What is the best way to comb out a cat's fur

Inside the sealed package of the Furminator there is a so called "booklet" with instructions and descriptions.

How to comb out the hair of a cat quickly, with what and how often you need to scratch

In cats of different breeds, with the exception of hairless, periodically there is such a physiological process as molting. During this period, there is a change of undercoat, there is a mass loss of hair, which can be found on the floor, in the bed, in the kitchen and other places in the home space, where the pet often lives.

To prevent such inconveniences, the owner should conduct combing out the hair of the cat during the seasonal molt.

In this article we will tell you the rules of cat combing at home, why this procedure is necessary, how often you have to comb a cat, what is the best way to comb a cat at home, what to do if the cat is aggressive and does not let itself be combed.

Is it necessary to comb out the hair of a cat: what are the benefits of the procedure

This procedure has an important hygienic value. It makes it easier for the animals to take care of their coat. It is especially important for long-haired breeds.

There are other good reasons that indicate the necessity of regular hair combing in a domestic cat:

• Hair tangles and the formation of tangles are prevented;
• The amount of fluff flying around the house is reduced;
• combing has a massage effect, which stimulates blood circulation and is beneficial for the quality of the combed hair.

In addition to the above, combing is an excellent prevention of infectious diseases and dermatitis of the animal's skin, which are usually triggered by hair pulled into tangles. They not only disrupt the natural ventilation of the epidermis and lead to fouling, but also become a habitat for pathogens.

Another argument in favor of regular hair combing in domestic cats is the possibility of preventing hair from getting into the gastrointestinal tract. Animals clean their coat by licking with their tongue. Fallen hair quickly sticks to it and enters the stomach, where dense clumps form. The cat may vomit, suffer intestinal blockages and other digestive problems. In the most advanced cases, surgery may be necessary.

But if the owner will regularly comb the cat's hair during shedding, all these troubles can be avoided.

How to choose a comb for a cat: criteria

Especially for the care of pets' fur, devices for combing are created. They are available in a wide range. Choose a suitable tool carefully, taking into account some criteria.

The length and quality of the cat's hair, the presence of undercoat

When choosing a comb for a cat, be sure to take into account the length of its hair. For short-haired breeds, brushes with frequent and short teeth are designed.

Long-haired breeds are more convenient to brush with tools equipped with long teeth that have a sparse arrangement. Multilevel combs with teeth of different lengths are also suitable.

The quality of coat and the presence of undercoat are not less important parameters for choosing brushes for brushing your pets. For example, if a cat has a thick undercoat, in addition to the usual comb you will also need a special down comber, which effectively removes the down.

The purpose of the tool

Each accessory for combing cats has a specific purpose. This information is usually stated in the product description. Think in advance about what specific manipulations will be needed at home when caring for your cat, and choose the appropriate tools to perform them.

Ease of use

The comfort for the owner, who, in fact, will perform this procedure, depends first of all on the ease of use. If the tool is not comfortable, it is unlikely that there will be a desire to brush the beloved cat.

That is why choose tools, focusing on the parameter of convenience in operation. Good brushes are equipped with a comfortable handle, which is easy to grasp with the palm of the hand and does not slip during the procedure.

What to comb out a short-haired cat: British, Scottish, Abyssinian, Bengal

Shorthair cat breeds are less demanding in their care compared to their long-haired counterparts. During the moulting period combing should be performed 2-3 times a week, at other times one procedure every 7-10 days is enough. Below we will tell you what tools can be used in the care of the hair cover of such animals.

Silicone, rubber combs

Special rubber and silicone combs are ideal for combing cats with short-haired breeds. They come in different shapes. Small models that easily fit in the palm of the owner's hand are quite convenient to use.

The accessories are equipped with rubber or silicone teeth of small length with blunted tips, which eliminates traumatic damage to the skin.

Gloves and brushes

British, Bengal and other short-haired breeds can be combed out with the help of a brush with soft natural bristles or a rubber glove. It has plastic teeth of varying frequency on the inside. They not only remove dead hair well, but also have an excellent massage effect, improve blood circulation, strengthen hair follicles.

A special advantage of combs-mittens is the ease of use. The accessory is put on the hand of the owner as an ordinary glove. He strokes the cat in the direction of hair growth, then in reverse. The animal enjoys it, and the owner successfully cleans the coat from loose hair, and at the same time gives its coat a well-groomed and attractive look.

