I am a new cat owner. And I was wondering how do I groom him? Do I wash him or get him cut? What?

Answer 1

Cats are fastidious groomers. They do a good job taking care of most of their own needs. If you have a long haired cat, you should invest in a good slicker and de-matting brush just to help him out. Some cats don't mind water and bathing, some do. You shouldn't have to do regular baths with him though. If you find he needs a bath, groomers are usually comfortable with that, and some vets will do difficult animals. They can lightly sedate them to make it a better experience for everyone. There are many owners who get their cats shaved into a "lion cut" for summer if they have exceptionally long/thick hair. If he's not longhaired, or if he doesn't seem uncomfortable, that type of grooming should not be necessary. If he has claws, you should also invest in either a pair of trimmers or get a set of nail clippers that you use exclusively for him to keep his nails at a manageable length. You should keep an eye on his ears to make sure they don't need to be cleaned. If you can brush his teeth (as mentioned by a few other people) that is ideal, if you can't brush them, your vet should sell or be able to recommend treats that help clean them, both veterinary supplied and treats from the grocery or pet store. Congrats on your new cat, I hope you enjoy him...

Answer 2

he will take care of washing and grooming himself. Cats are fastidious. You really don't want to try to hold him down to groom him. It would probably be painful for you.

Sometimes cats do need their front claws clipped, and your best bet for this is to wrap him in a towel, tightly, and work fast. Be careful not to clip off too much. Have someone who knows show you the first time. The vet would probably be glad to.

Answer 3

Cats usually wash themselves and do it rather well. They often have an aversion to water too, so unless they're REALLY dirty, I wouldn't suggest it.

You'll need to get his nails trimmed occasionally to keep him from hurting you when you play, or scratching up furniture. You can do this yourself or have a groomer do it, if you have issues.

If he has long fur, you're going to want to brush him pretty often so he doesn't get mats in his fur. Those can become health hazards, as they can cut off blood supply around the knot and get infected. Also, brushing him could be a really good way to bond with him in a calm way.

Answer 4

Cats pretty much take care of the cleaning for you. They are very clean animals, and they spend almost half the day grooming themselves.
What you can do it brush him, this will control kitty dander and shedding. It will also make him silky smooth. Unless he gets really really really dirty by something, then you never really have to give him a bath.

Good luck

Answer 5

Like everyone else said, cats pretty much groom themselves. You really don't have to do much. Just make sure that if he is an outdoor cat, you get him a flea collar and check for ticks often.

Answer 6

"grooming" a cat cn involve wiping them clean with a moist towelette (paper or cloth); cleaning ears with cotton ball (do not go deep); brushing hair with appropriate brush; brushing cat's teeth with appropriate kitty toothbrush and toothpaste (needed if cat eats wet canned food mostly); passing a fine flea comb down the cat's spine to check for fleas; cliping or trimming claws . Of course you need not do ALL of this all at once and everytime. For example, I wipe my cats down ONLY when they are dirty. I clean their ears once a month - although I check them as often as possible. I brush their hair twice or thrice a week; and I clip their nails whenever I notice that their claws have become razor sharp (you need to get a vet show you how to do this). But I brush their teeth everyday becuase they eat mostly canned wet food.

I give my cats a bath ONLY when absolutely necessary - you'll know when that happens. But for a bit of spot dirt, a simple wipe with a face towel is enough.

If your kitty is long-haired, you need to brush everyday.

Hope this hlps.

Answer 7

Cats are pretty good at grooming themselves (unless of course you picked him up off the street and he's a bit filthy). Brush him regularly. If he's got long hair like mine does you may need to take the occasional trip to the groomer's to have them shaved (mine had developed mats in her hair on her stomach that she would just not let me at).

Answer 8

You can wash him, but it's usually not necessary with cats. They're pretty clean. He will need his ears cleaned and his nails trimmed on a regular basis. He will also need frequent brushing, which most cats enjoy. If he needs a bath, I'd wait until he settles in or you'll stress him out.

Answer 9

you don't really need to get him groomed. most of the time they will take care of themselves
my boyfriends cat is half persian beautiful, beautiful all white cat
he took him to get groomed and it cost him ninety dollars
a year later when he was at the vet the vet told him it was a waste of money. his cat takes very good care of himself and most cats are like that
cats take very good care of themselves i wouldn't worry about it unless he starts to smell or he looks unattractive don't get them groomed

Answer 10

Cats groom themselves, you don't have to do anything, unless it gets sprayed by a skunk, or needs a flea bath.