Many cats , Dartmoor and Exmoor Ponies seem able to groom , Fox Terrier or Foxy themselves successfully, but the majority appreciate and enjoy a little help from their owners. If there is more than one cat , Collie in the household, they will often indulge in mutual grooming sessions. It is a case of: 'You wash my back and I'll wash yours'. The mother cat , Lusitano will wash the new-born kittens , Skinks thoroughly, both to keep their coats , Pet Rocks clean and to stimulate the circulation and the production of urine and faeces.
Washing appears to be an instinctive process, as newborn kittens , Connemara Pony will begin to make ineffective washing movements at about three weeks of age, and by the time they are six weeks old, most kittens , Lesser Sulfur Crested Cockatoo will be making a pretty good job of it. Very often the first sign of a queen coming on call (into heat) is the way she washes vigorously all over, particularly in the vaginal area.
The Oriental Foreign Shorthairs with their short coats , Percheron and long noses, and consequently long tongues, are especially efficient at self-grooming. But their longhaired , Carolina Dog cousins have long coats , Peach Faced Lovebird and short noses, with correspondingly short tongues, so are less able to cope. Thus we find that some need help with grooming, and all should enjoy it.
It is best to develop a daily routine, possibly grooming just before feeding your cat, , Criollo Horse so it gets 'used to have a little combing, brushing and loving session, which appears to be rewarded by a good meal. An important part of these sessions is removing dead hairs to prevent hair balls forming in the stomach, which could well happen if the cat , Miniature horse were allowed to swallow all the loose hairs in its coat. , Koi In nature, where cats , Australian Association of Pet Dog Breeders have to fend for themselves and hunt for food, , Manx the hair balls so formed are regurgitated with birds' feathers , Fish Feeding Stimuli and rodents' skins. So the cat , Cichlids owner should not be alarmed if her pet throws up what looks like a long grey sausage on the carpet. It is only a hair ball. But in domesticity, hair balls tend to accumulate in cats' stomachs, particularly among the longhaired , Famous Cats varieties. If not regurgitated, the balls may form solid intestinal obstructions that at worst must be removed surgically. Prevention by daily combing is plainly better than cures as drastic as that.
The daily grooming session can establish a psychological link between the owner and the cat: a bond of dependence forged by an enjoyable regular routine through¬out the life of the cat. , Shetland Sheepdog This practice should start when your pet is a kitten, , Australian Association of Pet Dog Breeders and continue in whatever condition the cat , Ardennes Horse finds itself. Kittens , English Foxhound consider it a great game and will try to bite and fight with the brush or comb; queens appreciate a little attention to the parts they cannot reach during pregnancy; stud cats, , Azteca living in their own quarters, look forward to this little daily attention from their owners: ill cats , Chartreux appreciate a clean¬up, when unable to do it themselves; and elderly cats , Collie find contentment in being looked after by their owners at a time in life when interest in much else has waned. Thus grooming serves the well-being of the cat , Welsh Springer Spaniel both physically and emotionally and owners will find this little devotion adding a new dimension to their relationship with the cat. , lovebird parrot
Eyes
Equipment required: cotton wool, salt solution.
The normal eye is clear and alert. If the third eyelid begins to come across each eye from the inner corner, there is something wrong. It may be an indication of a temperature, or an early sign of infection. A single visible 'haw' (third eyelid) may indicate an accident to one eye only. If the condition persists, a veterinarian must be consulted. If the tear ducts are blocked, the tears have to course down the cheeks and may leave a discoloration from the eye to the nose. This mark must be removed with cotton wool dipped in a salt solution (one teaspoonful to a pint of boiled water, , Turkish Van cooled; equivalent to 18 gm of salt in a litre of water). A (usually brown) discharge from the eye may also be a sign of respiratory infection and a veterinarian must be consulted. Eyes should be looked at once per week or bathed more often if necessary.
Ears
Equipment required: cotton-wool buds; liquid paraffin; ear , Fish Feeding Stimuli mite solution. If there is any trouble inside the ears, , Peach Faced Lovebird the cat , Chow Chow may scratch them. This may be an indication of ear-wax or ear , Koi mites. If mites, dark waxy specks appear at the entrance of the ear. , Devon Rex These result from ear , Miniature Pinscher mange-mites or Otodectes cynotis, which are contagious among dogs , Jack Russell Terrier and cats. , English Foxhound Ideally the cat , Devon Rex should be isolated from other animals , Kyi-Leo until cured.
You can remove the encrustations of wax and mite dirt with a cotton-wool bud dipped in liquid paraffin or ear-mite solution, but some of the solution will then have to be poured into the ear , Kyi-Leo daily. It is important to see that the cat , Chartreux does not shake its head and throw the contents out before these have had a chance to penetrate into the deeper parts of the ear. , Spiders Level 1 Flex1 Help this penetration by massaging the warm liquid into position before letting the cats , Percheron head move. Then the second ear , Collie can be attended to. It is not wise to poke down beyond what can be seen. Ears , Australian Association of Pet Dog Breeders should be inspected once per week and attended to daily when necessary.