While taking care of short-haired breeds, you can also use a comb with rare teeth of medium length.

How and with what to comb out the cat's fur and undercoat during the molt?

If your pet has a short coat, combing it out won't give you any problems. Two or three times a week will be enough to keep your cat from throwing shreds of hair everywhere, looking nice and tidy. For a cat with a long coat (Persian, Angora) this is not enough. He will have to be brushed at least four times a week, and better – every day.

To take care of your pet's fur, you may need the following items:

Rule one: from tail to head

Comb out the hair and the soft undercoat in the opposite direction to the hair growth. This way you can get rid of excess hair much faster.

Rule number two: from sparse to often

You should start combing out the fluffy pet with a brush with few teeth, then change it to one with more teeth. Complete the procedure with the brush with the most frequent arrangement of teeth. Finally, take the cylindrical brush and use it to collect the combed hair.

Rule number three: Comb out the curls

To gather all the hair from the surface of the cat's body a set of brushes is not enough. Prepare a bowl with warm water, put your pet on your lap, moisten your hand and move it through the hair. There will be a lot of "uncounted" hairs on your palm. Rinse your hand and repeat your actions. Do it as many times as it takes so that not a single lint is left on your palm. Many cat owners neglect this simple manipulation, and in vain.

Sometimes it is difficult to get to certain places with a comb. It is much easier to do it with a wet hand. The same way, without the help of a brush, you can "comb out" small kittens.

Scrubbing comb: the most popular

In order to comb out the dead down, without affecting the strong hair fibers, you need a so-called down comb, or slicker.

The peculiarity of a fluffer is in its teeth. They are metal, thin, with a characteristic bend. Depending on the quality of the coat in your pet, you need to choose a feather duster: the thicker and longer the hair, the longer and more frequent should be its teeth.

You should not try to deal with fluffy hair with a blow dryer. It is only for the care of healthy hair, previously combed out with a razor-toothed comb.

When a cat is shedding, refrain from combing out its fur coat with a down comb every day. Two times a week should be enough. More frequent use will turn your fluffy beauty into a miserable shabby creature. Once the shedding period is over, use this useful tool once a week.

Despite the popularity of the fluffer, this is only one of the many tools needed to care for your pet.

Contraindications

Even such an important and necessary procedure for a cat's health can have contraindications.

Do not use a furminator for combing animals if their hair has no undercoat or has a special appearance, this includes:

In addition, it is forbidden to use combs and brushes with metal teeth, which can further damage the skin of the animal, on which there are scratches, scrapes and abrasions, irritations and sores.

If there are tangles, they should be dealt with carefully. In especially advanced cases, it is better to contact a groomer who will do it professionally.

Selecting a cat combing tool. What, what for and how it works.

To competently comb out a kitty, you need to understand how the molting process in an animal works.

Cats shed seasonally (except for some breeds, health conditions and regular haircuts). When it's time for the cold weather to arrive, cats feel it, even when they're at home. The fall molt begins. . It is needed to shed their coats in order to give room for a new, winter undercoat which is denser, thicker, and by the way for this reason, in winter cats look larger and fluffier.

In spring it is vice versa: By summer a cat sheds its "winter coat", that's why the spring molt is often the strongest. Of course, because of the heating in winter and air conditioners in summer, molting in cats is disrupted. However, if you systematize artificial molting and make it regular in the fall and spring, the hair in the house will be significantly reduced.

I wrote about the main reasons for molting in a previous article "cat haircuts. Why the groomer is against it." I recommend reading it, as just having a tool and knowing how to work with it in this case will not help. You need to understand how it is done both internally and externally.

In this article, I will be appealing to the terms hair follicle and undercoat, as they are the ones that are important to understand molting.

Two types of hair grow from each follicle in cats – cover (ostium) and secondary hair – down hair. Pin hairs are long, straight hairs that cover the cat's body.

Each downy hair is surrounded by downy hairs. They are shorter, thinner, usually wavy hair, with weakly developed core or without it at all.

During the moulting season, we work exclusively with the undercoat and pay minimal attention to the hair shaft. If you pet your cat and see a waterfall of long, straight, cone-shaped hair, it is a hair loss. If it is falling out in large quantities, you should check your cat's health and normalize his diet, and consider adding vitamins to his diet.

