Grooming your cat: brushing, bathing and coat care

Cats spend a large part of their waking day grooming, often put at a third up to half of it. The tongue is covered in tiny backward-facing barbs that work like a comb and a brush in one.

Self-grooming does several jobs: it cleans the coat, spreads skin oils along the hair, removes loose hair, dust and some parasites, and helps the cat cool down because wet saliva evaporates.

Brushing adds what the tongue cannot: it takes out loose hair before the cat swallows it, removes dead skin and dirt, prevents mats, and lets you check the skin and body for fleas, lumps and sore spots. A coat that looks healthy and feels clean, soft and shiny is one of the easier signs that a cat is well. A change in the coat is worth noticing.

Gentle, regular brushing also builds the bond between you and the cat, as long as sessions stay short and pleasant.

Long, silky or curly coats are harder for a cat to keep tangle-free. Long-haired coats are finer and denser, tangle more easily and trap loose hair close to the skin, so these cats need their owner to do part of the work.

Senior cats often groom less. Arthritis and other joint pain make it hard to twist and reach the back, hips and hind legs, and a cat that grooms less can then get an unkempt, matted coat. Arthritis is very common in older cats and often shows little outward sign.

Overweight cats cannot always reach the back, hind end or belly, so those areas get dirty or matted. One source calls a cat overweight at 10 to 20 per cent above its ideal weight. Pain in the mouth, such as gum disease or sore teeth, can make grooming uncomfortable. Stress from a move, a new pet or a new person can change grooming either way.

Cats that are bigger, older or go outdoors are more likely to get mats. Some kittens that had a poor start, such as illness or early separation from the mother, never learn to groom well. Cats that will not accept brushing at home, or cannot groom themselves well, are more likely to become matted. That is a reason to ask a groomer or the vet for help early, not a reason to leave the coat.

Long coats (for example Persian, Himalayan, Maine Coon and Norwegian Forest Cat): brush or comb every day, to the skin, and check the tangle spots. Daily is the ideal in most vet and welfare advice, and sessions can be split into shorter parts. Semi-long coats (for example Ragdoll and Ragamuffin): at least twice a week, more in the shedding seasons, enough to stop knots forming.

Dense or double coats: about two or three times a week with a slicker brush used in layers, and a de-shedding tool used gently and briefly. Surface strokes leave the shedding undercoat in place. Short coats: about once a week is usual, or once or twice a week. Short-haired cats generally groom themselves well, but a weekly session still removes dead hair and lets you check the skin.

In the shedding seasons, and for seniors and overweight cats, brush more often and gently, because these cats groom themselves less well or lose more hair.

These are common guides, not rules. The cat's own coat decides: if you find tangles, brush more often. Your vet or groomer can say what suits your cat.

Short coats: a soft bristle brush, a rubber brush or grooming mitt to collect loose hair, and a fine-toothed comb. A rubber brush is a gentler choice for a cat that dislikes brushes.

Long and medium coats: a wide-toothed metal comb with rounded tines that reaches the skin, then a slicker brush (thin wire pins) for loose hair. A short-toothed bristle brush often does not reach the root of a knot. Rounded tines matter because cat skin is thin and sensitive. A comb goes deeper than a brush, which tends to skim the top of the coat. A glove-style brush feels like stroking but may not reach the deeper coat, so a slicker or comb is needed to check for mats.

Double coats and heavy shedders: an undercoat rake or de-shedding comb lifts loose undercoat, mainly during heavy shedding. Use it briefly and gently, because strong or long use can damage the topcoat and irritate the skin.

A flea comb is a fine-toothed comb made for checking for fleas and flea dirt. A dematting comb or mat splitter exists for stubborn knots; follow the directions closely and ask the vet or groomer to show you first. Keep brushes clean and replace a slicker brush when its pins bend. If you are unsure which tool suits your cat, ask the vet or a groomer.

Start when the cat is relaxed, for example after a meal or play, in a calm, familiar place. Begin with a few minutes or even a few strokes and build up slowly. Some sources give 2 to 3 minutes to begin with, others 5 to 10.

Brush gently from head to tail in the direction the hair grows, close to the body and without pressing into the skin or tugging. Then use a wide-toothed comb on the spots that tangle first: behind the ears, under the chin, inside the front legs, the armpits, the belly, the groin, the hips and the tail. Brush the sides and belly too, not only the back, and lift the hair to reach the undercoat. For a long-haired cat, part the tail down the middle and brush outward on each side.

Use treats and praise so the cat links brushing with good things. Handle the feet, tail, ears and belly often so it does not mind being touched there. Start with kittens if you can; older cats can learn through gradual, positive experiences.