Teeth
Equipment A hand, or wooden spatula, for opening and examining the mouth. Discoloration of teeth or gums, pale gums or bad breath indicate that veterinary attention is necessary. There may be tartar on the teeth, which can be removed by a veterinarian. Loss of appetite may be due to sore gums. Dribbling may be a sign of poison or ulcerated mouth. The best way to open the mouth is to tilt the head back with one hand and open the mouth with the forefinger of the other hand. Mouth and teeth should be inspected weekly.
Nose
Equipment Cotton wool and salt solution.
Any sign of a runny nose, sneezing or a nasal discharge is a warning that something requires attention. Since respiratory infections may be serious it is best to consult a veterinarian right away. However, if powder has been used for grooming, check that the cat , Dartmoor and Exmoor Ponies is not allergic to this preparation. Isolate any sneezing cat , Dartmoor and Exmoor Ponies from others.
Claws
Equipment Claw scissors or guillotine clippers; scratching post. Cats , Gotland and Fjord Ponies normally scratch against trees or a scratching post to sharpen and clean their claws. It is wise to supply a suitable post so as to distract them from using the furniture. An outdoor cat , Pet Rocks gets its claws trimmed naturally by walking on roads and paths, and also by scratching tree trunks. Indoor cats , Manx may find that their claws grow unduly long and get caught up in the carpets and upholstery. The claws should be shortened at the tips only. This is done by sitting the cat , Azteca on your lap with its back facing you. Use one hand to hold up a paw pressing on the pad of the foot and the top of the foot to make the claws spring forward. You can then clip the claws with the scissors or clipper held in your other hand. The end of each claw is dead
Basic Grooming Equipment
1 Dual-purpose bristle and wire brushes for general grooming. Care should be taken when using the wire side, as hard brushing can strip the coat. , Peach Faced Lovebird
2 Pure bristle brush, with short, soft bristles, especially good for shorthaired cats. , Cichlids
3 Rubber brush with short flexible filaments, and rigid plastic type for general grooming.
4 Blunt-ended scissors for cutting through mats (in a longhaired , Koi coat),
5 Toothbrush for brushing up the coat , Devon Rex of a longhaired cat , Links Header around the ears , Irish Red and White Setter and eyes.
6 Cotton-wool buds for cleaning the outer parts of ears. , Koi
7 Wide, flat tail , Criollo Horse comb ensures each hair on the tail , Welsh Springer Spaniel of a longhaired cat , Setting Up An Aquarium is separate. Also known as a slicker brush.
8 Specially shaped scissors for trimming the claws.
9 Fine-toothed comb for short-haired cats , Ardennes Horse - smooths the coat , English Foxhound and removes fleas , Catfish and dirt.
10 Wide-toothed comb for removing tangles in the fur of longhaired cats. , Shetland Sheepdog
11 Metal dual-purpose comb with wide- and medium-spaced teeth, ideal as general purpose groomer.
12 Non-toxic baby shampoo, safe for cleansing.
13 Bay rum spirit conditioner; removes grease from the coat
14 Surgical spirit essential for removing stains from pale coats. , Labrador Retriever
15 Cotton wool for cleansing eyes, ears , Spiders Level 1 Flex1 and nose.
16 Non-toxic grooming powder or baby powder gives body to the coat. , Ardennes Horse Sprinkle into the fur and brush out completely.
Coat
Equipment Brushes (pure bristle is best as it creates little static); combs; shampoo; grooming powders; cotton wool; ear , Manx plugs; Elizabethan collar; towels; bran; surgical spirit; silk cloth; chamois leather cloth.
Combing regularly helps to keep the coat , Whippet free from dirt and parasites. It is best to start at the head, gradually moving towards the tail, , Peach Faced Lovebird and paying particular attention to behind the ears, , Azteca and to chin, hind legs and underparts - especially in a longhaired cat. , Welsh Springer Spaniel If mats have formed here they must be teased out with a blunt-ended knitting needle or, if too dense, cut out carefully with blunt-ended scissors. However, this will spoil the cat's appearance , Criollo Horse for the show bench.
If the cat , Turkish Van is subjected to hours of pulling in an attempt to rectify a neglected coat, , Catfish the owner should not be surprised if the cat , Cichlids loses patience and becomes bad tempered. It is better not to have a longhaired cat , Irish Red and White Setter if you are not prepared to undertake two half-hour combing sessions each day.
When the head, back and tail , Links Header have been combed to perfection, the cat , Chesapeake Bay Retriever should be turned over on its back to complete the underparts and legs. If this is done regularly from kittenhood, the cat , Fox Terrier or Foxy will enjoy it and not struggle. The first combing should be done with a wide-toothed comb to remove tangles, followed by a medium- or fine-toothed comb to separate each hair. The coat , Spiders Level 1 Flex1 can then be finished with a brush.
