Is it possible to groom cats? Reasons for and against, how to do it correctly, types of haircuts, benefits and harms

Hygienic, high-quality care for pets is called grooming.
The complex of care measures includes combing out excess undercoat, haircut (sometimes shaving), bathing, cleaning the ears and plaque from the teeth, trimming and sealing the tips of the claws. Compared to dogs, cats require less maintenance to keep them hygienically clean. Many veterinarians believe that cats do not need partial or complete hair trimming, since such a procedure can cause more harm than good. And they recommend cutting your pet’s hair only when necessary.

Why shouldn't you cut cats?

Cats do not need a haircut: their fur creates a protective function, regulating body temperature and saving the paw pads from various injuries. These animals “wash themselves” by licking themselves and their relatives; combing itself with claws, thereby preventing the formation of tangles.

If the owner believes that his pet is suffering from the summer heat, then there is no need to rush into cutting it. It is enough to provide the cat with a cool place, for example in the bathroom, under an air conditioner, and you should also make sure that there are several bowls of water in the house.

Situations in the wild when cats deliberately deprive their relatives of their whiskers

As it became clear, whiskers are an important sensory organ; naturally, whiskers are well aware of this, so in nature there are situations when cats deliberately pull out the whiskers of their relatives. First of all, we are talking about a fight, then rivals may try to deprive each other of their mustaches precisely because they are so important. Their loss automatically means the cat is weak and becomes more vulnerable. In disputes over territory in the wild, this situation is not uncommon.

Science also knows of cases where a mother cat chewed off the whiskers of her children. This was due to the fact that she did not want the babies to leave the makeshift “nest” prematurely. A kitten whose ability to navigate due to deformation of its whiskers was weakened more often remained near its mother, because It’s warm around her and, most importantly, safe. New vibrissae grew within six months. And all this time the kitten was forced to stay near the parent. Despite the fact that the mother cat had good intentions in such situations, such behavior still has more of a negative impact than a positive one.

It is forbidden to trim the whiskers of cats (or cats), this action is akin to depriving a person of one of his senses. Whiskers play an important role in a cat's life and their loss can lead to sad consequences, the severity of which varies from being in a bad mood to losing orientation in space.

Reasons why it is not advisable to cut your cat's hair

The opinions of veterinarians vary, but on some points they are unanimous:

The process of shearing is a strong shock and stress for the animal. As a result, a decrease in the body's immune defense may occur.
Due to frequent haircuts, the coat becomes thinner, which contributes to the formation of tangles more frequently.
Constant haircuts can change the color, structure of the coat and undercoat. It becomes dull and brittle.
The cat's skin becomes drier, often causes itching and leads to scratching, which will then have to be treated for a long time.

Veterinarians strongly do not recommend cutting cats with short-haired breeds or those with medium-length hair:

Burmese,
Maine Coon,
Norwegian forest cats,
redgolls,
Siberian cats,
Turkish Angoras.

Their fur has a special structure and differs significantly from other species: it consists of two layers and has different hair lengths. A hairless cat can easily become overheated or hypothermic.

Information about Persian cats

Cats of this breed are quite impressionable, so before starting the procedure, it is better to first find a video on the Internet on how to trim a Persian cat at home.

For Persian cats, a haircut similar to that of a lion is used.

To groom cats of this breed, it is better to involve assistants who will help calm the animal. For Persian cats, they use a haircut similar to that of a lion - the head, tail and paws are left unchanged, this is a classic hairstyle for representatives of this breed.

When is a cat's haircut necessary?

There are situations when a four-legged friend really needs to cut his fur coat. Let's look at the main ones:

When a cat has a large number of mats of different sizes. Combing the animal in such cases may not always give results, since the tangles very quickly form dense wool balls, which are easier to cut out. In addition to being unsightly, tangles cause discomfort and health problems for your pet. By tightening the skin, they interfere with blood flow and cause itching. After all, by their nature, cats are very clean; they will try to get rid of the formed tangles on their own, scratching and gnawing out the lumps. But this is dangerous for the pet - he may accidentally swallow a hairball, which can block the passage in the digestive tract or cause severe vomiting.
Skin disease. It can be recognized by the appearance of weeping ulcers on the skin. The thick coat will make it difficult to treat with medications and will not provide adequate ventilation.
Long molting. It can be caused by various reasons from skin problems to metabolic disorders. It is worth consulting a doctor in a timely manner.
One of the family members has a wool allergy. But this method of getting rid of wool in the house is ineffective. After cutting, the amount of hair will decrease in volume, but if a person has an acute allergic reaction to wool, then the number of hairs on the pet’s body does not matter. We will have to look for other ways to combat allergies.

