In This Chapter
- Understanding why cats groom themselves
- Appreciating the benefits of a groomed cat
- Choosing and using grooming tools
- Brushing and bathing your kitty
- Getting out what your cat gets into
- Controlling parasites
- Trimming your cat’s claws
You can lose yourself in a cat’s fur. Warm under your
fingers, glossy-sleek to your eyes, a cat’s fur can relax you, make you smile,
and ease the strain of a hard day before your feline companion even starts to
purr. In so many lovely combinations of color and pattern, of texture and
length, the coats of our cats are an inspiration to those who appreciate the
gifts of nature: a supple pelt covering a body that is itself a perfect picture
of symmetry, power, and consummate grace.
For a cat, a coat may seem a source of pride — so much does
she preen it — but it’s really much more. A healthy coat of fur can protect her
from the elements and hide her from both predator and prey. Instinctively, she
knows the importance of each hair and spends a great deal of her time cleaning
her fur in a ritual as old as cats themselves, pulling dead hair free along
with the dust from her rambles, restoring order and shine with her marvelously
adapted tongue, as rough as sandpaper and handier than any comb.
Considering how much time your cat spends grooming, do you
really even need to be involved in the process? Yes! Taking care of your cat’s
coat — as well as her claws — keeps her healthier, makes her easier to live
with, and strengthens the bond between you. With some cats, human help is a
must, for they have coats they can’t handle alone. Pushed to beautiful extremes
by selective breeding, the long silky coats of cats such as Persiansneed
constant human attention to stay mat-free, comfortable, and oh-so beautiful.
Remember
Although many pedigreed cats must have help with their grooming, all cats benefit from human intervention. After you get the hang of grooming, you both feel better for it.
Cat Tracks
Some cats need a lot more grooming than others. For information on coat types as you’re selecting a pet, see Chapter Narrowing the Choices. Your cat’s teeth need regular at-home attention as much as his coat and claws do, and we cover preventive dental care in Chapter Preventive Health Care for Your Cat. Good nutrition is important to maintaining a healthy coat, too, and for information on feeding your cat, turn to Chapter Feeding Your Cat.
Fur, the Purrfect Complement
Your cat’s coat is more than beautiful. Long or short, it
provides him with protection against the elements, insulating against both cold
weather and hot. The original coat pattern of cats is the tabby, still very
common and much beloved, and perfect for hiding a cat in the shadows of meadow
or woodland.
Technical Stuff
The protective properties of coat color are relative, of course, to the kind of life a cat leads. A dark color or pattern may be an advantage for hunting or hiding in the night, but it’s a distinct disadvantage to the cat who roams the streets of city and suburb — black isn’t as visible to drivers in the dark.
Most cats have three kinds of hair in their coat: short,
fluffy, insulating down; wiry,
mid-length awn; and longer,
straighter, protective guard. (The specialized
hairs we call “whiskers” make up a special fourth category, the vibrissae.)
Not all cats have all three kinds of hair, and even those
who do may have them in different proportions or lengths. The kinky-coated
Cornish Rex, for example, has no guard hairs at all, and its down and awn hairs
are crimped — as are its whiskers! The Persian, by contrast, has a straight
coat in which even the down hairs are long by comparison to most cats, making
the tendency to mat very pronounced.
Why Cats Groom
Cats do their best to keep every hair in order — and not
just for the sake of appearance. Grooming has a number of advantages to your
cat, including the following:
- Weatherproofing: Separating and smoothing each hair help to improve the fur’s insulating abilities, keeping both heat and cold at bay. As a cat grooms, he also distributes the oils from his skin throughout his coat, giving it a measure of waterproofing.
- Scent-marking: Grooming helps to distribute a cat’s scent across his whole body, a phenomenon very reassuring to this scent-oriented animal. Scent is so important that a cat often licks himself right after being petted, both to re-establish his own scent and to drink in yours. And that’s not the only grooming act that puts a cat’s scent where he wants it: The act of digging his claws into a fence post (outside) or sofa or cat tree (inside) not only keeps his nails sharp, but also leaves secretions from glands in his paws on the object he fancies.
- Parasite control: Although your cat can’t keep up with a major flea and tick infestation, he does his best by nibbling the pests off his body. (For more on your role in controlling fleas and ticks, see “Keeping external parasites under control,” later in this chapter.)
