Keeping Up with Your Cat's Hygiene

Healthy skin and coat begin with good nutrition (see Feeding Your Cat) and parasite control (see Vaccinating Your Cat Against Infectious Diseases), but good grooming helps, too. With regular brushing or combing and perhaps an occasional bath, your cat will be the best-coiffured feline in the neighborhood.

Brushing and Combing

While brushing is essential for a longhaired cat to remove tangles and prevent matting, it's good for all cats. Brushing removes a lot of hair before it falls on your furniture and carpets or is ingested by your cat and converted to a hairball. The close attention you give “the outer cat” while grooming can also mean early detection of lumps, bumps, sores, or parasites or changes in skin or coat that could indicate a developing health problem.

You'll find lots of brushes, combs, and other grooming gadgets at your pet supply store, and the right tools make the job a lot easier. For long, thick fur, a pin brush works well. If your cat has long, silky fur, a soft-bristle brush will do the job. A rubber brush is good for removing hair from short coats. Metal or Teflon coated combs are useful for the finishing touches, especially on long coats. A flea comb, which has small, very closely spaced teeth, is useful if you suspect that your cat has passengers.

Begin grooming at the front of your cat, lifting small sections of hair with the brush and brushing them forward, toward Felix's head. Be sure you pick up the hair at skin level—without poking your cat's skin—to prevent matting of undercoat hair near the skin. Work your way back to the tail, one side at a time. Brushing against the hair growth may excite your cat, so go slowly, and if necessary groom him in small sections at a time until he gets used to the procedure. After the hair has been brushed forward, beginning at the rear, brush sections of hair back into the right direction. Repeat on the other side. Don't forget his chest and tail and, when your cat is comfortable with being groomed, his belly. Follow the brushing with a metal or Teflon-coated comb if you like.

Brushing a completely dry coat can create static electricity and can also break hair. If your cat will allow it, lightly mist his fur with water from a spray bottle (one spritz of fine mist per area is plenty) before brushing. Most cats won't allow such rude behavior on your part. If this sounds like your cat, spray the brush instead.

Matted fur tends to hold moisture and skin oil, which can lead to skin inflammations and provide nesting places for fleas and other parasites. Mats can be very hard to remove, and it's all too easy to cut skin when trying to cut them loose. If your cat's fur develops mats, you might want to take her to a groomer to have them removed. Once his coat is free of mats, regular brushing will help keep it that way.

Can You Bathe a Cat?

Most cats don't need to be bathed very often, but there are times when a bath is in order. My cat Malcolm used to “help” me in the garden by digging and rolling in the mud. (I wonder if it was because he grew up with a Labrador Retriever?) Luckily, he didn't mind having a bath afterward. Show cats are bathed regularly as they prepare for competition, and they learn from kittenhood to accept water, shampoo, and dryer as part of the routine. So yes, you can bathe a cat and live to tell about it.

Kitty bathing is essential at times for health reasons. Baths can be helpful for cat lovers who are allergic to cats (see Cats and Allergies). If your cat is exposed to a toxic substance—say she's been on grass treated with lawn chemicals or she's gotten motor oil on her fur—a bath is imperative to keep her from ingesting the poison as she cleans herself. We once had a major flea invasion following a major mouse invasion, so everyone got bathed. If you take in a stray or bring home a shelter cat, she might need a freshening up. All in all, it's good to know how to go about bathing a cat (hilarious Internet versions of cat bathing aside).

Preparation will go a long way toward making Felix's bath go smoothly. Brush him before you bathe him. This is especially important with long coats. You want to remove tangles and mats, because once they're wet, they're nearly impossible to comb out. Trim his claws, too (see Cat Pedicures)—the less well armed he is, the better for you.

Choose a shampoo formulated especially for cats. The pH of our skin is different from a cat's, and human shampoos will dry out your cat's skin and coat, leaving the skin susceptible to irritation and possible infection. Use shampoo sparingly. Read the directions. Some pet shampoos are concentrated and need to be diluted.

Special shampoos are available for special purposes. No-rinse shampoos go on wet but don't need to be rinsed out, which can be handy for quick clean-ups. Dry cat shampoos can be useful if you don't want to wet the cat, and some are effective for treating naturally oily skin. Dawn dish detergent is said to be effective for removing petroleum products from fur—it's often used to clean up victims of oil spills. It might be drying, though, so follow up with a moisturizing conditioner. There are also special shampoos said to help alleviate human allergies. They tend to be pricey, though, so you might want to try regular cat shampoos first.

Be sure all your supplies are close at hand before you begin. You will need the following items:

• Shampoo
• One or two towels
• An unbreakable container for rinsing if no sprayer is available
• A mat or screen for the bottom of the tub (for kitty traction)

The kitchen sink will work for all but the largest cat and is easier on your back than bending over a bathtub. Place a towel or bath mat on the bottom for traction. I've heard that a piece of metal screen on top of the towel or mat gives the cat a place to cling to with his claws. I've never tried it, but it might be worth a shot if your cat is prone to fighting in the bath. Pet supply stores also carry “bath sacks” that envelope the cat's body up to the neck, allowing you to bathe her through the sack while maintaining control.

Use warm—not hot!—water. A spray attachment makes it easier to wet and rinse your cat. As an alternative, fill a pressurized garden sprayer (the ordinary hand-pump type) with warm water. Be sure to use a sprayer that has never been used for any toxic chemicals. Or use an unbreakable cup to pour rinse water over your cat.

Get a firm grip on your cat's scruff, wet her thoroughly, apply shampoo, and work it gently through her fur. Be very careful not to get water in her ears or soap in her eyes. Rinse thoroughly, and check the tricky spots—belly, groin, and armpits—for remaining soap. You shouldn't feel any “slimy” spots after rinsing.