There are some cats that physically cannot take care of themselves. This is mainly due to age. Their fur will look dirty and unkempt, so it's best to keep it trimmed.

The consequences of cutting or shaving

When dehairing a furry friend, the owner must be prepared to deal with the consequences of their actions. If you decide to shave or trim your cat, there is a high risk of encountering a violation of thermoregulation. The fur of cats performs the same functions as clothing for humans. In cold weather it retains heat and in hot weather it prevents overheating. Forced deprivation of natural protection can cause colds, dermatological diseases, burns and heat stroke.

Another trouble is problems with orientation. Vibrissae are located throughout the animal’s body, helping it navigate in space day and night.

Their removal leads to insecurity, excessive caution or sudden attacks of aggression. The animal may hide under sofas, in closets, or suffer from stress

The desire to get a cat with an unusual appearance or lack of time for proper care leads to disastrous consequences. The long-haired beauty becomes an incomprehensible ball of fur with curly hair, prone to the formation of tangles, and yesterday’s quiet and neat girl vindictively leaves traces of her life activity throughout the house, not forgetting about the “gifts” in the owner’s bed. This behavior is justified by stress - not all pets are loyal to interference in their personal space.

References to the fact that felines are very hot in summer cause ironic smiles among veterinarians. Most lovers of cat haircuts cannot answer the legitimate question of why owners don’t shave their heads and eyebrows in hot weather. Groomers' recommendations to trim long-haired breeds twice a year do not indicate care, but a desire to increase their own income.

Types of haircuts for cats

A special hygienic haircut is carried out no more than twice a year, so as not to damage the structure of the coat and skin. If the cat must participate in an exhibition, the last haircut is done no later than six months before the event.

Trimming is usually done with a special clipper, leaving a hair length of approximately 3-3.5 millimeters. After this procedure, the animal’s skin becomes soft and velvety to the touch.

It is not advisable to cut your cat’s hair on your own, since a high-quality result will require many special tools:

different types of hairdressing scissors,
hair clipper,
set of combs

It is forbidden to cut cats completely, that is, bald. This will disrupt the heat exchange process and can soon cause serious skin irritation.

Therefore, when grooming an animal, it is necessary to leave at least a minimum length of hair to protect it from sunburn or hypothermia.

Description and photo

Sometimes, for stylish reasons, show cats are given a model look by experimenting with types of trimming. There are many options for such haircuts now, but let’s look at the most popular ones:

"Puma" - short hair on the body, and the head looks like a lion's mane;
“Dragon” is a curly haircut in which hairs are left along the line of the spine, and various figures or symbols are cut from them;
“Golfies” - hair is removed only on the upper part of the paws.

How does haircut affect animals?

Is it possible to cut a cat's hair without causing any changes, and how will cutting it at home affect the pet's behavior?

Haircut significantly affects hair growth

Almost all long-haired breeds change coat color, becoming darker or lighter. It happens that haircut significantly affects the growth of fur, sometimes this process accelerates, and in some cases, on the contrary, it becomes slower, and in rare cases it stops growth completely.

How to trim or shave a pet?

There is nothing complicated in grooming a cat if you follow the rules and sequence of actions:

Nail trimming. The claws are trimmed with special tweezers, having been disinfected in advance. When you lightly press the paw pads, the hidden claws will extend. The owner will need to trim only the very ends.
To begin with, you may need an assistant - he will hold the animal, preventing it from running away. Some cats react aggressively to the appearance of grooming tools. For the safety of the owner and the pet itself, it is worth putting a special plastic collar on the animal that does not allow it to bite.
The cat is laid on its side, its paws are fixed. To cut, you need a machine or scissors. The machine will help avoid damage to the skin, but can be frightening with its buzzing.
First, the hair is removed from the sides, and then moved to the back and belly. You need to remove hair as it grows, and in the opposite direction. Hair that remains long after cutting with a clipper can be trimmed with nail scissors. There must be a tassel on the tail.
At the end of the procedure, the pet must be bathed with a special shampoo for cats, and then dried with a towel. If your pet is not afraid of a hair dryer, it can also be used for drying. But veterinarians still recommend going to a professional groomer. Because he is a competent and qualified specialist. He will do the haircut quickly and without any damage.