- Sociality: In a multicat household, especially one with littermates, you often see cats grooming each other. This behavior — which is also performed on beloved humans — is a way of reinforcing a cat’s connection to his family.
Grooming has so many benefits that you can easily see why,
next to sleeping, it’s one of the most important tasks on any cat’s list!
Cat Tracks
Changes in the condition of your cat’s coat or grooming behavior may be a sign of illness. See Chapter Preventive Health Care for Your Cat for more information.
Grooming on autopilot |
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Kittens are groomed by their mothers for the first few
weeks of their lives, but by the third week, they start grooming themselves
as all cats do, in a very particular order, licking carefully and nibbling
free any mats or dirt along the way. Whenever cats sit down to groom, they start by licking
their lips and then wetting the side of their paw, rubbing the damp paw over
the side of their face; then they repeat the same sequence of motions on the
other side. After their faces are clean, they lick their front legs,
shoulder and side, and then they hike first one hind leg straight up and then
the other in the position cat lovers know so well, cleaning their privates
and then the legs themselves. They finish the process by licking their tail
clean, starting at the base and working to the end. What a system! The end result is a beautiful cat, ready
for anything the elements have to offer.
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What’s in It for You?
Many cats live their whole lives without anyone laying a
brush on them, much less a set of nail clippers. And a bath? We must be nuts to
even suggest it! But even if your cat isn’t a high-maintenance type with silky,
long hair, helping your cat with his grooming offers some benefits to you, as well:
- Shedding: The fur you catch on a comb or brush doesn’t end up on your sofa cushions, sweater, or the cream cheese on your bagel in the morning. Please note, though, that a certain amount of cat hair just goes with sharing your life with a cat. There’s even a clever saying floating around, author unknown: “No outfit is complete without cat hair.” Funny, but true!
- Smell: Most cats are fairly fastidious, but some cats, especially unneutered males, can be a little offensive from time to time. Longhairs can get urine and feces in their fur, which can be uncomfortable — and unhealthy — for you both.
Cat Tracks
- Hairballs: More of a problem in longhaired cats than short, but still, no one likes listening to a gagging cat, and stepping on a coughed-up mass in bare feet is even less appealing! Regular grooming by you keeps the volume of fur swallowed by your cat as he grooms himself to the utmost minimum, and that means fewer hairballs on your lovely Oriental rug. (More about hairballs later in this chapter, in the sidebar “Help for hairballs.”)
- Bonding: Although your cat may not like your getting involved in his grooming at first, if you’re persistent, especially with the praise, your cat eventually comes to enjoy the time you spend together at this important task.
Cat Tracks
- Destructiveness: Keeping your cat’s claws trimmed reduces his need to scratch, because one of the reasons cats claw is to remove the worn outer casings of the nails. (For more on scratching, however, make sure you read Chapter Solving Behavior Problems.)
- Money: Good grooming saves you money in more ways than one. By reducing your cat’s need to scratch by keeping his claws in good shape, you save money on replacing things he may destroy. Grooming is also part of a preventive-care regimen: Paying attention to your pet’s body not only helps him avoid some health problems but also helps you detect signs of illness early, which is better for both your wallet and your pet. Just the contact is good — many owners don’t realize until then that their pet is losing weight or has new lumps and bumps or even open sores. The laying on of hands is a great preventive-care and bonding routine — aim to systematically touch all parts of your cat at least once per week. Getting your cat used to being touched and having his ears and mouth looked in will make the trip to the veterinarian much easier and more pleasant for all — you, your cat, and your veterinarian, too.
- Allergies: Studies have shown that good grooming, including regular baths, can help allergy sufferers cope with their pets. Some cats have allergies, too, such as to flea bites, and your attention to his grooming makes your cat’s life more comfortable.
Cat Tracks
If you’re allergic to your cat, check out Chapter A New Appreciation of the Cat for our strategies for coping with your sneezing and wheezing.
