Coat Care for Cats: Silky Fur for Gentle Paws
No matter if it's a long-haired Persian cat or a short-haired house tiger: Good coat care for cats is the basis of healthy skin. Every day, your cat's body produces new hair while old, dead hair is shed. A well-groomed coat not only looks nice but also promotes blood circulation in the skin, prevents parasite infestations, and makes it easier for you to recognize skin problems early. Regular brushing also prevents your cat from swallowing excessive amounts of hair.
Even if your furry friend cleans its coat several times a day with its rough tongue, you can support it with a few tips and tricks in coat care.
The Right Brush
To find the suitable brush for your cat, you should know how your cat's coat is structured. Like many animals, cats have what is called guard hair, beneath which lies the undercoat. Depending on the breed, the undercoat can be more or less dense - the guard hair longer or shorter. In any case, it's important to have equipment for cat fur. The hair structure differs significantly from human hair, so you should avoid using your brush when it comes to coat care.
Depending on the length of the fur, you will need different brushes and combs. While short-haired cats can manage with simple, soft brushes, an Angora might need a brush with metal bristles. The best combination is a mix of soft and harder brushes: with the latter, you can remove loose hair, while the former ensures smooth fur. Cat combs help to untangle coarse mats. Ideally, these should be made of wood; plastic can create static in the fur.
The Shedding Season - Every Year Again
All cat parents know it: When the apartment and clothing are adorned with a sea of cat hair and even the best team of vacuum cleaner and lint roller can no longer keep up, the next shedding season is surely around the corner. Twice a year, your furry friend changes its coat between the light summer fur and a dense, warm winter coat. This change occurs in spring and autumn and is essentially the normal hair growth cycle in cats - just in an accelerated form.
During the approximately 8-week shedding period, particularly intensive care is necessary. You should brush your cat at least once a day during this time - long-haired breeds preferably even more often. In addition to brushing, you can also support your furry friend nutritionally. Healthy oils like salmon or flaxseed oil usually have a positive effect on the shedding process and coat health. Such oils can be fed to your cat year-round, thereby preventing coat and skin problems.
Probier's doch mal hiermit!
Stress-Free Coat Care - Here's How
To ensure that daily coat care for your house tiger doesn't become a stressful act, you should gradually get them used to this procedure. Snatching your cat and brushing away is not a good idea, as these gentle four-legged friends are generally skeptical of new things.
Let your furry friend sniff the brushes and combs at first. Meanwhile, you can also pet them or associate the contact with a treat so that your cat connects these items with a good feeling. Then, carefully start to run a soft brush through your cat's fur without applying pressure. If they seem uncertain or withdraw from the situation, try again later. Only reward your cat with a treat at the end if they allow themselves to be brushed without fleeing.
To make it as pleasant as possible for your cat, you should never brush against the direction of growth. Apply as little pressure as possible, as there is a risk of injury with harder bristles. If your four-legged friend is new to your home, you should first gain their trust before starting to brush. Once your cat has gotten used to it, coat care is a perfect opportunity to strengthen the bond with your beloved and regularly pamper them with a massage.