When performing a haircut of any shape, there are certain rules:

in order not to damage the mustache and hair in the ears, the hair on the head, muzzle and in the auricle is not cut;
“socks” are left on the lower part of the legs;
the hairs of the front legs under the elbow and from the hind legs under the jumping joint are not removed;
the hair is left at the end of the tail (a section at least 3 cm long must be left uncut).

Is it worth shaving cats in the heat: how to help our smaller brothers

Let's say thank you to Facebook: more and more aspects of other people's private lives are becoming public knowledge - and there is no need to peek through the keyhole. So, for example, short-haired cats and female cats—cats, as they are usually called on the Internet—filled all friend feeds in the summer. Cropped cats look, perhaps, strange: something very similar to how medieval artists depicted lions - a fluffy head, paws and a naked body with a tassel on the tail. To collect mi-mi-mi-likes on social networks - just right? Do the animals themselves need a fashionable haircut?

- Long-haired cats definitely need to be cut. For example, Persian, Siberian cats or Maine Coons - for them this is a normal hygiene procedure. During the molting period, tangles often form, resulting in the fur coat not allowing air to pass through. And it is best to do this in the summer, so that the animal can more easily endure the heat. There is no stress for the animal: the velor layer grows in about a week, so the cat will not walk around with bare skin,” felinologist Angelina Sirotina assured MK.

However, when you look at shaved cats, you get a different impression: sometimes it seems that the shaved Persian, once proud and friendly, is now embarrassed to appear in public in an inappropriate manner. The devil will understand what's going on in a cat's head... In any case, such experiments are definitely not worth doing on other breeds: according to a felinologist, for the British, for example, just regular combing and periodic washing is enough (cats, by the way, also need to be washed with both shampoo and conditioner for easy combing and soft hair!). Other experts believe that a tangle cutter and a brush will suffice when caring for furry beauties.

“I don’t recommend shaving Maine Coons,” felinologist and breeder Galina Shelyakina explained in a conversation with an MK correspondent. “Their fur grows quite poorly; this process can take two years. I believe that the animal will be uncomfortable in winter, although in principle they tolerate shaving just fine if they are not wet or placed on wet surfaces. But in general, wool provides additional thermoregulation, so sometimes it is better to leave the animal as is.

To make life easier for a pet in the heat, other, reversible methods have been invented in the 21st century. For example, special cooling mats, collars or even blankets with hydrogel. They maintain a temperature of 17–18 degrees, which is comfortable for the animal. In addition, you can use a popular life hack: moisten a cloth with water and tie it on the animal’s head like a bandana - however, you must be careful that water does not get into the cat’s ears (and not every cat will agree to wear a hat).

Dogs suffer in the heat no less than their meowing colleagues. The worst thing at high temperatures is for animals with black fur, short-haired and hairless pets (they can simply burn in the sun), as well as dogs with a flat face - they have difficulty breathing. We are talking about pugs, bulldogs, Rottweilers and other breeds. Decorative dogs that have poor thermoregulation, such as Chihuahuas, are also at risk. In addition, pets with thick undercoat, such as huskies, huskies, and malamutes, do not tolerate heat well. On the other hand, there are breeds that can tolerate moderately high temperatures completely painlessly: Yorkies, poodles, Italian greyhounds. It gets a little hard in the summer for older dogs and sick animals.

You can understand that an animal is overheated by various signs. To cool down a little, a dog can stick out its tongue and breathe very quickly, because there are few sweat glands in its body. In addition, she drinks a lot and refuses to eat, the dog is lethargic, apathetic, and slow. If you don’t help the poor animal in any way, then the symptoms will be even more serious - breathing will become shallow, the pulse will be thready, the tongue will turn blue, the eyes will turn red... These signs indicate serious overheating.