The Cat’s Meow
Keeping your cat well groomed cuts down on shedding, but if you think you’re going to be living in a cat-hair-free house, you’re seriously deluding yourself. If you’re going to live with a cat, you’re going to need something to get the fur off your clothes. You can use masking tape, wrapped around your hand with the sticky side out, but we like the lint rollers that you can always keep sticky by peeling off another layer. Some pet-supply catalogs sell these in bulk, and you can also find them at warehouse stores. Because you need to keep one in your home, your car, and your desk at work for your cat’s entire life, shopping around for a good price pays!
Tools of the Trade
A little money is involved in the collection of the right
tools to help you with your cat’s grooming. Buy high-quality tools from a
reputable pet supply outlet and keep them together so that you know where to
find them.
Tip
Gina keeps her pet-grooming supplies in a plastic container with a snap-tight lid, safe on a shelf in the hall closet. She keeps an extra comb in a drawer in the TV-room coffee table, so she can take advantage of a pet’s good mood while everyone’s watching TV.
Coat-care tools
You need a few things to keep your cat’s fur clean and neat.
Exactly what you purchase depends on your cat’s coat type.
Remember
Grooming some cats for the show ring takes a great deal of work and years of learning to get it right. If you’re really going to be competitive, work with your breeder or another mentor to learn what you need to, including show grooming. Our guidelines in this chapter are for keeping a pet cat in fine form and aren’t meant to prepare your cat for showing.
Here’s what you need for your cat:
- Short- and medium-coated cats: Start with a couple stainless-steel combs — one with very narrowly spaced teeth, called a flea comb, and one with slightly wider teeth for clearing dead hair, small mats, and debris (the package will describe it as fine). A slicker brush, with its slender, bent wires, is good for applying the finishing touches to a mat-free coat; alternatively, you can buy a grooming glove — sometimes called a hound glove — that fits over your hand, with coat-massaging nubs on the palm so that you can pet and brush at the same time.
- Wire-coated breeds: Your supplies depend on the amount of coat your pet has. Some wire-hairs have crimped hair of all three varieties (down, awn, and guard) and hence a coat that’s “normal” except for being wiry. Other cats have very little coat at all, and what they do have is primarily down and awn hairs. If your cat has a thick hair coat, you need the same equipment as for a short- or medium-haired cat. If your cat’s fur is very sparse, you need a flea comb and a soft-bristled baby brush.
- Long-coated cats: Use a pin brush — so named because it looks like a pin cushion — instead of a slicker brush and add a medium-or coarse-toothed comb to the mix, as well as the same fine-toothed comb you need for most other cats. (Depending on the thickness of your pet’s hair, a flea comb may be of little use, because it’s almost impossible to pull through your cat’s coat.) You also need a detangling spray and cornstarch or talcum powder for mats. (More on how to use the cornstarch and talcum powder later in this chapter, in the “Getting the gunk out” sidebar.)
Tip
Some combs don’t have handles, but the kind that do are probably more comfortable to use. It’s a matter of personal preference, though.
For all cats, you need shampoo. Choose one made especially
for cats, or use human baby shampoo. For long, silky coats, add a cream rinse. Cotton
balls keep ears dry while bathing, and cotton balls and swabs help with
post-bath ear care.
Caution
Do not use dog shampoos with flea-controlling chemicals on your cat — they’re toxic. Although you can use flea-control shampoo designed especially for cats, you really don’t need to: An ordinary shampoo sends fleas down the drain just as surely as one with pesticides. Not all the fleas will be rinsed away, though, so it’s a good idea to follow up with a flea comb.
Cat Tracks
Flea-control tips can be found in their own section later in this chapter, “Keeping external parasites under control.”
Nail-trim aids
Your cat keeps his claws in shape by removing the worn outer
coverings — called sheaths — and
exposing the new claw below, either by chewing the sheaths off or leaving them
in whatever he claws. (If you look closely at your cat’s scratching post,
you’ll probably find old sheaths stuck in the fabric.)
Keeping your cat’s claws trimmed is a good practice for two
reasons: First, doing so cuts down on destructiveness by removing some — but
not all — of your cat’s desire to dig his claws into objects. Second, it makes
things a little more comfortable for us thin-skinned humans to live with cats —
as anyone with a cat who likes to “knead” with claws going in and out while napping
on a lap can testify!
You have at least two choices in terms of nail trimmers: guillotine or scissors-type. Guillotine trimmers have a little oval guide into
which you slip your pet’s nail and a blade that extends into that guide after
you squeeze the trimmer. The scissors-type works like scissors, not
surprisingly, with the nail going between two small, crescent-shaped cutting blades.