Grooming Tools. Detailed breakdown.

In order not to buy anything unnecessary, read the list and you will understand exactly what your pet needs.

Furminator for cats and dogs – Is a tool to remove undercoat and reduce moulting time.

– Reduces shedding in cats and dogs by up to 90%
– Does not damage the hair shaft

– Gently pulls out dead undercoat without cutting into the hair
– prevents the formation of tangles
– Safe and effective for long- and short-haired cats and dogs.

Invented in 1997 by professional groomers Angie Porter and David Porter from the USA, it allows you to make home grooming as effective as professional grooming. The FURminator (FURminator deShedding™) is a brand name. A great many combs are called "Furminators." Just like so many copiers are called "photocopiers". But only FURminator deShedding™ combs are the original. You can go to the official FURminator website furminator.com. Consider what the tool and its packaging look like. Anything that looks different is not an original furminator. Cheap Chinese fakes do not give off even a tenth of the effect of the real product. Moreover, they can harm your pet.

The whole secret is in the unique design of a special blade with numerous slits, which easily removes the dead undercoat of your pet, without damaging the hair. Almost everyone who has used the Furminator for the first time is amazed at the amount of excess hair they manage to comb out. Hair that might have been left on your clothes, in the bed, in the car…

This tool is ideal for preventing tangles in long-haired cats. The more undercoat you remove, the less likely you are to get tangles. By the way, the Furminator, when combing out the undercoat, distributes the natural fat component of your pet, which makes its hair softer and healthier, as well as gives a shine. This tool is suitable for both long-haired and short-haired breeds (especially golden retrievers, schnauzers, labradors, etc.). Of course, there are exceptions, such as breeds that have no undercoat (Yorkshire Terrier, Chinese Crested). In other cases the Furminator works 100%.

At what times and how often the combing should be done

Domestic cats are clean creatures that regularly and carefully take care of their own bodies. A cat's tongue is rough, so while licking the hair, a small amount of dead hair gets into the digestive tract. Thereafter, lumps are formed there – trichobezoars. They do not dissolve on their own, but leave the body physiologically.

In some cases, when the trichobezoars become large, the digestive processes may undergo changes, there are violations of the stomach or intestines. In order to avoid such disturbances, the cat should be brushed frequently.

Cats with smooth, short hair are recommended by experts to be brushed once a week. Cats with thick undercoat and long hair should be combed out with special combs and brushes every day for several minutes. This will prevent the formation of tangles. It is important to gently untangle the tangles that have formed on the pet's body, without waiting for them to increase in volume.

A positive point indicating the benefits of regular combing is convenience. A person does not need to clean the house too often. All that is needed is to choose the right brush and accustom the pet to such hygienic procedures.

The greatest amount of hair loss is observed during the seasonal molt period. Depending on the length of the coat, the number of hairs is different. So, cats with short hair fall out in separate fragments, but their long-haired brethren have hairs which leave the body in the whole shreds. A large amount of hair falling out in large quantities can become clogged. To prevent such processes, it is necessary to engage in combing the pet.

Care of hair should also be taken into account because of the ingestion of hair in the digestive tract. Serious clogging of the stomach with hair lumps can provoke disorders in the body.

Tools for combing out cats

Combing a cat or a small kitten must be done correctly. First of all, it is important to buy special tools. It is recommended to take a special brush that successfully fights with pelts. Such brushes are able to carry out a gentle massage of the skin, increasing the blood flow and bringing pleasure to the pet.

The main purpose of the brushes is to comb the hair, massaging the body and stimulating blood flow to the hair follicle area. The brush also allows for the timely removal of dead epidermis particles.

When the owner chooses a tool for pet hair care, attention should be paid to the material from which the brush is made. The teeth should not be metallic, as they can traumatize the cat's delicate skin and cause discomfort. The material for the teeth must not provoke static. Current discharges, even the most minor ones, are unlikely to give pleasure to the furry pet.

There are also brushes designed exclusively for massage. Such tools are not suitable for removing tangles and faded fur. But they are great for massaging, making your pet feel good, stirring up blood and improving microcirculation. The teeth of these massage brushes are rare, slightly rounded at the ends. In the process of combing they do not cling to the hair.

