To properly groom your cat use a mild cat shampoo or mild soap and rinse your cat well. Dry the fur well with a towel and never allow your cat to be in a draft while it is still wet. If you want to properly groom your cat use a double sink to speed things up. Never bathe a sick cat.
To properly groom your cat you will need to learn how to clip its claws at least once a week. Less frequent trimmings are possible but not if you want to preserve the living room furniture or your knees! As soon as your cat's claws start to hurt you or the couch use a special cat claw clippers NOT regular scissors as they can damage your cat's claws.
Claw clipping is typically a two-person job but you can attempt to hold your cat on the floor between your knees - pulling it to your side with one front paw in your hand. Press on the toes till the claw surfaces and then clip it carefully. You can properly groom your cat including claw clipping with a bit of patience and practice.
Wow, we're almost done! The next step to properly groom your cat is to clean and examine its ears. Ears can accumulate a lot of dirt and bacteria. You should check and clean them once every other week. The ears can be cleaned using a cotton swab soaked in hydrogen peroxide. Be very careful and never injure the ears. To properly groom your cat make sure to stay at the entrance to the ear. If you see any excessive earwax, redness or black spots talk to your veterinarian.
Correct eye care is also important if you want to properly groom your cat. Examine the eyes which must be bright with no tearing or excess mucus. Use a damp cotton ball to remove any discharge from around the eyes. To properly groom your cat make sure the eyes are protected from steam, water soap and other chemicals.
If the eyes are red, inflamed or cloudy or show signs of a discharge or injury take your cat to the veterinarian immediately. Learning how to properly groom your cat may save his life but most of all it will keep your cat healthy, happy and pampered - just the way Fluffy or Fred likes it!
