As cat parents, we all want to see our little fur balls all clean and adorable. Even though cats are fully capable of grooming themselves, it’s still important to help them out. You may have thought about brushing your pet friend every once in a while, but do cats like it when you brush them? If you have doubts over this, I will share all that you might be curious about.
Sometimes, cats are not comfortable with being handled in general. Most of the time, these cats may dislike brushing their coats out of fear. But with enough patience, time, and a little extra attention, your cat should start liking it eventually. On the other hand, some cats will love their parents brushing them from the start.
Now that you know that some cats just need to get over their fear of being handled, you may be wondering how you should brush your cat. As a responsible cat parent, using the correct ways and tools for brushing can mean a lot for your cat. So in the rest of the article, I will discuss all that you might need to know about brushing your cat.
How Should You Brush Your Cat?
Your little kitty grooming itself can be a super adorable sight to behold, but sometimes helping out may be a wise choice. From gentle brushing to rewarding them, there are so many ways that help brushing your cat.
So, if you want to start a habit of brushing your cat’s coat regularly, it’s a good time to start. Here’s a general brushing outline that you can follow:
Make Your Cat Comfortable
The first step is to make sure your cat is comfortable and receptive to being handled. If you are not sure whether your cat is comfortable with getting brushed, start at the areas where it likes to be touched. Usually, such areas will be between their ears, under the chin, or on their back.
To make your pet relaxed, begin with some gentle pats or light strokes in the areas they like to be touched. Make sure to keep a close eye on whether they are receptive to it. Rather than holding them down, let them move freely.
Gently Brush The Fur In the Natural Direction
If your cat seems relaxed so far, you can begin brushing. Be gentle and concentrate on a single area at a time. I highly advise not to brush against the direction of your cat’s coat.
Most cats are not a fan of such motion and you may earn yourself a scratch. So the best way is to brush the fur in its natural direction.
Slowly Venture Further
Soon your cat should feel comfortable with being brushed, so slowly ease your way into brushing the more sensitive areas – stomach or the rear end. But do take note of any signs of over stimulation. Your cat will let you know if it starts feeling uncomfortable.
A few signs include – dilated pupils, lashing or flicking tail, staring, hisses or low growls, flattened eats, and an overall tensed body. If your cat shows any of these signs, it’s best to stop brushing them before your cat shows agitation. But if your cat is tolerating the brushing without much problems for 60 seconds or so, and slowly work your way up.
Reward Your Cat
When you brush your cat, reward or treat it with some soothing tones or catnip for the hard work. You can also reward a special treat or a bit of play after the brushing session to associate the session with fun and food.
For some extra finishing touches, you can use a soft chamois to wipe the fur. The cloth removes any dead hair and adds sheen to your cat’s coat.
How Long Should You Brush Your Cat?
The time will depend largely on how long your cats tolerate it. If your cat enjoys brushing their coat, you can brush it for about 5 to 10 minutes.
Sometimes, people are not sure about how long they should brush their cats. It’s easy to forget how much time has passed when you keep getting more and more hair on the brush. So if you are afraid that you are brushing your cat too much, a specific amount of time should help.
However, there’s no amount of time set in stone as to how long you should brush your cat. The frequency of the action is dependent on how much fur your cat has and your schedule.
If your cat does not enjoy it as much, it’s best to brush it only until it won’t tolerate it anymore. Keep an eye out for any sign of discomfort from your cat. If it seems tense or keeps turning around, just let them go. Rather than trying to brush it for longer, try to do it more consistently if it is shedding a lot.
How Often Should You Brush Your Cat?
Cats with long hair should be brushed once or twice per day, whereas cats with shorter hair should be brushed once to three times a week.
One of the biggest mistakes cat parents make is not brushing their cats. Your cat may be grooming itself constantly, but it may not be enough. When it has grown older, there’s too much hair for it to take care of alone. So cats will need an extra hand to get rid of the excess hair. But if you are planning on doing it once in a while, that won’t suffice for your cat either.
For your little feline friend’s hygiene purposes, brushing their hair often is a must. Believe me, it’s not only a responsibility but for the best comfort of your cat.
What Should You Brush Your Cat With?
Nowadays, a huge variety of brushes and combs for grooming cats are available in the market. The most commonly used ones are pin brushes, combs, bristle brushes, and flea combs.
I know how confusing it may be to choose just one for your cat. However, getting the right comb or brush is quite important. Bristle brushes, and flea combs are the most popular among all.
If you want, you can go for dual-sided brushes with a soft bristle brush on one side and a finer pin brush on the other. This brush is a great choice for most cats. If you have a fluffy cat, the pin brush can help with matted coats and tangles. Then use the bristle brush to brush your cat thoroughly to remove all the excess hair and make the coat look healthy and shiny again.
If your cat seems extremely sensitive and does not like being brushed, you can use a grooming mitt or soft rubber brushes. For long-haired cats, pin brushes are the best choice. The pin brush can move through the coat rather than just going over it. For short-haired cats, a bristle brush with soft bristles is the best option.
Flea combs have their teeth placed close together so they can easily pull out any fleas from the coat. But it’s best to use these combs after brushing the coat free from any tangles. If you are still confused about which brush or comb may work best for your cat, the best option is to consult with your local groomer. Feel free to visit your local groomer and ask for some advice.
Conclusion
Many cat parents find it surprising that they need to brush their cat’s coat. If you came to know this recently as well, you might have a question about whether cats like it when you brush them or not.
In the article on do cats like it when you brush them, I mentioned that cats may or may not like brushing their hair. But it’s not hard to ease them into it and I shared all the know-how as well. Thank you for reading.
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