Bathing. Pets walking outside should undergo this procedure as soon as they become dirty.
For domestic cats, once a month is enough.
- Cat grooming paste is applied before washing pets.
- Apply to dry fur of cats and cats in large quantities.
- Thoroughly treat all areas of the coat with this paste.
- It should not be applied to wet wool.
- She removes dirt from the pet. There are a few minutes left.
- Then you need to wash it off with warm water.