Either kind works perfectly well and is a matter of personal preference. Paul
also uses human fingernail or toenail trimmers on his cat, so you can
experiment with those, too.
You also need to pick up something to stop the bleeding
should you nick the vein in your pet’s nail. Kwik-Stop powder is available in
most pet-supply stores or catalogs.
Tip
Don’t be put off by packaging suggesting that either kind of clipper is for use on dogs — they work just fine on your cat, too. Some scissors clippers are made just for cats, but you may find these a little too small to use easily and prefer the regular “dog” clippers.
The Importance of Patience
Over the long haul, you’re going to have very little success
doing anything your cat doesn’t want you to do, so keep this in mind when
contemplating any grooming procedure.
Although some restraints on the market are designed to make
dealing with a completely uncooperative cat possible — and we cover them
elsewhere in the section “Cat + water + soap = Oh, my!” — neither one of you is
going to enjoy using them. And if you need to fight your cat to care for him,
you aren’t going to bother struggling for very long — it’s just human nature.
Still, you’d be surprised at what some cats are willing to
tolerate. Show cats, for example, are conditioned to tolerate a great deal of
grooming, traveling, and handling by strangers — and with very little fuss.
That’s what they’re used to, after all, and the show life is the only one
they’ve known. Although your cat may never display the confidence and outgoing temperament
of a seasoned show cat, you can do a lot to help him put up with some of the
same grooming routines — and maybe even learn to enjoy them. Here are some
tips:
- Start young. Get your kitten used to being handled, brushed, combed, and bathed, and prepare him for nail trimming by gently handling his paws, pushing a claw out, releasing, and praising.
- Go slowly. Introduce new routines a little bit at a time and build up your cat’s tolerance over time.
- Give yourself a fresh start. If you adopt a longhaired cat or kitten who’s matted, arrange to have him shaved down by a groomer (or maybe the shelter or adoption group) so you don’t start out your relationship by jerking on your cat’s fur. Sure, the cat looks funny, but the coat grows back quickly, and by the time it does, your cat is more used to you and to grooming.
- Reward your cat. Use treats, praise, and gentle petting to let your pet know that you approve of his behavior. You can’t make a cat do anything he doesn’t want to, so praise is the only way to go.
- Know when to call it a day. You’ll do better if you stop before your cat becomes impatient, annoyed, or afraid, but if you miss the signs — or feel yourself becoming cross — stop what you’re doing and end the session on a note of praise and petting. If you’ve really blown it, just let go and chalk it up to experience — and try again another time.
Caution
Never, never, never hold onto a cat who is becoming irritated. Most dogs will respond more like a child and not physically respond to an authority figure, but most cats will respond explosively if feeling cornered. The best thing to do is to let an annoyed cat get her way and to try again later. Failure to respect a cat’s temper can result in serious use of claws and teeth that you do not expect from your loving pet.
Cat Tracks
Are you having trouble reading your cat’s mind? The signs of a coming explosion of fear or anger are so subtle that some owners miss them. Read up on feline body language in Chapter Learning Feline Body Language.
Keeping Kitty Coats in Shape
The amount of time you spend grooming your cat’s fur depends
on a couple factors, primarily the kind of coat your cat has. With their long,
silky coats, Persians and Himalayans need daily brushing, combing, and
detangling, frequent baths, and even professional grooming on occasion (see the
sidebar “Does your cat need professional grooming?” later in this chapter). Other
longhairs, such as the Maine Coon, have coats that don’t mat quite so easily,
although they, too, need more attention than the easy-care coats of the pedigreed
or nonpedigreed shorthairs or the fine fur of some of the lighter-coated
pedigreeds, such as the Cornish Rex.
Cats with medium or short coats are fine with weekly
grooming and a bath now and then — more frequently if you have allergy
sufferers in the home or if you’re especially sensitive to finding hair
everywhere. For most cats, though, you just want to pitch in often enough to
ensure that mats aren’t forming and fannies are kept clear of debris. More
frequent attention than that is never a bad thing though, please note.
