Let's Talk About Cats

Let’s talk about CATS baby, let’s talk about you and me, let’s talk about Cats.

Ok enough of my obsession with 80's-90''s Pop/Rap music.... Let’s get serious here. Cats are very serious creatures. They do not take anything lightly. Trust me, I am a cat groomer. I know this first hand. Even being silly, they take being silly seriously, it has to be on their terms, not yours. You cannot make a cat do anything it does not want to do. They are nothing like a dog. The only thing we have going for us as humans is the the art of distraction, and that doesn;t last that long, so you better be quick.

However, with that said, CATS NEED TO BE GROOMED. Now I am not just saying this because I am a groomer. Well I am a groomer, but …..cats do need assistance with grooming. Here is the breakdown.

Cats have skin and coat on their bodies like most animals. Their coat and skin have oils. Oils attract dirt and debris. The dirt and debris need to be removed or it will build up over time causing matts. Cat hair will felt up, and will become completely felted to their skin with out proper care. NEVER NEVER TAKE a scissor to a knotted cat, the rist of slicing skin is very real, and dangerous.

Cats are self-cleaning, you say, Cats hate water you say…. Well I beg to differ. Cats can be taught to enjoy a bath as much as the next guy if it is not a painful experience.

When your cat self-cleans, where does all that dirt and oil go? Yep you guessed it, into their digestive tract along with the matted hairs that were stuck to it. This creates those disgusting hair balls that makes your cat throw up or worse causes intestinal blockages.

Like any other pet; Cats require care from their owners, and grooming is part of that care. Brushing and combing regularly should be done at home from when your cat is a kitten, as well as baths and blow drying. Your other choice is to seek professional assistance by finding a cat groomer (Me! Me! Me! waving my hands in the air)

What if you acquire your cat as an adult and it is not amicable to any type of home or salon grooming? Then your only option is to seek out veterinary grooming where your cat can be sedated and groomed safely.

But back to the cats that can be groomed without sedation, even if acquired as an adult cat. Nails must be trimmed, ears cleaned and dead under coat removed.

Now we have all seen the silly photos of the cat with the Lion Clip and the face that says “I hate my human” This is just one style of hair cut a cat can have. A true cat groomer can do a variety of styles depending on the length and condition of your cats’ coat. Of course the disposition of your cat will be the main determining factor of what kind of groom if at all your groomer will be able to perform.

You can take your cats in for Bath and Brush outs, and no hair cutting at all. Or you can do minimal trimming like pads and sanitary areas.

I don’t like to EVER remove or trim whiskers, the end 3/4 of the tail and the front legs from the elbow down. Cats have glands and important sensitive hairs that send messages to the brain in those areas that help them judge distances, spaces and more. A hair cut should not render a cat unable to function as a cat.

I believe cats can have fun and funky hair styles. They can be dyed creatively, shaved into dragons and made to look like Lions. It all depends on you and your cat. My grand cat White, lives with me, he’s a bit of a beastie. He enjoys a good comb out, the occasional shower and blow dry while I am getting shower and blow dry, but he doesn’t go for that foo foo stuff. Believe me I’ve tried. He would rather hold my mouse hostage while I try and blog about grooming and he naps which he taks very seriously.