Veterinarians advise not to take things to extremes, but to provide first aid to the dog. You need to put the pet on its side, wet its paws, back of the head and stomach, and measure its temperature. The procedure is not the most pleasant for both the owner and the animal - the thermometer is inserted rectally. If the temperature is above 39.5, then you need to continue to cool the poor thing by covering it with cold towels until the thermometer reads 38.5. If the dog has lost consciousness, it should be wrapped in a cold towel and immediately taken to the veterinarian.

To make your four-legged friend feel good in the heat, you can follow a few simple rules - prevention is sometimes the best cure. The simplest and most obvious thing is not to walk your dog during the hottest time of the day. There is no need to drag her into the heat from 11 am to 5 pm. If you really want to go out during the day, then walk in the shade or on the shore of a pond, but no longer than 15 minutes. If possible, it is better not to drag your dog along hot asphalt or paving stones - unfortunately, he is not allowed platform sandals, and the skin of his paws will be painful. Or actually buy her boots. Veterinarians advise not to wear a muzzle in hot weather - it makes breathing difficult, and to wear a light blanket made of light fabric on brunette dogs. Naturally, your pet should always have water in his bowl. It is better to feed light and low-fat foods twice a day. On the other hand, you don’t need to freeze the animal very much - don’t leave it on a cold tiled floor under air conditioners, don’t throw it suddenly into cold water - in general, everything is like with people. And the last piece of advice that owners often forget is to not tie up the dog in the sun or leave it in a stuffy, locked car.

Benefits and harms

Like any grooming procedure, cat trimming has its positive and negative properties. Let's look at them in detail.

Pros:

Relief from heat and health problems. There is a very common stereotype that representatives of long-haired breeds suffer from heat, especially during the hot season.
It is necessary to cut a cat if for some reason (for example, due to age) it cannot care for its fur, and you do not have the opportunity to constantly care for it. All this can soon lead to a visit to the veterinarian, and in worst cases, to surgery.
Caring for a cat can also save the lives of owners who suffer from allergies or asthma. It will help eliminate the factor leading to suffocation and exacerbation of the disease.

Minuses:

Many cats have a negative attitude towards haircuts. It, like bathing, causes discomfort and stress for the cat. After this, the pet may be depressed, and due to resentment, it may even become offended and ignore the owner. Particularly proud pets can leave a “surprise” in their owner’s slippers in retaliation for an attack on their fur coat.
After cutting, the cats' hairs become a little smaller. Even the color of the animal may become lighter. If the coat is shortened too much, the animal will feel unwell and may experience dryness and loss of elasticity.
There are cases when in some areas of the skin the hair does not grow back after cutting. This means that alopecia appears. This is caused by hypothermia and improper hair growth. This condition is mainly characteristic of dogs, but there have been cases when it also occurred in cats. If baldness began to appear even before the cut, do not try to solve the problem: here you need to contact a veterinarian.

How quickly does fur grow back?

Please tell me! I'm going to cut my dog's hair because... the fur gets very dirty, and it’s hot to wear it for a walk because of the warm weather! I’m wondering how quickly the fur will grow back, how long will it take? I just want to do it quickly, and will it grow back before the summer (which I really wouldn’t want, because it will generally be hot in the summer)?

I have a question: my baby’s hair does not gather in a ponytail on his head, many hairs come out and get into his eyes, and I have to constantly re-tie it. The question is: how quickly will it grow back and what can be done to prevent them from coming out from under the elastic band? How to smooth them out? Otherwise I was already completely exhausted.

How many months is the dog? On average, wool grows 1 cm per month. If the fur is short, then you can try making the tail close to the eyes, but still, until the fur grows back, the hairs will periodically come out.

On the 19th we will be 4 months old! ))) I have already started tying it closer to the eyes, it seems easier. True, 2 days of struggle with combing. But now it seems to be in order. Can I then ask another question, maybe someone can tell me: at what age should you start twirling curlers? To be honest, I still have a hard time imagining why they are needed at all. I just want the sand to grow longer fur

Source

What to do if you accidentally hurt your cat?

Sometimes even the most careful actions can lead to injury. What to do if the cat is still injured? You should have iodine or hydrogen peroxide with cotton swabs on hand. Apply a small amount of antiseptic solution to cotton wool and gently rub the skin around the cut to stop bleeding, you can press a dry cotton swab against the wound for a few minutes.

