You are viewing entries tagged 'hair'.
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My current cat Ed is a sweet, affectionate creature. One morning, I awoke to him grooming my head and he hasn’t looked back since. If my hair is anywhere in his reach, he pounces on it and starts a slow, rhythmic process of licking my locks.
I assumed this was some sort of expression of his love for me and it may be. Cats groom each other as a sign of comfort and bonding (you’re unlikely to see two cats who despise each other grooming each other). Especially if your cat is kneading and purring while doing this, it is likely to be a sign of contentment and acceptance. Or, it could be the shampoo you use – you never know with cats.
Kelly is a dog columnist and pet writer. She lives in the Boston-area with her three pit bulls and one neurotic cat. |
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You know that sound – as you’re sitting, playing on your computer there comes a hacking noise from your cat behind you. It’s somehow different that other kinds of coughing – you can hear him straining to get something foreign out over and over.
It’s hairball time. Almost all cats get hairballs, some more often than others. Long-haired cats like Himalayans tend to be most prone.
There’s not too much you can do once your cat has a hairball. You can gently push on his stomach to help get it out. But prevention is best. Try feeding a food specially formulated for hairballs, try Petromalt on a regular basis or try a home remedy such as pumpkin. Even brushing his teeth can help to keep them at bay. |
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If you have a kitten, the sooner you start getting her used to being brushed, bathed, and having her nails cut, the easier it will be on both of you down the road. Once a kitten becomes accustomed to standing for brushing and the sensation of the brush and her nails being exposed and clipped, then there is no trauma or drama about it. If you have a grown cat who has not had a good foundation in being groomed, it will be an ongoing effort to get her to relax and maybe even one day enjoy the pampering! |
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Take it easy on your cat’s tail when grooming him. Cats are particularly sensitive about their tails and generally do not like having them touched. Keep that in mind when you are grooming the tail, especially of a long-haired cat, so that you can move swiftly and extra-gently when brushing it. |
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A cat experiencing stress, even a small dose of it, will shed automatically as a response. Since we know how long the list of stress factors for cats is, this can happen quite frequently and your cat will need some extra brushing help from you. So if you know that your cat has recently been in a stressful situation (your absence, going to the vet, household visitors, etc.) then jump right in with some extra brush strokes and attention. |
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The process of shedding creates a lot of excess hair for the cat to lick and swallow. Without grooming help from you – especially during the two shedding times when a lot of hair is ingested – your cat can wind up with uncomfortable hairballs from all that swallowed hair. |
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Don’t make grooming sessions too long with a cat. It is far better to groom one half of your cat in one session and the rest later on or on another day. Each cat is different, but if your cat can only tolerate so much petting, then grooming is not going to be her favorite pastime. Respect your cat’s patience level and don’t push your luck. |
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Why do you need to groom an animal who spends a third of his or her waking hours doing that very thing? There are good reasons why your cat will benefit if you brush him or her regularly. Long-haired cats need the most help keeping their coats in tip-top condition, but even short-haired cats benefit from the strokes from your brush that stimulate the skin and help loosen the dead cells and hair. |
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Outdoor cats naturally shed twice a year (in preparation for winter and for summer) since they are exposed to the outdoors and the natural changes in the light and temperature. A completely indoor cat will not have those two major sheddings twice a year because he or she lives in artificial light and a more consistent year-round temperature, so sheds moderately but continuously. |
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