Grooming your cat

Why hardly any cat needs a groomer

Because it washes itself, and very well. A cat spends a considerable part of the day grooming, and its tongue, covered in tiny spines, works like a comb that pulls out dead hair and spreads the oil from the skin. On a shorthaired cat, all brushing adds is less hair on the sofa and fewer hairballs brought up. So for the vast majority of breeds and for the ordinary moggy, the grooming cost is zero, and there is no need to bath it unless it gets covered in something it should not lick.

The exceptions, which cost money

They are few and very specific. The Persian, the Himalayan and, to a lesser extent, the Exotic have such a dense coat that they cannot keep it up on their own: without daily brushing, mats form close to the skin that pull, hurt and end up needing to be shaved off, sometimes under sedation at the clinic. Semi-longhaired breeds, such as the Maine Coon, the Norwegian Forest Cat or the Ragdoll, manage well most of the year but mat when they moult, especially behind the ears, in the armpits and on the hindquarters. And hairless cats, such as the Sphynx, need regular baths because their skin builds up the oil that hair absorbs in other cats.

What a cat groomer does

The usual is a bath with cat shampoo, drying, deshedding (removing dead undercoat with special tools), nail trimming and, if needed, a hygiene clip around the rear or the so-called lion cut when the coat is badly matted. It is best to choose a groomer who works with cats often, because handling them is nothing like handling a dog: short sessions, no loud powerful dryers and no forcing. If the cat will not let them or the mats are very close to the skin, the safe option is for the vet to do it under sedation.

What you can do at home

Almost everything. A long-toothed metal comb and a bristle or rubber brush deal with most cases, and a rubber glove is enough for a short coat. The key is how often, not how hard: a couple of minutes a day with a treat afterwards works far better than a long weekly session with the cat trying to escape. Start with the areas it likes (cheeks, back) and leave the belly and legs for when it trusts you. And never cut a mat close to a cat’s skin with scissors: its skin is thin and stretchy and it is very easy to cut it.

If you are choosing a breed

Look at this figure before you decide. A Persian is a calm, affectionate cat, but its coat is a daily commitment for fifteen years, and if you cannot manage it, the cat suffers. If you like the look of a long coat but do not have the time, there are semi-longhaired breeds that are much easier to keep. And if what you want is less hair around the house, remember that no cat is truly hypoallergenic: the protein that causes allergy is in the saliva and skin, not in the length of the coat.