Please note: in such an unpleasant situation, you should not panic. It is advisable to calm the animal by telling it in a quiet voice the kind words that you are used to saying in a normal situation. While grooming, you should under no circumstances raise your voice to the cat or speak in a raised voice with your partner, make sudden movements, and especially not use physical force (we are talking about hitting, pinching and other actions).

Thus, grooming a cat at home using clippers and scissors is, first of all, a hygienic event aimed at maintaining a neat appearance of the pet. If you are going to prepare your cat for a show or other important event, it is recommended to schedule a decorative haircut with a professional groomer. In clinics, decorative haircuts for cats are done using light anesthesia or sedatives. However, it should be remembered that constant exposure to such medications can adversely affect the health of your pet.

Necessary accessories and preparation for a haircut

If, nevertheless, there is an urgent need to groom a cat, but the owner is afraid of injuring the pet and is not sure that he can cope with the procedure, you can contact grooming specialists in a professional salon. This operation is also included in the price list of many veterinary clinics.

In case of self-grooming at home, the animal owner must first purchase the necessary tools and equipment and perform certain actions:

Prepare a table or wide ironing board as a grooming area.
Buy large and small scissors with rounded tips and sharp blades made of high-quality steel, a furminator.
Choose and buy a trimmer - a special machine for cutting animals. The optimal nozzle for cats is usually 3 mm. The device cannot be used on human hair, as cats have a completely different hair structure. You also need to decide on the power of the device, so for Persians it needs high (45-60 W), for semi-long-haired pets you can limit yourself to 20 W.
Make sure there is minimal stress for the cat. Thus, more powerful rotary trimmers make a lot of noise and frighten the animal; it is worth choosing a model with a mains adapter and a vibration-type motor.
The cat may need to be given sedatives the day before the procedure. It should be remembered that synthetic substances and anesthesia will harm your pet; it is better to use herbal products.
Sometimes it is advisable to use an Elizabethan collar - a special device worn around the animal’s neck. It can prevent a nervous cat from biting and injuring the groomer. A special muzzle can also help - a cap that covers the cat’s mouth and eyes.
Most likely, you will need a special machine for cutting hair on the paw pads, face, around the genitals, and in other hard-to-reach places.
It is necessary to provide thinning scissors and a massage brush to bring the hairstyle to its final shine. Also, for some (especially short-haired breeds) cats, you will need velvet for polishing, wet wipes to remove excess hair, or a special glove.
It is also worth making sure that you have on hand the means to provide first aid to your pet if an accidental injury to the skin occurs. It is better not to use alcohol-containing compounds (iodine), but to purchase hydrogen peroxide, Miramistin, Chlorhexidine, and special talc.

You should invite another person as an assistant, and the pet itself should have its claws trimmed at least 24 hours in advance.

Useful tips

To cut your cat's hair yourself, you need to know the subtleties:

You cannot cut the hair on the cat’s head, on the pads, in the ears, or shorten the whiskers. Cut hair on a pet's head can disrupt its spatial orientation. The fur in the ears performs a protective function against the penetration of dust and foreign bodies.
Sometimes after a haircut, the coat changes structure and shade. It may become darker or lighter.
Please note that the length of the regrown coat may be shorter than the previous one.
The haircut process is quite long and labor-intensive. If you do not have such experience, you should expect 2-3 hours.
It is recommended to use the machine on dry skin. When using scissors, the fur is slightly moistened and combed, then it will be easier to deal with vegetation.
Cats should not be cut too short. A few millimeters should remain to maintain natural thermoregulation and avoid skin damage.
The owner shouldn't worry. His condition is transmitted to the animal and can easily provoke stress. The cat will begin to struggle and scratch.
Nervous animals are easier to trim their fur. The hair will remain longer and the cat will worry less. Haircut against the grain greatly irritates your pet.
To alleviate nervousness, it is recommended to cut your hair in several approaches. During breaks, stroke and soothe in every possible way.
Cats have a hard time reacting to outbursts of emotion during or after grooming. This should be avoided and not made fun of by the haircut.

Why do you need to trim your nails?