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| Figure 9-1: Sometimes it’s easiest with a long-haired cat to cut the coat short rather than struggle to remove mats. |
Combing and brushing
Short-, medium-, and wire-haired cats are a breeze to groom
after you get your cat used to the idea of being touched by grooming tools. Run
the comb through your cat’s fur, follow with the slicker brush or grooming
glove, and then step back and admire the shine!
The Cat’s Meow
One benefit of shorthaired cats: You can use a flea comb on them. Flea combs have narrowly spaced teeth that catch the little bloodsuckers where they eat: on your cat. To use one, comb with the fine comb first and then flea comb from the skin out, a tiny bit at a time, flicking the pests into a bowl of warm, sudsy water as you go. After you’re done, flush the fleas away — most of them are drowned by then anyway.
Remember
You need to realize, however, that combing fleas from your pet does not solve a flea problem. See “Keeping external parasites under control,” later in this chapter, for a total flea-control program.
For longhaired cats, a flea comb is hard to use, and
grooming is a little more involved. Here are the steps to follow:
1. Divide your cat’s coat into sections with the “medium” or “coarse” comb and work through the fur slowly and gently.
2. Repeat Step 1, but this time use the fine-toothed comb.
3. Follow with a brushing, and again work with a small section at a time, using the pin brush.
Work against the grain and then with it to put the coat back in its correct place.
4. Don’t forget lots of praise!
Pay special attention to the areas where the legs meet the
body, behind the ears, and under the tails — all places that are mat magnets
for longhaired cats. (For more on mats and other coat problems, see the sidebar
“Getting the gunk out,” later in this chapter.)
Tip
Lightly mist the part of the fur you’re brushing with a little water from a spray bottle. Doing so makes working the brush through the coat easier and helps keep the long outer coat from breaking. You can also try a commercial detangler — you’ll probably have more luck if you choose a product in a spray bottle, not an aerosol, because the hissing sound from a pressurized can isn’t going to be a hit with your cat.
If your cat’s an unneutered male, you may notice his tail on
top and near the base is greasy, with a brown secretion near the skin. This
phenomenon is called stud tail and is
a result of the excessive production of oil from a gland on the tail. (All cats
have this gland, but usually only tomcats have problems with it.) Neutering
usually solves the problem for good, but otherwise you need to control the mess
by bathing.
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| Figure 9-2: Good grooming not only keeps your cat’s fur in shape, but it also keeps her looking beautiful. |
Cat Tracks
Do you really need another reason to get your cat neutered? Unneutered toms can be really difficult to live with, for more reasons than their tail. Read up on neutering in Chapter Littering: Should Your Cat Become a Parent?.
Caution
Be aware of changes in your cat’s coat, especially patches where hair is sparse or even missing. These patches could be signs of parasites, allergies, fungal infections, or even hormonal problems — all of which need to be checked out by your veterinarian.
Cat + water + soap = Oh, my!
No matter what your cat thinks, bathing can’t kill him — or
you either, for that matter. Cats with long, silky hair need bathing as
frequently as once or twice a month; most shorthaired cats can benefit from a
sudsing every few months.
Remember
Your cat should be combed out before bathing, because mats and tangles, once wet, can never be removed — you must cut them out. If your cat will tolerate it, tuck a little piece of cotton in both ears to keep them dry (but don’t forget to fish them out later!).
Wash your cat in the sink (which is easier on your back and
gives you better leverage) and use warm water. Here’s what you need before you
even think about wetting down your cat:
- Towels: You need them to dry your cat off afterward, of course, but also put one in the bottom of the sink to give your cat some firm footing. Alternatively, you can place a small window screen in the sink to give your cat something to dig into with his claws — besides you, of course!
- Spray nozzle: Don’t make your cat stand in water: Use a gentle spray nozzle at close range to get him wet and rinse him off afterward. If your sink doesn’t have a spray attachment, buy the kind that slips over the end of the faucet. You can find them inexpensively in any home-improvement or hardware store.
- Shampoo: Use cat or human baby shampoo, never a flea soap for dogs.
