Caring for Cat's Coat and Skin: Essential Tips & Tricks

1. The living environment is paramount for a cat's wellbeing. It should be warm, clean, and dry, with no dampness. Ensure that windows are opened daily to allow fresh air to circulate and to provide some sunlight exposure. To prevent bringing outdoor parasites indoors, it's essential to clean and disinfect your clothes and shoes, especially the shoe pads, upon returning home. Regular disinfection of the living space helps to eliminate transmission routes and can prevent skin conditions like ringworm.

2. Regularly perform external deworming. Skin diseases pose the greatest threat to cats, which can be categorized into parasitic and nonparasitic types. Fleas are among the most common issues, and they can be quite harmful, causing severe itching and relentless scratching in infected cats. If you notice black, sootlike particles during grooming, they are likely flea feces. There are many flea control products available, such as flea shampoos, prevention collars, flea combs, and traps, which can be very helpful in dealing with fleas.

3. Regular grooming is essential. Cats have dense fur that can easily lead to skin issues. Since cats are also highly clean creatures, they spend a significant portion of their day grooming themselves, often before sleeping or eating. During grooming, cats ingest a lot of fur, which can lead to hairball formation. The spring and autumn seasons are when cats shed the most, so it's crucial to groom them more frequently during these times to prevent hairball issues.

When grooming, use the appropriate grooming tools. Shorthaired cats benefit from rubber or silicone brushes, while longhaired cats may require widetoothed combs or handle combs, especially in areas prone to matting. For cats with abundant fur, like American Shorthairs, a pin brush is suitable. (It's not recommended for beginners to use pin brushes to avoid hurting the cat; experience is key before using them.)

Before grooming, ensure the cat is relaxed, ideally when it's in a good mood. Avoid grooming during playtime, as the cat may become overly excited and mistake the grooming for play, making it more difficult. Also, be gentle and avoid forcing the cat, as this could lead to discomfort and a negative association with grooming in the future.

Cats that dislike grooming may have had unpleasant experiences in the past. It's important to choose a suitable brush and be patient, allowing the cat to gradually get used to the grooming process. If the cat becomes restless, break the grooming into smaller sections or sessions to complete the task before the cat shows signs of frustration.

For multiple cats in the household, each cat should have its own grooming tool to prevent crossinfection of skin diseases.

Start by petting the cat's body, particularly areas they enjoy being touched, like the chin and cheeks. When the cat is content, you may hear a purr and see them relax, making grooming easier. Use a gentle touch with your wrist, avoiding excessive force that could harm the cat's skin or cause pain. Soft rubber and silicone grooming tools are recommended.

Begin grooming from the back, following the direction of the fur growth from the neck to the tail. If you're concerned about static, lightly spray water on the cat's body to reduce static buildup. Be extra gentle when grooming around the head, neck, and cheeks to avoid harming the cat's eyes. Also, the chin can accumulate blackheads or food residue, which can be cleaned with a comb.

When holding the cat in a seated position, be gentle and quick, as the belly is a sensitive area. If the cat is lying on its side, lift its front paw slightly, allowing the cat to lean against you, and gently groom the abdominal fur from the armpit downwards.