Kitten grooming

Healthy coat, healthy cat

If you want a happy kitten, make sure he has plenty of attention, a healthy and well-balanced diet ( Whiskas® Kitten pouches are perfect) and be sure to help him with his grooming.

Kittens remove loose hairs from their coat by licking. As a result, fur balls can form in the stomach and intestines which can cause upsets or constipation. That’s why you should start brushing his coat carefully and regularly even when he’s very young. If he’s a short haired kitten, brush him once a week. If he’s long haired, you’ll need to do it every day, because his hair can get easly matted.

Grooming your kitten encourages growth and shine, and keeps him looking sleek and healthy. Like all good habits, it’s sensible to establish a grooming regime early on, so it becomes a normal part of life. Get him used to it and he’ll soon love lying there and being pampered and it’s a great way to build a wonderful relationship.

On the other hand, he won’t thank you for giving them a bath. Kittens hate water but, fortunately, a bath is only necessary when the coat is matted with something he can’t remove himself, like tar or resin, or when he has fleas.

To maintain good hygiene, make sure you inspect his coat regularly, keeping a look out for fleas, ticks, red spots and missing tufts of hair. If you think there’s a problem, whatever it is, don’t hesitate to take him to the vet.

Gently does it

For grooming, you’ll need a wide-spaced comb and a soft brush. Your kitten may be nervous when you brush him for the first time, so let him play with the comb and brush until he gets used to them and becomes less anxious. Spend some time touching him all over, particularly his stomach and hard-to-reach places, so he gets used to being handled in this way. All it takes is a little patience. Once he’s realized that being brushed is just like being stroked, he’ll soon be purring happily away.

How to groom your kitten

 Once your kitten has accepted the comb, use it to groom all the   dead hair out of his coat.
 Be particularly gentle when you’re combing his head, then   groom down his body, tail and legs.
 Finally, go back over his coat with the soft brush to remove all   the loose hairs.
 While you are grooming your kitten, take the opportunity to   check the condition of his coat and skin
 Look for any lumps, rashes, wounds or other signs that he may   be unwell.
 Check for evidence of fleas or other parasites.
 Any tangled hair will need to be removed before you can groom   him properly, but with a regular regime, tangles will be minimal   and can be teased out.
 If your kitten is in a real mess, wipe him down with a clean,   damp cloth making sure to dip it in warm water first.
 Never use soap, as this will irritate his skin.

Clear eyes

Once you’ve finished brushing him, check his eyes and ears.If his eyes are weepy, gently clean the eye area with a moist, warm cotton ball, using a different swab for each eye. Seek a vet’s advice if his eyes are red or there’s an excessive amount of discharge.

Clean ears

If your kitten’s ears are not clear, wipe them with a dry cotton ball. Don’t delve beyond the area of the ear that you can see, or poke anything solid inside because the ear is very delicate. If there’s a lot of dark wax in the ear, seek your vet’s advice as it may indicate the presence of ear mites.

Healthy teeth

Your kitten’s teeth should be clean and deposit-free and his gums should be a healthy pink colour. Check your kitten’s mouth regularly, so he becomes accustomed to it. He is unlikely to need anything fixed when he is this young but getting him used to the attention will make it a lot easier when you need to clean his teeth or get him to take medicine.

Neat nails

It’s important to keep your kitten’s claws in good condition. A scratching post will help him keep his claws down, but you’ll need to clip them to keep them trim, when he gets a little older. Start handling his feet at an early age, so he becomes used to it, then he’ll be more co-operative when he’s an adult. If you’re unsure or nervous about claw clipping, ask your vet to show you how.