To bathe your cat, follow these steps:
1. Take a firm hold of your cat at the scruff of the neck and ease him into the sink.
2. Wet him gently and thoroughly with the spray nozzle.
3. Start shampooing by working a complete ring of lather around the neck and then working back from there.
4. Rinse completely.
5. Repeat the process if he’s really dirty.
6. Follow with a cream rinse if your cat has a silky coat and then rinse again.
7. Did we mention rinsing? Rinse, and rinse again. You don’t want to leave soap or conditioner residue. At best it’ll flake off and make your cat’s coat look unsightly. At worst, prolonged exposure to bathing products may irritate your cat’s skin.
8. Towel dry and then let your cat stalk off haughtily — he’s earned it.
9. Keep him inside your warm house until he’s completely dry.
You can try to use a blow dryer on him, but doing so may prove more trouble than it’s worth. He’s already upset enough. Keep him where he’s warm and let him be.
Tip
Okay, we admit it: We make the process sound much easier than it is. Bathing your cat is never going to be the favorite activity for either one of you, but if you’re tentative, your cat will know it. Keep your grip firm, because if he senses any slackening, he’s going to make the most of the opportunity to get free. If you feel yourself losing control, just let go: Better to regroup than get slashed.
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| Figure 9-3: If you start bathing your cat when he's young, he'll always tolerate the procedure better than if he'd grown up before his first bath. |
The Cat’s Meow
Although most cats learn to tolerate bathing, especially if you start when your cat’s still a kitten, you may find putting him in a mesh bag for bathing an easier way to go. You can use the jumbo-sized ones made for running delicates through the laundry or buy one especially made for bathing cats from a pet supply store, a catalog, or an online retailer. These bags keep your cat secure while you bathe him, but remember: If he’s really opposed to the process, don’t push it. Consider a groomer instead.
Getting the gunk out |
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Many things your cat gets into — or that get onto him —
must be clipped out. Before hauling out the scissors, try some of these
techniques to fix the following problems:
Used as directed — mixed fresh, rinsed off, and discarded
afterward — this homemade solution is safe. If you’d rather deal with
something that you can safely store, however, buy a commercial deskunking
product from your veterinarian or pet-supply outlet. A final cautionary note: Cats have a lot more sense than
dogs do in avoiding skunks, so if your cat comes home sprayed, the first
thing you should do is check his rabies vaccination status — rabid skunks can
behave belligerently. If your cat is current on his shots, go ahead with the bath.
If you see any new bite wounds, however, stop and call your veterinarian
immediately, for your cat’s sake and your own. Rabies is not something to
take any chances with! |
Tip
Help for hairballs |
|
Veterinarians call them trichobezoars, but cat lovers call them “hairballs,” or, more
commonly, simply “gross.” Whatever you call them, hairballs — hair ingested
as a cat grooms himself and then vomited back up in clumps — are a normal
part of living with a cat and are usually not indicative of a health problem.
If coughing up a hairball is an intermittent event — a couple times a month
or up to once a week or so — and your cat appears otherwise normal, it’s
likely not a concern. Your veterinarian may suggest the use of a mild laxative
(mineral oil) preparation or an increase in fiber in the diet to help the
hairballs “pass” in most situations. Canned pumpkin is a great way to
increase the fiber in the diet. One or two teaspoonfuls mixed daily with
canned food or with the water from a can of tuna (for humans) will keeps
things moving nicely. You can also ask your veterinarian about some new
high-fiber foods that are designed to help keep a hairball problem to a
minimum. Don’t let your cat become a laxative junkie, however, as
daily use may tie up and decrease the absorption of important fat-soluble
vitamins. These products should not be used more than twice weekly except on advice
of your veterinarian. Instead of changing your cat’s diet, consider combing
him more frequently to remove excess hair. If your cat’s pattern of coughing up the occasional
hairball changes, make an appointment with your veterinarian to find out why. |
Keeping external parasites under control
Fleas, ticks, and ear mites are more than annoying — they
can be a serious health risk, especially to cats who are very young, old, or
feeble.
Persistence is the name of the game in controlling external
parasites. The good news: Means of controlling some of these pests have
improved in the last decade and especially in the last couple years.
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| Figure 9-4: Fleas and ticks never go away, but you can keep them under control with regular attention. |
Flea control
If you have a massive flea infestation, you need to have a
game plan. You need to treat your pet and his environment. You must treat to
kill biting adult fleas, and you must treat to keep developing fleas from
reaching adulthood. You need to do all you can to keep flea populations
manageable with regular vacuuming of pet areas and regular washing of pet
bedding.