First of all, this is the cat's main weapon for protection and a hunting tool.
On the streets of the city, the animal has many enemies, from whom only teeth and sharp claws can help. Also, the cat’s natural arsenal allows him to win the lady of his heart or climb a tall tree in case of danger. Rodents are destined to become a hearty meal for lucky hunters with sharpened nails. However, pet owners ask the question: why trim a cat’s claws if it doesn’t go outside? And how to cut it correctly so as not to harm the animal? This treatment is needed, first of all, to prevent diseases and prevent abnormal growth of claws. Sharp, long claws can cause damage if they fall from a height. Another reason is to preserve the interior decor of the room (furniture, walls, interior items) and clothing. The process of scratching household utensils leads to scandals that negatively affect the mental state of both the cat and the residents of the apartment.

Leave a request for a cat hotel

There are good reasons when to apply a haircut:

Keeping a cat at home. The animal is kept indoors only and does not go outside on its own. Because it is impossible to sharpen its claws in nature, it is forced to scratch furniture and walls, ignoring the scratching post.
Having small children in the apartment. Sharp claws pose a danger to infants and preschoolers. In the game, an animal can injure a child and cause an infection.
In case of illness or low mobility. An unhealthy cat cannot carry out hygiene activities on its own. Also, when a pet has an infantile temperament, is old or is overweight, then human help is needed.
For preventive purposes, for aesthetics. Removing the upper part of the claws is important to prevent the occurrence of purulent foci of inflammation. The procedure is mandatory when the cat participates in exhibitions, for safe bathing.

It should be remembered that trimming nails causes deep stress in the animal. Therefore, the owner must analyze all the pros and cons. The need for the procedure must outweigh the risk of problems.

What tool is needed for cutting

Grooming cats is done with two tools - a clipper and scissors. A nice and neat haircut can be achieved by alternating both tools in different areas. It is convenient to use scissors to trim what is left after the device. Cutting long hair with scissors is time-consuming and traumatic, and the result is not always neat.

Select scissors of medium size with sharp edges and rounded ends. The machine does not injure the cat, it is comfortable to work with and will require less time. My only wish is to choose a model with minimal noise so as not to frighten your pet. When working with a human machine, it is difficult to achieve straight lines. It is better to purchase a special device. For long and thick wool, its power should be at least 45 W.

To groom cats that are afraid of noise from the device, you can try a mechanical clipper. Handling it requires a certain skill so as not to injure your pet.

Additionally, for a haircut you will need:

Fine-tooth comb
Hydrogen peroxide for skin cuts
A place for cutting, such as a small table
An old towel as a bedding to collect the wool in and throw away
Cat entertainment toy

Mechanical hair clipper

Pros and cons of grooming

Supporters of pet grooming and their opponents have ongoing debates about the positive and negative aspects of grooming. Owners who are of the opinion that grooming cats of long-haired breeds is not a whim, but a necessity, are definitely right. It is advisable to carefully consider all the pros and cons before going to a cat beauty salon.

No wool deposits on upholstered furniture and clothing.
It is easier to wash your pet and there is no need to dry it with a hairdryer.
In summer, the cat does not languish from the heat.

The protests of cat owners who express a negative position regarding visiting pet hairdressing establishments are understandable. And they are based, first of all, on the fear of harming a defenseless creature. But you need to approach any event sensibly: if you eliminate all possible risks when carrying out grooming, then if the need arises, you can do a pet haircut.

Stress for a pet that is unaccustomed to interference in its life from strangers.
Possible abrasions on the cat’s body if hairdressing manipulations are performed by an unprofessional master.
Undesirable consequences of using anesthesia in case of an allergic reaction.

Do cats need to be trimmed and how often can this be done?

By providing proper care for pets, we can save them from the upcoming grooming procedure. If they still have a thick, shiny coat and their skin is healthy and elastic, then grooming will become unnecessary.

Kittens need to be accustomed to all manipulations from childhood. They should respond calmly to a comb and brush. It is recommended to brush daily. Besides being necessary, this is a useful and enjoyable massage.

But, if the fur often rolls into tangles, then experts advise cutting it as rarely as possible. Whether cats are clipped with clippers or scissors does not matter. Only a machine haircut will look more impressive and aesthetically pleasing.

From all of the above, we can conclude that grooming cats is not necessary. If there is no reason, it becomes a tribute to fashion. Don't forget about the consequences of meaningless haircuts and the stress our pets experience. Often cats become sad after they have been clipped, shiver from the cold and treat their feeder without the former enthusiasm and trust.