The Benefits of Routine Cat Brushing

Spring is a good time to talk about good grooming habits!

Now, I know you think us cats do a very good job at grooming ourselves, and we do – up to a point. In fact depending upon whether we are short-haired or long-haired, or if we are senior kitties – we can use some help along the way.

Seasonal shedding is most evident in the Spring when it is triggered by longer days and more sleeping in the sun, one of my favorite activities!

This is a great time to put into place some good grooming habits on a daily or weekly basis – specifically brushing our fur coats! There are different brushes for you to choose from – we use a double-sided mitt.

How to Brush Your Cat’s Coat

Always brush in the same direction as our fur and, if your kitty can handle the noise, some humans will use a hair blower (on a low, cool setting) to help dislodge some of the loose hair by blowing the fur in the wrong direction. But do not brush in the wrong direction if you don’t want to get a swipe with claws extended!

How Often to Brush Your Cat’s Coat

Let’s discuss long-haired cats – those beauties need to be brushed daily just to keep up with the tangles. There is no way FLUFFY can manage all that fur! if you don’t spend a few minutes each day brushing your cat, those tangles will turn to mats which can lead to terrible health issues over time. There is no debate here, if you cannot commit to daily brushings – DO NOT adopt a long-hair cat.

Short-hair cats and their pet parents have it easier – generally 2-3 brushings a week do a great job of keeping up with the loose fur. Cats and humans both shed fur/hair everyday naturally. You don’t ingest your hair – so no chance of hairballs for you!

There is no more horrible sound to mom than me trying to dislodge that hairball that has been growing for a while…so it is a good idea to help by brushing away as much of the loose fur as possible!!

Mom says the real benefit beyond the obvious of routine brushing is the bond that deepens between us and our humans. From the time you adopt us, you need to groom us and get us used to being “handled”.

I know there are some of us kitties who are “more difficult” to grab and handle but it is so important to try to conquer it as heaven-forbid there was an emergency, you want to be able to get control over your panicky feline. Brushing is a great way to get your cat used to having your hands on him/her.

After all you are TOP cat in the house and you show your love by petting, caressing and grooming us.

I like being brushed – it’s relaxing and calming – mom even throws in a little massage at the end – just running her thumbs and fingers down the length of my spine and body several times in a row. Very nice!

Wellness Benefits of Brushing Your Cat

• Brushing improves circulation by stimulating the skin and contributes to the health of the fur by distributing our natural oils throughout.

• It is a good time to check for any skin irritation or wound…even though Beau and I are indoor cats, we rumble and tumble and there have been some nips and bites once in a while!

• If your cat goes outside – it’s also a good time to check for fleas and ticks.

Lastly about our senior cats…as we age we might not be able to groom ourselves the way we did when we were younger…so we are definitely going to need a little more help as time goes on.