Once you have fleas under control, you’ll probably be able
to keep them that way by using a topical medication (such as Frontline or
Advantage) available from your veterinarian. These new products have proven to
be very safe and reliable.
Remember
Environmental flea control is very difficult if your cat is free to roam where he pleases. Treating your own yard is worthless when you have an outdoor cat, because he’s just as likely to pick up fleas from other yards or other cats. For these cats, a topical medication from the veterinarian is your first — and likely only — line of defense. If you’re starting from . . . er . . . scratch with a houseful of fleas, here’s a battle plan to help you get the infestation under control:
- Treat your house. Treat either with a spray or a fogger that contains both a quick-kill component, to kill adult fleas, and an insect growth regulator (IGR), which keeps immature fleas from developing. You’ll need to repeat the treatment in two weeks. Alternatively, you can use a borate powder, which kills fleas by dehydrating them. Check with your veterinarian for product recommendations and follow directions carefully.
- Treat your pet. For indoor cats, the Program monthly liquid or pill can handle long-term flea-control once you have rid your home of the pest. Because it doesn’t kill adult fleas, though, you likely aren’t going to be satisfied with its results on its own if you don’t start with a flea-free environment. The product works by transmitting a chemical that prevents the eggs laid by the biting flea from developing. Tip: Add the liquid to a little tuna juice to encourage your pet to lap up all the medication. Two other products, Frontline and Advantage, work on killing adult fleas. The products are liquids that are applied externally between the shoulder blades. Depending on where you live — most humid places are a year-round flea paradise — Frontline or Advantage may be all you need for flea contol. You can also use a flea comb frequently (see the section “Combing and brushing,” earlier in this chapter), but skip flea collars, sprays, and powders — they’re not as effective as newer forms of flea control.
Tip
The things that haven’t been shown to work — although a great deal of money is spent on them every year — include electronic flea collars and various nutritional supplements such as garlic, brewer’s yeast, and vitamin B. Any evidence as to their efficacy is purely anecdotal and has not stood up to scientific scrutiny. The best “natural” flea control remedies on the market are already in your house: your washing machine and vacuum cleaner. Weekly washings of pet bedding and daily vacuuming of pet sleeping areas do a great deal to help reduce flea populations.
Remember
Flea-control efforts fail if pet owners put only minimal and sporadic effort into them. Such efforts always leave populations of either adult or developing fleas safe to reinfest treated areas. Work with your veterinarian to get the right product and right schedule for keeping fleas under control.
Caution
Flea control efforts can turn dangerous if you use too many products and in the wrong combinations. Always read directions carefully, making sure that the product is safe for the use you intend, as well as around other pets in your home. If in doubt, talk to your veterinarian about your entire flea-control program. Especially if your cat’s a kitten, ill, or elderly, talk to your veterinarian first about which products and combinations are safe and effective.
Are those . . . pimples? |
|
If you’re grooming your cat on a regular schedule, you’ll
find you’re more observant of changes in his body, such as the subtle weight
loss that can be a sign of illness. However, you don’t need to be overly
observant to notice feline acne,
which is just what it sounds like: pimples or blackheads on the chin of your
cat. Most classic acne cases occur in cats who are simply not good chin
groomers. (Like people, some cats are just not as fastidious as others.) Be
aware, though, that many things can contribute to the development and
severity of feline acne and other conditions that mimic it. The root of the problem can be as difficult to pin down as
to treat. A few possibilities include the following:
You need to take your cat to your veterinarian to work out
the exact problem and the correct treatment. The area needs to be kept
washed, at the very least — but don’t squeeze the blemishes! You may also get
prescription creams and pills. If you’re following your veterinarian’s directions
and the problem shows no sign of improvement within a couple weeks, discuss a
referral to a dermatology specialist. The good news is that feline acne is more of an aesthetic
dilemma than a serious health concern. As long as the area doesn’t become
infected, your cat won’t be bothered by the blemishes. The other cats won’t
make fun of him — honest. |
Ear mites
A small amount of wax in your cat’s ears is perfectly normal
and can easily be cleaned out with mineral oil on a cotton ball or swab. But if
your pet’s ears appear filthy, he’s probably got ear mites — highly infectious
little pests that feed on the lining of the ear canals.
