Cat Q&A

People might be surprised at just how much fur one cat can actually shed. Long-haired breeds produce a lot of fur, but even short-haired cats can shed astonishing volumes of the stuff. Is there anything you can do to keep the situation under control?

Keeping your cat’s coat in good shape can be an important way to make your little companion happy and comfortable. The first key is, of course, good nutrition. You’ll notice, on regular veterinary visits, that the vet can tell a lot about the cat’s health just by seeing how shiny and healthy the coat is. Much of that good health comes from within, from the food consumed.

It’s also important that you do your part to keeping your cat well groomed. Regular brushing or combing with the right cat grooming tools will not only stimulate the cat’s skin, promoting circulation and good fur growth, but it will loosen fur that’s ready to shed. You can gather handfuls that might otherwise go into kitty’s tummy. And while some cats aren’t thrilled about being brushed, others love it so much that they lie down and stretch in ecstasy.

But even with regular combing, sometimes you will see that mats will form. These can accumulate in regions where the cat cannot wash itself easily: the base of the tail, the inside of the back legs, and so forth. Mats can even form in areas where the cat lies down, for instance, down their right side if they most often recline on that side.

Some of these mats, being made of dead, loose fur, come loose fairly easily if worked at with a brush or even the fingers. Be careful, though, not to pull at them too hard, in case you really hurt the skin. But other mats get too large or well anchored to come off without a lot of work. And some simply have to be cut out.

However, if you get too close to the skin with scissors, you could cut the skin itself, and you don’t want to risk that for poor kitty. One surprisingly good tool for dealing with mats is a small, shielded razor-style letter opener. Sometimes these can be slipped right under the mat, and the razor edge inside will slice through the fur.

The key thing is that the cat’s fur is maintained in good condition. By brushing and keeping it mat-free, you can help reduce hairballs, promote healthy growth, and give your kitty a lovely coat it can be pleased with.

Pets are an important part of our lives and their well being is a priority. So when it comes to pet grooming information we want the best, most current and most reliable sources of information available. Whether it’s tips for dog or cat grooming you’re looking for, visit the Pets Grooming site.

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