Cats need to be brushed regularly. However, I think there are many things that you can't do well because you hate it or hide it. In this article, we will tell you how to properly brush your cat. If you are an owner who wants to brush your cat well, please read it.
Cats need brushing! What does brushing mean?
Cats need to be brushed regularly. There are many owners who do not brush because they think that they do not need to brush their hair because they are grooming themselves. Cats groom by skillfully using the rough projections (filiform papillae) on their tongues like combs. Of course, it is possible to remove a certain amount of hair loss and to control the temperature using the heat of vaporization, but it is not enough. Therefore, people need to use a brush to brush them. For brushing- remove unwanted hair
- Prevention of folliculitis
- Communication tool
- find abnormalities in the body
- can clean the room
remove unwanted hair
It can remove hair that cannot be removed by the cat's own grooming. When you actually try brushing, it seems that there are many people who have experienced hair falling out so much that they think, "This is it!" If unnecessary hair remains, heat will be trapped and pilling will occur. Once a pill is formed, it cannot be removed by the cat itself, and must be removed by a person using clippers. Especially in senior cats, brushing is essential because they often have body pain and are not well groomed.Prevention of folliculitis
Hairballs are a digestive ailment caused by swallowed fur. Normally, most of the hair swallowed by grooming is excreted as faeces. Some of them regurgitate and take it out of the body, but if the amount of swallowed hair is large, it may stay in the stomach. In that case, you will not be able to vomit well, and you will accumulate more...a vicious circle. It can also cause chronic vomiting and loss of appetite, or it can get stuck in the intestines and cause an intestinal obstruction. Hairballs can also be caused by excessive grooming, such as itching and stress. Accumulated hairballs and clogged hairballs can be removed using drugs, as well as using an endoscope or laparotomy.Communication tool
For cats who like brushing, they show a pleasant and enchanted expression. Also, there are children who snuggle up to me when I show them a brush and say, "Brush it!" Appropriate physical contact is a good communication tool.find abnormalities in the body
By brushing, you can directly observe the condition of the coat and skin, so you can detect any abnormalities in the body at an early stage.- skinny, fat
- Presence or absence of a tumor
- Hair condition (sticky, hair loss, etc.)
- Skin problems (Are there any wounds? Are there any fleas or ticks?)
- Presence or absence of pain
can clean the room
This is convenient for people, but brushing helps keep the room clean by reducing the amount of hair that falls on the floor. In fact, in a certain cat cafe, in response to the question, "Why aren't the furs flying around when there are so many cats?" was answering.
You can do it right away! Cat brushing practice
Start brushing your cat by stroking it with your hands instead of using a brush. Doing so will make you feel safer and less alert. After that, hold the brush and gently brush the entire body from the back of the neck to the buttocks. If you hold down the neck of the lying cat, you can do it stably without moving the body. The head and under the chin are areas where the cat cannot groom itself, and these are preferred areas, so please be gentle with them. Then lightly lift the front leg and brush both sides from the armpit to the back leg. Since the hair of the tail comes off easily, it is done from the base to the tip at once and carefully. Many children instinctively dislike it because the skin on their tummy is soft and there are organs underneath. So don't force yourself to do it. You can use water or brushing spray because you don't like static electricity.If you have hairballs
If there is a pill, do not pull it forcibly. Hold the hair bundle around the pilling area and loosen it with your hands. If the ball is too large, use clippers or scissors to remove it from the root. However, there are many accidents where the skin is cut at the same time, so if it is difficult, ask a veterinary hospital or trimming store to handle it. And from the next time onwards, let's brush firmly so that there is no pilling.What to do when you don't like it
Biting, running away... Cats often dislike brushing. When you don't like it, if you force it down and do it, it will become even worse. Also, cats are not very good at doing things over a long period of time. Therefore, the point is to start with short periods of time at a time when you are relaxed, such as when you are sleepy. Also, when they do well, you can praise them by saying, “You did a good job, ○○-chan!” and give them a snack. By doing it from a kitten, there are many things that come to like brushing.How often do you brush?
Long-haired dogs should be brushed every day, and short-haired dogs should be brushed once every 2-3 days. If you do it many times because it will come off a lot, you will lose the necessary hair, so try to keep it for about 5 to 10 minutes at a time. During the moulting period, you may want to increase the frequency according to the condition of your cat. Even if you finish brushing, the hair will fall out, so you may think that there is no end to it, but that is okay.Recommended brushing for cats
With so many cat brushes out there, it can be difficult to know which one to choose. The recommended brush for beginners is a glove-type rubber brush. There are many children who do not dislike it because it can be done with the sense of touch. For daily use, the slicker brush is recommended. The slicker brush is a type of brush with densely packed fine metal pins that are bent in the shape of a letter "K". If it is a soft type with rubber on the tip, it will not easily scratch the skin. A stainless steel comb is a good way to finish your brushing. In long-haired breeds, it is sometimes used to loosen hairballs.