Stop at the first sign of discomfort, before it escalates: tail twitching or swishing, ears flicking back, a tense body, growling, hissing, dilated pupils or trying to leave. End on something nice and try again later. Do not force grooming or hold a cat down. It makes grooming stressful and can teach the cat to dislike it.

A mat forms when loose hair and skin oils tangle and compress, like felt. Mats feel thick or chunky. They form most where there is friction: behind the ears, under the armpits, on the chest and belly, around the collar, on the hindquarters, the back of the hind legs, the groin, the hips and under the tail. Hard clumps in the fur are usually mats, not hair that has become hard.

A tight mat pulls on the skin all the time, which hurts and limits movement. It can also trap moisture and dirt against the skin, hide fleas, ticks or sores, and lead to irritation or skin infection.

A small, still soft mat can sometimes be worked apart with the fingers, holding the hair at the base so the skin is not pulled, and then a wide-toothed comb or dematting tool, starting at the tips. Never tug: it hurts and the cat will refuse to be brushed again. A mat that does not come apart easily is a stop sign. Large, tight, widespread mats, or mats on a cat that resists, are a job for a vet or an experienced groomer, who can clip or shave them out safely.

If the skin under a mat is red, sore or damaged, or the cat is in pain, a vet can shave the area, clean the skin and treat it. Very severe matting may need sedation, and sometimes the whole coat is shaved. Clipped areas take a few months to grow back; one source says two to four months. Do not bathe a matted cat: water makes mats tighter. Brush out tangles first.

Regular brushing is the best prevention, and a groomer visit every so often can help long-haired cats that mat faster than you can comb. Matting that keeps coming back can point to a health problem: tell the vet.

The cat's rough tongue pulls loose hair down while grooming. Hair cannot be digested, so most passes out in the stool, but some stays in the stomach and forms a damp clump, a hairball. Hairballs are often tube-shaped rather than round.

Bringing up a hairball once every week or two is usually common and not a worry by itself. Hairballs are more common in long-haired cats, in the shedding seasons, in seniors and in cats that over-groom, and kittens rarely get them. Brushing is the main way to cut down hairballs, because it takes out hair before the cat can swallow it. Indoor cats may swallow more hair than outdoor cats.

Some foods and treats are made to help hairballs by adding fibre or moisture. No food dissolves hair. Ask the vet before using any diet or hairball remedy.

A hairball can become a blockage if it is too big to pass or lodges in the gut. That is serious and can be fatal without treatment. Signs are repeated retching with nothing coming up, no appetite, a dull or lethargic cat, vomiting, belly pain or no bowel movements. A change from your cat's own normal matters more than a number: hairballs that become more frequent, harder to bring up, or come with constipation, lethargy or poor appetite should be checked. Hairballs can also be a sign of over-grooming or a gut or skin problem.

Most healthy cats rarely or never need a bath. They clean themselves and usually do not like water. Regular baths are not the way to manage shedding: too many baths dry out the skin, and brushing works better.

A bath can be needed when the coat is very dirty, sticky or smelly, after the cat rolled in something harmful, or when a cat cannot keep clean because of age, arthritis, weight or illness. A vet may also advise baths with a medicated shampoo as part of treating a skin problem, and will show you how.

Before a bath: brush out loose and matted hair, because tangles become impossible to remove once the coat is wet, and trim the nails to reduce scratches. Have a cat shampoo, a washcloth for the face, towels, a non-slip mat and a helper ready. Use warm water, not hot or cold, around belly height, and a shampoo made for cats. Human shampoo, including baby shampoo, is too harsh for cat skin.

Wet the coat gradually with a cup or a handheld spray on a soft setting; do not pour or spray water on the head. Wash the face with a damp washcloth and keep water out of the eyes, ears and nose. Rinse all the shampoo out, including under the chin, the feet and the belly. Cats lick themselves after a bath and may swallow residue, and leftovers irritate the skin. Dry with a soft, warm towel and keep the cat somewhere warm until fully dry. A hairdryer can frighten a cat and burns; use a towel. Brush well before and after a bath: it removes loose hair and helps cut down hairballs.

A cat that bites or fights in the bath is telling you it is too stressed. Stop and keep yourself safe: a helper, protective clothing and a short session help. Ask the vet about calming approaches or a professional groomer, who can bathe the cat or have it sedated at the clinic.

Shedding is normal: it replaces dead hair and spreads oils. Cats that go outdoors in cooler climates shed most heavily twice a year, in spring and again in autumn. Indoor cats shed a little all year because steady light and temperature blur the seasons.

Cats with a dense undercoat (for example Maine Coon, Ragdoll, Norwegian Forest Cat and Persian) shed the most, mainly in spring. Hair length does not change how much a cat sheds, but long hair makes it look like more. Sphynx and Rex cats shed very little. Brush more often in these weeks, with a de-shedding tool used gently once or twice a week for dense coats. Hairballs tend to rise when cats shed because they swallow more loose hair.