The main tools that are used in the care of the cat's coat are:

• Furminators – Professional brushes, used not only for cats, but also for dogs. A furminator looks like a small rectangle with a rubberized backing and teeth. This tool helps speed up the moulting process and effectively comb out the undercoat even in the longest-haired pets. In addition to combing, furminator brushes increase blood flow and remove dead epidermis particles. As a result of regular procedures cat fur looks well-groomed and healthy. Such a brush is also effective in the removal of formed tangles.
• Brush in the form of a glove . In a pet store you can buy a special mitten made of rubber or silicone. One of the surfaces of this brush has teeth. Great for combing out short-haired cats and those pets who are not too fond of ordinary brushes or Furminator.
• Fluffers – are flat brushes with teeth of different lengths. The density of the teeth can also vary. Good for combing out cats with thick and long hair. The longer the hair on the cat's body, the more frequently the teeth on the hair brush should be arranged. Tangled hair with tangles should not be treated with a lint comb.
• Cat comb or comb – is a comb with densely set teeth of different lengths. At home a cat comb can be used for combing out ectoparasites, and during the seasonal shedding.
• The cat brush is reversible . One side of such a tool has teeth, which successfully fight against tangles, and remove dead hair. The other side of the brush is equipped with natural or artificial bristles, perfect for massaging.

Special features for combing out certain cat breeds

In addition to hair length, there are a few other things to consider: how the hair is arranged and how thick the undercoat is.

Scottish .

This breed has a mole-like fur on both sides of the body. For this reason, it is possible to comb out Scottish cats and cats both in the direction of its growth and against it. It was already mentioned above that this action is possible for short-haired representatives, but with one exception – obtaining the consent of the pet. It is not always possible to obtain it, because such brushing is unpleasant, but not traumatic, like in the case of long-haired animals.

The main difference between the "Scotties" is that they do not care. They feel no discomfort and easily agree to such manipulation.

British and other cats with thick undercoat

Short-haired "British" cats are another exception to the rule. Combs and brushes with short and frequent teeth spoil their undercoat, as it is too thick for these tools. They also make the coat look slick and deprive it of its plushness.

Particularly dangerous when brushing these cats is a lint brush. It is recommended to use a furminator and a mitten together with it.

"Brits and other breeds with thick undercoat should never be brushed against the hair. It may lead to the formation of bald patches.

Breeds without undercoat

This group includes hairless cats and breeds from warm countries: Siamese, Thai, oriental, Balinese, Burmese and Singapore. The former are usually not combed, but they are massaged with a mitten or a special brush while washing, and the latter are combed with an infrequent comb and a mitten.

A comb with short prongs can also be purchased for brindle sphinxes. With the onset of winter their sparse hair becomes thicker, so it is combed about once a week.

Get the cat used to scratching

The whip method is exactly irrelevant here. You mustn't yell, kick or tie up his paws. You do not want your cat to feel stressed out after every combing procedure, do you? If the cat categorically refuses the procedure, it may be due to the wrong tool. Perhaps it is hurting the cat or you are making sudden movements.

1. Show the cat the device first. Let him smell it, examine it from all sides. This way he will know that the tool is safe.
2. Be consistent. Decide what time you will brush the cat every day. He should get used to the procedure and perceive it as a daily need.
3. Start combing with light strokes on his cheeks, chin and head to make it pleasant for your cat. Purrs like to be massaged into these areas. Gradually move on to the other areas.
4. Do not push with force on the brush in any case, even if you need to untangle the hair or get to hard-to-reach places.
5. After each treatment, don't forget to praise your pet and give her a treat.

Consistency and gentleness are key. Don't force your pet, brush at the same time, not when you remember to do it. And, of course, the sooner you start combing the cat, the sooner he will get used to it and will not run away from you.

If the cat vomits fur

Scratching is one of the measures to prevent the pet from gulping down its own hair and thus not clogging its stomach. If this happens, the body gets rid of the lump in a logical way – vomiting.

That would be all right, but the presence of a large amount of hair in the gastrointestinal tract leads to a deterioration of health of the animal, it becomes apathetic and loses appetite. In the worst cases, a blockage occurs, and the animal will have to undergo surgery.

To prevent this, it is important to brush the pet often, give special foods and sprouted grass. But the best way to cope with gastrointestinal blockages is malt paste, which can be bought at any pet store.