Tip: if your cat is not grooming something is wrong
Domestic cats are hardwired to groom themselves daily. In fact, it could be more than once daily so if you don’t see it something could be wrong which needs attention. It is a nice cat health tip for the vigilant cat guardian.
If she is developing mats or her coat feels oily this is a potential warning sign that something is wrong. Perhaps she is feeling unwell and/or is depressed.
She may be overweight and therefore unable to twist sufficiently to access her back and backside.
Need to brush
It is always good – and some would say obligatory – for cat guardians brush or comb their cat. I use a flea comb which is very fine but it serves a double purpose: a check for fleas and to groom him at the same time. His single coat makes it easy. Thick longhaired coats should be brushed and thinned out with the proper tool. Flea combing long haired cats should be done with considerable care otherwise it pulls and hurts the cat.
Once mats develop they can be very hard to remove and they may have to be shaved off by veterinary staff.
| Useful links |
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| Anxiety - reduce it |
| FULL Maine Coon guide - lots of pages |
| Children and cats - important |
Not need to bath unless necessary
As for baths, these are not recommended unless you’re taking your long haired cat to a cat show or something untoward has happened which has deposited something unpleasant on her coat.
Bathing a cat removes the cat’s scent so it is essentially detrimental in my opinion unless it is a necessity for health reasons.
Lion cut is okay
The lion cut can be useful in hot climates and for elderly cats who can’t, or no longer want, to groom themselves. Grooming cats is nice for both the person (if done sensitively) and the cat but it is primarily done for the health of the cat. I am told that longhaired cats are more sensitive to touch which explains why, in general, long haired cats don’t like to be brushed. But it is necessary to avoid mats.