Shedding cannot be stopped, only reduced. Bathing is not the answer. Shedding does not cause bald spots, itching, sores or a bad smell. Those, or a sudden big increase in shedding outside the seasons, need a vet.

Most cats, even long-haired ones, cope with warm weather without a haircut. The coat protects the skin and helps regulate body temperature, so do not clip a cat unless a vet or groomer advises it.

There are good reasons to clip: a cat that is prone to big mats, cannot groom well and dislikes brushing, or an older cat whose coat is hard to keep clean after pain is treated. A lion cut leaves the face, feet and tail tip long. A cat that goes outside after clipping needs a coat left long enough to protect from sunburn; one source says at least 2.5 cm. Some cats need sedation for clipping because they will not tolerate the noise or discomfort awake.

Clipping is best left to a groomer or the vet, who know where skin folds hide in a tangle. Electric clippers can catch skin hidden inside a mat.

A healthy coat is shiny and free of dandruff and greasiness. A cat that does not keep its coat tidy can look harsh, greasy, unkempt or tufty, smell bad, have food on the face or chest, or have urine staining on the paws.

A dull coat, dandruff, greasiness or heavy shedding outside the seasons is not only a grooming problem. It can point to a cat that cannot groom well (age, weight, pain, mouth problems) or to illness, poor nutrition or a skin problem, so it is worth a vet check. Weight loss with a dull, unkempt coat and a big appetite can go with an overactive thyroid. A cat that grooms less and eats less can be ill or in pain. Both need a vet.

Red, scabby or irritated skin under the coat is not a coat problem. Scabs from licking or scratching are a reason for a vet check.

Grooming is the moment to feel the whole body for lumps, bumps, fleas, flea dirt, ticks, wounds and sore spots. Knowing what is normal for your cat helps you notice changes early.

Ears: look for dirt, wax, a strong smell, redness or discharge. Clean only the outer ear, with a cat-specific cleaner on cotton wool, and never put anything into the ear canal. Scratching or head shaking, discharge, redness, or a strong smell can mean infection, ear mites or allergy and need a vet. Eyes: a quick look before grooming for tearing, crust, redness or cloudiness. Wipe discharge from the inner corner outward with a soft cloth or a wipe made for pets, not household tissues. Squinting or pawing at the eye needs a vet.

Nails: trimming is part of grooming, especially for seniors that wear them down less. A vet or vet nurse can show the safest way. Teeth: gum disease and sore teeth are common and often unnoticed, and they can make a cat stop grooming. Brushing the teeth with a cat toothbrush and cat toothpaste helps. Never use human toothpaste: it can be toxic to cats.

A professional groomer can help when a cat is hard to handle, when you are afraid of hurting it, when mats are large or tight, or when a long-haired coat mats faster than you can comb. A groomer visit can also cover nails, ears and the eye area.

Groomers can remove mats when the skin is intact and the cat tolerates it. If the skin is sore, the cat is in pain or the mats are severe, the vet is the right place, because the skin can be treated and the cat sedated if needed.

Long-haired cats may benefit from a groomer every few weeks to every few months, or a haircut once or twice a year; the right interval depends on the coat and the cat. Pick a groomer who is used to cats, works calmly and does not force a cat that panics. Some are trained in low-stress handling. Your vet can recommend one. A cat that fights and could be injured, or that is very fearful or aggressive, is a case for the vet or a professional rather than home grooming.

A cat that grooms much less, or stops, may be in pain or ill. Cats hide pain well, so a poor coat can be one of the first signs. Causes include arthritis, weight, a sore mouth, illness, stress or old age.

A cat that grooms too much (over-grooming) may lick or chew out hair, leaving thin or bald patches, often on the belly, inner hind legs, flanks or chest, with broken, stubbly hairs. Skin may be red, scabby or sore. Cats often over-groom in secret, so hair loss may already be marked when you notice it. Itching causes most over-grooming, most often from fleas and flea allergy, then food or environmental allergies and other parasites or skin infections such as ringworm. Pain can also make a cat lick one spot, such as over a joint or the bladder area.

Stress can cause over-grooming (psychogenic alopecia), for instance after a move, a new pet or a new person, but vets reach that diagnosis only after itching, pain and other medical causes are ruled out. Do not assume it is behaviour. The vet will take a history, check the skin and coat, check for fleas, and may do skin or blood tests, a food trial or a parasite treatment trial before deciding. Sores and itching are treated, and if stress is the cause the home can often be changed to help; a behaviourist or medicine is sometimes needed. Do not punish a cat for over-grooming, and do not reward it. Both can make it worse.