|
|||
 |
|||
           |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
| A Day of Beauty is the Cat's Meow By Howard G. Bedor The Myth of the Self-Sufficient Cat Most urban cat owners believe that unless a cat has what is considered a "long coat" it would rarely, if ever, need any assistance. My experience as a professional cat groomer, making house calls to clients, as well as working as the official cat groomer at the Madison Square Garden Cat Show in New York City, has led me to believe that all indoor cats, regardless of their coat length or age, can lead a healthier, longer life if they get a little help from their friends. I make house calls to celebrities such as Judy Collins, Wendy Wasserstein, artist Frank Stella, and a host of others, to help maintain their fabulous felines' coats. Sometimes a veterinarian calls me in particularly severe situations when a cat has badly matted fur. Other times I use techniques so that the cat doesn't have to be sedated. Here are some of my professional tricks of the trade, which will help you when you groom your own feline. Cat owners are not routinely made aware of how important regular grooming is for their cat's health and happiness. Only when their pet develops problems such as irritations, skin sores, or blockage in the small intestine, does an owner become aware of the importance of regular grooming. What's Under the Fur? Before starting to regularly groom your cat there are some things every cat owner should know about their cat's anatomy. Human skin is approximately one-eighth of an inch thick. A dog's is approximately thirty-two one hundreds of an inch thick. The skin on the back and sides of your cat is roughly sixteen one hundreds of an inch. The skin on the stomach of your cat is only about four one hundreds of an inch, just one quarter the thickness of the skin on its back and sides. You may not know that male cats, just like female cats, have several pairs of nipples on their stomach. The average adult cat has two hundred forty bones in its body, depending on the length of its tail, which is an extension of its spine. You can hold a cat gently but firmly in only three places, while it is squirming, to prevent injury: across its shoulders, hips, or chest (using the palm of your hand). A cat's coat, regardless of its length, is light sensitive, which means that the more light it is exposed to, the more your cat will shed. The average shorthaired cat sheds as much as a longhaired cat. You may not be able to detect this, unless of course it winds up on your favorite jacket. Cats kept indoors tend to shed more than outdoor cats because of the artificial light in the home at night. The Essential Tools Not all grooming tools on the market will do the job properly or will feel good to your cat. Many of these items are designed for small dogs and the convenience of the cat owner, rather than for a cat and its special needs. Use common sense. The less intimidating the implements and equipment look and feel, the more comfortable they will be for your cat. Try out the brush or comb on the inside of your forearm. Would you use it on yourself? If it doesn't feel good against your own skin, why would you want to use it on a thin-skinned feline. With the right tools you can reduce the chance of discomfort, pain, or even bleeding as well as more serious accidents. It is important to remember that while a dog has nails, a cat has claws. While a canine's nails are round and blunt, a cat's claws are flat, curved, and pointed, and so must be trimmed in a different manner. Underneath each claw is a toe pad. To extend the claws, place a finger in the center of the bottom of the paw and press gently. Although many people press down on the knuckles, it is very uncomfortable for the cat. You should never attempt to trim a cat's claws with a trimmer designed for a canine nail. My preference is a cat claw trimmer that has an edge designed specifically for a cat's claws, which is held together with a screw so that I can adjust the movement. Each claw contains a quick or vein. When you trim the claw think of "tipping" it, only removing the pointed tip of the claw. In this way there will be very little chance of nicking the quick and causing your cat discomfort or bleeding. There are two types of grooming which have been imprinted on your cat's memory. Auto grooming is the term for your cat grooming itself. Allo grooming is what you do�your grooming ought to mimic what your cat's mother did when it was just a kitten. Selecting the proper combing or brushing implement can be important in terms of whether your cat will even allow you to comb or brush it. I prefer a metal comb with a Teflon coating that has one-inch long teeth and a tear-shaped handle. The tips of the teeth should be blunt, to prevent scratching the cat's skin. The only time I would recommend the use of a comb with pointed teeth is when a cat's coat is matted or knotted and it becomes necessary to use the points to work apart the mat. Combs come in primarily three types of teeth spacing: wide (or coarse), medium, and fine. For the majority of cats you will need to use either the medium or fine-spaced comb, however, with some variations in coat length, both sizes will be needed. I also find a small "face comb," which has half-inch teeth and a two-inch spine, very useful. When the cat has been thoroughly combed, which takes about five to ten minutes working at the cat's pace, it's ready for brushing. I like a brush that can be used on any part of the cat's body without causing pain. I recommend using two kinds of brushes for the job. First, I go over the coat with a soft rubber brush, which has a groove that makes it easy to work on the legs and tail. Then I use an oval-shaped brush with a flexible back. The teeth of the brush should be metal and tipped in plastic. Cat Bath Once the cat has had its claws trimmed and has been thoroughly combed and brushed it is ready for a bath. Cats that live primarily indoors are dirtier than cats that are outside. Think about it. A cat that is outside is naturally bathed to a certain extent by dew and rain. An indoor pet is subjected to all the dust in a home but doesn't get that weekly vacuum, feather dusting, or polish. Contrary to popular belief, I have found that cats actually like to be bathed if handled gently and firmly. Your cat should be bathed once a month. When washing your cat think of how you would bathe a three-month-old child, not only in terms of handling it, but also in terms of the water temperature. The water should be lukewarm to the touch. In my many years as a professional cat groomer I have discovered that between its first and third bath a cat will learn to enjoy the feel of the water against its skin. I have bathed many cats in their late teens and early twenties who had never been bathed before and they have all learned to accept it. You should have the following equipment on hand: If you think that you will have a problem with your cat during the bathing process, I recommend having it done by a professional first. Arrange to watch and learn so that you can do it yourself the next time. Manhattan-based Howard Bedor is an authority on feline grooming. He served as the official cat groomer for five Madison Square Garden Cat Shows and lectures regularly. |
|