When your cat is well rinsed, squeeze excess water from his fur, then wrap him in a towel. I like to use one towel for the initial wrap, to absorb the bulk of the water and to secure the cat while he settles down, then switch to a second towel and—keeping a firm grip—gently rub to remove as much water as possible. Give your cat a special treat before you release him—reward him for being held, not for getting away.

You can use a hair dryer set on low or cool (never hot) to dry him further if your cat will allow it. If your cat has long hair, brush it while it's still damp. And if your cat is an indoor/outdoor kitty, keep him inside until he's completely dry.

Healthy Ears

Good ear care is one of the most overlooked areas of cat care, but it is important to your cat's health. Weekly ear checks and cleaning when necessary will prevent common problems like ear mites, allergies, and bacterial, fungal, and yeast infections from taking hold.

Most cats tolerate ear cleanings if you make them part of the regular grooming routine. Try to keep the experience positive, and reward cooperation with a small treat.

To see into the ear, hold the tip between your thumb and forefinger and gently roll it outward to reveal the inner part of the ear. Check for signs of trouble. A small amount of light brown wax is normal, but excessive discharge (especially black, red, or green-yellow) or redness indicates a problem. If the ear appears healthy, gently wipe the inside with a pad soaked in ear cleanser, which is available from your vet or pet supply store. Never insert a Q-tip or anything else into the ear canal—you could cause serious, permanent damage.

If the ear appears to be red and sore, if you see a lot of discharge, or if your cat is scratching her ears and shaking her head a lot, take her to the vet. Ear problems often are hard to diagnose without a microscopic examination of the discharge, and treating for the wrong thing won't help and might even hurt.

Kitty Dental Hygiene

Proper dental care should also be a regular part of your program for keeping your cat healthy and happy. Cats are prone to the same dental problems as their owners—broken teeth, gum disease, abscesses, decay, and pain—which not only cause discomfort but also can contribute to behavior problems. A good dental health program can prolong your cat's life, and freedom from pain can only help his disposition.

Periodontal (gum) disease is extremely common in small animals. From the time a kitten starts eating solid food, bacteria and food particles are deposited along the gum line and under the gums. These deposits form plaque. If not removed, plaque hardens into calculus and eventually causes serious problems. Most of us know how painful dental problems can be, but your cat will likely suffer in silence until the disease is quite far advanced. Fortunately, a program of preventive dental care can keep your cat's mouth healthy.

You can help maintain your kitty's dental health in several ways. Feeding high-quality dry food begins the process (see Feeding Your Cat). You can also ask your vet to demonstrate a basic oral exam, which you can do on a regular basis to spot problems early. Essentially, you will carefully and gently check your cat's mouth for signs of trouble, including inflamed or bleeding gums; loose, broken, discolored, or “dirty” teeth; bad breath; or excessive drooling during the exam or at other times.

Brushing Felix's Teeth

Tooth brushing will help maintain your cat's dental health. Ideally, our cats should have their teeth brushed every day, but realistically, most of us will brush our cats' teeth at most two or three times a week, which is much better than not brushing at all.

Special tooth brushes are available for cats, or you can use a small child's toothbrush with soft bristles. Some people prefer rubber “brushes” that fit over the fingertip or special tooth-cleaning pads, both available from pet supply stores and veterinarians, who also carry toothpastes formulated for cats.

Begin with very short sessions. Don't introduce the brush at first, but put a little of the kitty toothpaste on your finger and run it briefly along your cat's teeth and gums. Pet your cat and praise him; then release him. Slowly increase the amount of time you spend doing this until you can rub the outer surfaces of all his teeth, then introduce the brush. (Cats don't usually develop periodontal problems on the inner edges of their teeth and gums because their tongues keep those surfaces cleaner.) You might need to reduce the time you spend with the brush at first until Felix is used to the bristles. Be sure to keep sessions happy, and cuddle or play with your cat after the tooth cleaning to help him look forward to this social time.

“Felix, the Dentist Will See You Now”

Your cat should also have periodic dental exams during which your veterinarian will look for signs of gum disease, loose or broken teeth, discolored teeth, or signs of discomfort. She will check your cat's tongue and other oral tissues for abnormalities, and she might use a periodontal probe to check for symptoms of gum disease. These procedures can be done during a regular examination.

Other procedures might require your cat to be anesthetized. Because some tooth problems occur below the gum line, your vet might recommend full-mouth or partial x-rays. Your cat might also need thorough periodic tooth cleanings to remove built-up plaque and tartar, or he might occasionally need to have a tooth removed. Although there are always risks associated with anesthesia, new, short-acting injectable anesthetics are much safer than older anesthetics. Ask your vet what kind of anesthetic she uses, how easy it is to reverse, and how she will monitor your cat while under anesthesia.

How often should your cat have a professional dental exam? That depends on his age. A kitten should have an oral exam as early as possible, with follow-ups at each vaccination appointment until he's about 4 months old. At about 6 months, he should be checked again to be sure his bite is okay and to ensure that all his baby teeth have fallen out. Occasionally baby teeth are retained, causing the permanent teeth to come in crooked. If that happens, your vet will need to pull the baby tooth.

From 6 months to about 3 years of age, most cats need only an annual dental exam during their regular yearly vet visit unless you notice a problem. From 3 or 4 years until about 6 or 7, most cats still require only a yearly exam, especially if you practice home dental care.

Just like people, though, cats vary, and if your cat is prone to plaque buildup or other problems, your vet might recommend oral exams every 6 months. In later life—usually from 7 years on—most cats should have dental exams every 6 months.

Excerpted from The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting and Owning a Cat © 2005 by Sheila Webster Boneham, Ph.D. All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. Used by arrangement with Alpha Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

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