How To Care For Cat Hair?

Like human hair, a lustrous coat is a sign of health in felines and other domestic animals. Therefore, so much attention is paid to this parameter in pets.

Pet owners can go crazy trying to figure out how to care for their cats’ hair. It is a tricky subject, since these felines are very meticulous with their fur.

Therefore, questions such as the following arise: what products should I use for their care? Is it necessary to follow a specific routine? Relax, because we answer these questions and many more here.

How to care for the hair in cats?

If something is true, it is that cats are very clean animals that take care of their own hair care. However, you can always help them take care of themselves. So, below we will discuss a series of essential steps in the routine of hair care in cats.

Types of hair in cats

Before designing a hair routine, it is important to know what type of hair the animal has to avoid wrong practices. Cat hair is roughly classified as follows:

• Long. The Persian cat is the most representative.
• Semi-long. The Burmese cat is the clearest example.
• Short. The Russian blue cat or the British shorthair cat.

Each breed determines the type of hair that cats have. The “short hair” and “long hair” variants are not breeds in themselves, but they are useful groupings to encompass the different types of domestic cats. Depending on which of them the feline is, the routine will vary.

Daily brushing

One of the most frequent problems that cat owners have to face are hairballs. During grooming, cats ingest their own surface hair. This accumulates in the stomach, as they cannot digest it. In the end, intestinal hairballs are generated that can cause severe gastric problems.

An essential solution to combat this problem is brushing. Brushing the cat removes excess hair, which prevents ingestion. For this reason, it is recommended to brush the cat at least once a day. Still, depending on the type of hair, the frequency will vary.

For example, long-haired cats need daily brushing throughout the year. However, the same does not happen with those with short hair. These last cats require a daily brushing in the molting season (change of hair). This time period usually coincides with the initial months of summer and autumn.

However, it is advisable to keep brushing throughout the year. Also, apart from brushing, you can find other solutions to the problem of hairballs. One of them is the administration of nutritional supplements with malt paste.

Choosing the right brush or comb

Once we have made clear the importance of brushing, it is time to choose a comb. This step, although it seems simple, is essential. In accordance with this, the wide variety of cat brushes on the market must be analyzed. Depending on the breed, brushing and brushing frequency will vary.

In the case of cats with long and semi-long hair, the most indicated is a curved metal bristle brush. For example, the coat of the Persian breed requires daily maintenance. As for the fur of short-haired cats, a rubber brush is essential. Although, if the cat’s fur is dense, the brush should be metallic with blunt bristles.

It is also helpful to get a comb to finish the job and not damage the hair. Meanwhile, the fur of cats without hair or with a fine hair needs another type of care. Mainly, a special rubber pad is used. In this way, being very sensitive animals, their skin is protected.

How to brush a cat

It is essential that the cat gets used to brushing and brushing from an early age. To do this, it is advisable to follow the following steps:

1. Get used to the brush. The cat has to smell it and satisfy its curiosity about this new object.
2. Begin brushing very gently. First the loin and then the sides.
3. During brushing, you can talk to the animal and say sweet things to it. In addition, it is convenient to pet it from time to time.
4. Give it a treat after brushing. It is a positive reinforcement associated with this habit.
5. Maintain the styling routine. If you can, brush it several times a day.
6. Have a lot of patience. When starting out, it is better to keep time short. As you get used to it, it can be increased.

Products suitable for cats

Although dogs do require baths from time to time, it is different for cats. As has been seen, cats are neat and take care of their own hygiene. However, young cats can get used to bathing.

In this case, the products used must be suitable for cats. Products designed for humans should never be used, as their pH and needs are different. Also, they can cause skin problems.

At its core, caring for cat hair is a relatively simple task. However, you must follow the steps mentioned above. In this way, the cat will be happy to have help to take care of its fur and the owner will be happy to have a healthy and cheerful feline companion.