You need to see your veterinarian to be sure that it is
indeed ear mites you are dealing with and, if so, to get effective therapy.
Because of their highly contagious nature, ear mites are
especially common in shelter cats and kittens. One hard-luck kitty can infest a
whole shelter.
Remember
Ear mites can be really difficult to shake, so be persistent. Use any medication your veterinarian gives you for as long as is recommended. Sometimes people stop when they no longer see signs of the mites. Developing mites are then free to grow up and reproduce. Mite medication needs to be given for a period long enough to break the reproductive cycle, so don’t stop medicating your cat early.
Cats can also get dirty ears, or infections. Cleaning ears
out every couple of weeks with a cotton ball and an ear-cleaning solution from
your veterinarian — do not use rubbing alcohol — will keep your pet’s ears in fine
shape.
Ticks
Your cat picks up ticks in his rambles and usually dispenses
with them himself while grooming, but occasionally you find one of the bloodsucking
beasties in a place your cat can’t get to easily, such as at the base of his
ear. You probably feel the tick first as a bump while petting your cat and see
it as a dark attachment. (The size varies depending on the species of tick and how
much of your pet’s blood it has sucked in.)
Caution
Don’t touch a tick with your bare fingers. Ticks can infect you with Lyme disease if you’re bitten and the tick attaches itself. Use a glove, tweezers, or a tick remover. Grasp the body firmly and pull with a steady motion. Wrap the tick in toilet tissues and flush, or if you see more than one, drop them into a small bowl of rubbing alcohol and then flush the lot after you’re done. Don’t worry if a piece of the imbedded head remains behind: It works its way out in time — just put a little antiseptic on the spot to prevent infection and keep an eye on the area until it’s healed
Tip
If your cat has a chronic problem with ticks, make sure you’re using a topical flea-control medication from your veterinarian that’s also effective at controlling ticks.
Clipping Your Cat’s Claws
The hardest part of clipping your cat’s claws is getting
your cat to cooperate — remember what we said elsewhere in this chapter about patience!
If you get only one claw done a night, don’t worry about it, because you can
get through them all soon enough.
To clip your cat’s nails, push gently on his pad to expose
the nail. In the center is a pink area coming partway down: This area is a
vein, called the quick, and you want
to avoid it to prevent bleeding. Slide your clipper to a spot just beyond the
pink and squeeze the tool with a smooth, strong motion. If you can’t see the
quick, just cut the “hook” off the nail, and you should be fine. Don’t forget
to praise your pet for being tolerant.
 |
| Figure 9-5: A scissors-type trimmer is one of the tools you can use to keep your cat’s claws clipped. Be patient and gentle, and reward your cat with treats and praise for cooperating. |
Tip
In pet-supply outlets, you find full-body restraints designed to make nail- trimming and medicating easier. Some of these are quite clever, with openings that allow you to get at one paw at a time while keeping your pet gently immobilized. These devices are fine if you can’t get the job done any other way, but we think your cat would prefer you to work with him slowly and gently to teach him to put up with claw-clipping instead.
Does your cat need professional grooming? |
|
If you have a longhaired cat, you may find that the mats
get out of hand from time to time, and if this happens, we feel that your cat
is better off being clipped down. You can try this yourself, but your
relationship with your cat is probably better off if you have a professional
do the dirty work. Cat skin is loose, and it’s easy to nick if you don’t know
what you’re doing. You may also want to schedule regular professional
grooming for longhaired beauties if you find that you just can’t keep up.
Same goes if you can’t seem to keep areas that get dirty, such as the region
under the tail, clipped down. Ask your veterinarian or breeder for a recommendation to a
professional groomer and check out the setup before dropping your cat off.
You want to make sure that your pet is kept apart from dogs for his own peace
of mind and separate from other cats for his health. A groomer who’s used to
working with cats — and enjoys working with cats — has a facility that makes
their stay there as safe and comfortable as possible. Also consider mobile groomers, who bathe and groom your
pet in a van in front of your home or in your driveway with no other animals
around. Should your cat be sedated for grooming? Discuss this with
your veterinarian. In general, cats should be sedated only when under a veterinarian’s
care. |
by Gina Spadafori and Paul D. Pion
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