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Keeping Kitty Cute and Clean
By Sara Schmidt
If you are a cat lover, you probably already know that your cat is typically one clean critter. Most cats bathe every day, and generally keep themselves very neat and tidy. But sometimes things happen-your toddler wads a piece of candy in Tiger's fur, or perhaps Fluffy is simply getting too old to really keep himself clean-and human intervention is needed.
Here are some tips on the best way to keep your cat clean and happy, as well as the best products to use for your companion.
Rub-a-Dub Dub
Fully bathing your cat isn't usually necessary unless he becomes filthy somehow (perhaps falling into a mud puddle, or has a memorable encounter with a skunk) or gets fleas. Even if these conditions are not present, bathing your cat may still be something you simply wish to do, and can be a good experience that allows you to connect with kitty.
Using a sink as a washtub to make kitty feel more enclosed and secure, place a folded-up towel down and fill it with only a few inches-no more than four-of warm water. Using a large plastic cup, get kitty wet from the neck down, taking care to avoid his ears especially.
Shampoo him according to the directions on the bottle; you shouldn't need much. Be sure to use a specific shampoo recommended by your vet; each cat is different and has different needs. Whatever you do, don't use human shampoo which can irritate his skin. Rinse him out very thoroughly, and finish by drying him up with a towel (not a hair dryer, which can be dangerous.)
If your cat is very old or a stray you picked up with hoards of fleas and mats, the best choice may be to simply take him to the vet, followed by the groomer.
De-Clumping
If your cat get a clump, or mat, in his fur, the best way to remove it is to simply cut it off. While some mats can be removed with a comb made specifically for cats, if they are that loose to begin with Boots probably could have untangled himself by now. If you want to try brushing, hold the mat closest to kitty's skin and gradually brush, from the outermost tip of fur in, toward the mat, slowly thinning it out.
Brushing does take time and can be painful; snipping the mat away is fast and frees your cat quickly. To do this, get a pair of short, blunt scissors. You may also wish to have a friend hold kitty down gently during the procedure so he doesn't cause you to accidentally cut him. Holding the mat with your fingers as close to your cat's skin as possible, snip it off above your fingers. You may not be able to get the whole thing; that's okay. By removing the worst of it, you may enable your cat to take care of it himself-or it may simply unravel on its own during your cat's activities.
Never cut below your fingers to avoid cutting your cat. While you may be tempted to use sharper scissors for a more efficient cut, don't give into the temptation; those can also nick kitty and cause him to bleed, probably doing even more harm than the mat was in the first place! A pair of blunt child's scissors should do the job nicely.
De-Greasing
If kitty manages to get into some candy, grease, or other sticky substance that he just can't rid himself of, cornstarch is the cheapest and most efficient way to get him clean. Just rub it over the substance gently until it becomes loose and easy to remove with a cat brush. Once again, the help of a friend may come in handy if kitty protests. Don't worry about harming kitty with this; the cornstarch feels much like his own sandpapery tongue and may even relax him.