Whether you bought your Persian cat as a show cat or simply as a house pet, the fact is that Persians need more grooming than the average cat and that responsibility falls upon you. If you don't know where to start with learning how to groom your cat then this article is for you. We've put together some of the most pertinent information you need to know when it comes to grooming your cat. Persian cats are not particularly easy to maintain, although the trouble is worth it when one considers their beauty. There is a whole host of merchandise available when it comes to pet grooming these days and you are free to buy as much as you like. Generally though, the bear essentials needed for grooming and bathing your cat include a brush, blunt ended scissors, toothbrush, shampoo, sponge or wash cloth and a few towels.
Before you begin grooming your cat its important to be organized. This will help you to relax and be in control of what you re doing during the whole process. Cats, like all other animals are sensitive to the emotions we give off. If you are nervous it is likely to make your cat feel the same way which in turn will end up making the whole bathing and grooming process a lot more difficult. If you've just bought a Persian kitten you should aim to have it in the bath tub at the latest by three months of age. This allows your cat to get used to the process as it gets older making things easier for you. Once you've established a routine stick to it, that way your cat knows what to expect and will remain calm throughout the grooming process. You should try to give your cat a complete bath and trim at least once a week although with a Persian if you want to keep its coat in great shape then you really need to set aside a few minutes each day to comb out any matts in the hair.
Giving your Persian cat a regular bath is the core activity of the day to day grooming process. Regularity is the key bathing as the more your cat gets used to it the less resistant he is likely to be to the whole process. Place your cat gently but firmly in a bath of lukewarm water. Too hot or too cold and you're likely to cause resistance in your cat or even injure it. The water needs to be well worked into the cat before you start to apply the shampoo. Initially this can be difficult as the cat does not have the patience to stay in the bath tub but with practice things should get easier. Choosing a shampoo may involve some experimentation on your part to see what your cat likes but generally any cat shampoo or even a shampoo with a no tears formula designed for children works fine. Work the shampoo in gently with your hands or a sponge but be careful not to vigorously scrub. Once this is done the only thing left to do is give the coat a good few rinses to get out any shampoo and gently pat your cat dry with a towel.
To dry the coat of your Persian cat you need a hair dryer to be used on its lowest setting. This is important as using a higher setting will likely irritate your cat. Place your cat on a specially prepared grooming table and begin to use the dryer very gently will combing out the hair. Once you can feel that the hair is dry then you can begin to trim off any excess hair from around the body and face using trimming scissors or thinning scissors. Cats have a tendency to get inpatient at this point so its important you remain firm in keeping your cat on the grooming table. Take special interest in grooming excess hair off from around the face and ears of the cat.
Trimming the nails & ears is important not only because it looks good but improves the hygiene of the cat in general. Firstly you should have a specially prepared grooming area which is both comfortable for you and the cat. Place your cat on the table and give the face & ears a quick wipe with a slightly wet piece of cloth. Begin to separate tufts of hair around the ears and cut of excess hair around the ears. Be careful not to accidentally cut into the ear leather as this can happen given the thickness of the Persians hair. One way of avoiding this is to make sure the ears are wet before you start to cut which makes it easier to distinguish between the hair and leather. Similarly, it is easier to clip a cat's nails when it is wet, although you have to exercise great caution when doing this part of the grooming process. In general cats do not like to have their paws held and you should also not cut too much of the nail off as this is likely to cause your cat pain.
Andrew Paine is a Persian cat lover and webmaster of white-persian-cats.com Please follow the link for more information on Persian cats
