Cat Grooming

Your kitten will spend a lot of their day grooming. Not only does grooming help your kitten look after their coat, but it also controls parasites and reinforces social bonds.

Starting early

Grooming is a great way to build up your relationship with your kitten, because it mimics the social bonds between a mother cat and their babies. Try to establish good grooming habits early on – the more you encourage your cat's natural behaviour, the more you’ll understand them and enjoy their company.

Playing with the brush

Your kitten may be nervous when you brush them for the first time. Help them relax by letting them play with the comb and brush – they'll soon get used to them. Stroke your kitten very gently all over – particularly on their  stomach and in hard-to-reach places – so they get comfortable with being handled.

How to groom

Before you actually start to use the brush and comb, spend a moment stroking your kitten gently. Then comb through their coat from head to tail, being particularly gentle around the head. Check the condition of their coat and skin, and look for signs of fleas or other parasites. Then brush the fur to remove any dead hair.

Terrible tangles

Tease out any tangled hair with your fingers and remove it before you groom your kitten properly. Don’t worry – if you groom your kitten regularly, tangles shouldn’t happen often. If your kitten is in a bit of a mess, dip a clean cloth in warm water, squeeze it out, and use it to wipe them down. Please don't use soap though – it'll just irritate their skin.

Clear eyes and ears

Once you've finished brushing your kitten, check their eyes and ears. If your kitten’s eyes are a bit weepy, clean them carefully using a cotton ball moistened with warm water. Make sure you use different swab for each eye.

If your kitten's ears aren't 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. If you can see a lot of dark wax in there, ask your vet for advice.

Healthy teeth

Your kitten's teeth should be clean and free from deposits, and their gums should be a healthy pink colour. Check your kitten’s mouth regularly so they get used to it – it’ll make things a lot easier when you need to clean their teeth or give them medicine.

Classy claws

Your kitten loves to scratch their territory – it's a natural behaviour that helps them hunt and scent-mark. A scratching post will act as a file for their claws, but you'll need to clip them when they get a little older. Get them used to the idea by handling their paws from an early age – that way they'll be more cooperative when they're an adult. Your vet can show you how to do it.