Even though cats seem to spend half their time grooming themselves, licking and cleaning like a fastidious mother at a church picnic, you should still help out a little bit. Just a few minutes of combing or brushing can help prevent matted hair or fur balls. In addition, grooming is a great time to check your cat for fleas, ticks, skin problems, or any new bumps or lumps that you might want your vet to check out.

Start the grooming session with your hands. This gets the cat comfortable, and is your chance to do a health exam. Then move to the tools. When you first begin to groom your cat, start with a soft brush. As you and your cat get used to grooming, you can try a stiffer brush or a comb. Brush or comb in the direction of your cat’s hair, and BE GENTLE. Cats have sensitive skin, and if you irritate it, their sharp claws will make you feel like you’re the one with sensitive skin. The brush or comb should remove minor tangles as well as dead hair. Using a shedding blade after brushing will get the rest of the dead hair. And if you want to be really slick, get a grooming glove for the final step. The glove lets you use a human touch to spread your cat’s natural oils throughout its fur.


How often should you groom? If your cat has short hair, once a week is plenty. For longer haired cats, sometimes you might need to groom two or three times per week.






We’ve tried to find the best sources we can for the information above, but you should always consult a veterinarian, professional trainer or other expert.