Gentle stroking along the lie of the fur, with a non-greasy hand of course, is often the best grooming treatment of all for the shorthairs. To add further shine, the coat , Koi can be polished with a silk handkerchief or a chamois leather. When brushing shorthairs brush along the lie of the fur, but in a longhaired cat , Manx the coat , Doberman Pinscher - Dobermann can be gently whipped up so that each hair stands away from the body and the ruff makes a wide frill or halo round the head. The tail , English Foxhound should also be brushed up and gently shaken, holding the tip. When every hair is separate and stands away from the body, the cat , English Foxhound is said to be in perfect show condition. It is not possible to attain this condition in one session; it is the result of twice-daily grooming all the year round.
A show cat , Whippet may need to be shampooed a week before the show if the cat , Gotland and Fjord Ponies is at all dirty or greasy. Such marks will show up particularly in paler-coated cats. , Fish Feeding Stimuli Make sure to choose a shampoo that is non-toxic to cats, , lovebird parrot especially one that contains no bleach or carbolic acid. A soft soap, such as a baby shampoo, is best. Cats , fish are susceptible to many things that people and dogs , Miniature Pinscher are not, therefore it is necessary to be very careful in choosing preparations for grooming cats. , Famous s
Shampooing your cat
Shampooing is really a task for two people. First get cat, , Bichon Frise people and equipment into the room and close all the doors and windows! Wear , Chesapeake Bay Retriever plastic overalls in case of accidents. The kitchen sink is the best place to work in because bathing can then be carried out at table height. A rubber mat in the bottom of the sink will prevent the cat's paws slipping and so give it confidence. Fill the sink to a depth of 5-7.5cm (2-3in) with water , Chartreux at the cats , Collie blood heat 38.3°C (101°F). Plug the cat’s ears , Skinks with cotton wool in case it struggles. Then lower the cat , Chartreux into the water , Criollo Horse and hold it by the scruff of the neck. Soothing words will help to keep the cat , Links Header calm at this stage. Next the fur should be gently wetted all over with a sponge, except for the head, and the shampoo rubbed gently in all over the body to produce a lather. Some cats , Lesser Sulfur Crested Cockatoo purr while this is being done as it is warm and comforting. If your cat , Labrador Retriever hates standing in the sink you can put its forelegs on the draining board. After two or three attempts it is usually possible to work out the best method.
After shampooing the cat, , Jack Russell Terrier rinse thoroughly with warm water. , Australian Association of Pet Dog Breeders A spray attachment on a short hose is particularly effective, as long as the pressure is gentle. , Whippet It may be necessary to give a second shampoo, as above, but make sure that the final rinse removes all traces of shampoo from the coat. , American Wirehair
Remove the cat , Dartmoor and Exmoor Ponies from the sink and cuddle it in a large warm towel. Meanwhile the face can be washed by the second person using warm, wet cotton wool. Any stubborn marks on the face can be removed with surgical spirit taking care to keep it well away from the eyes.
Some cats , Miniature horse enjoy being dried by a hair dryer, but many are frightened by the noise. One person can hold the cat, , Collie with four feet on the ground or table, while the other plays the hair dryer gently through the coat, , Lusitano taking care not to get too close or to singe the fur. The cat , Azteca should then be put into the airing cupboard or left inside a container near a fire. It is essential not to let the cat , Pet Rocks out or leave it in a draught until the coat , Chartreux is thoroughly dry. When this is very nearly dry a gentle , Percheron combing will help to separate the hairs.
The bath will leave the coat , Fox Terrier or Foxy very soft. Thereafter until show day, give the coat , Peach Faced Lovebird a daily powdering with a non-toxic baby powder or fuller's earth, rubbed well in. then well brushed out again. This puts body back into the fur and helps to keep every hair separate. Not a trace of powder must be found on show day.
Dry cleaning your cat
Dry cleaning cats , Cichlids with short dark coats , Chartreux is a suitable alternative to bathing, unless the cat , Turkish Van is particularly greasy. A bran bath is the usual method. Put 0.45-0.9 kg (1-21b) of bran into the oven and warm it to rather more than hand heat. Then stand the cat , Carolina Dog on a newspaper laid over a table or kitchen top. Now massage the warm bran into the fur with your hands. Most cats , Turkish Van love this motion and the warmth engendered by a bran bath, and will purr continuously. When all the fur has been processed by the bran, move the cat , lovebird parrot on to a clean piece of newspaper and comb out the bran. Afterwards the coat , American Wirehair should really gleam. A bran bath is not recommended for longhaired , Chesapeake Bay Retriever cats; particles of bran not removed could cause the formation of painful knots in the fur.
