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Grooming a Siamese or Oriental cat should be a daily task as simple as
running your hands over the cats coat. A few days before a show you can
give your cat a warm bran bath if the cats coat is dirty, but normally
for a light coloured cat all you should need to do is sprinkle talcum
powder through the coat, rub through, and then thoroughly brush it out.
With a fine-toothed comb, work down the cat from its head to its tail.
As you comb, look for black specks - a sign of fleas. If you suspect
your cat has fleas contact your vet or pet shop for a suitable
treatment. A final wipe over with a silk or chamois leather is all that
is then required.
Gently remove any deposits in the corner of the cats eyes with a moist
tissue and clean the ears with a cotton bud moistened with baby oil. Do
not poke the cotton bud in the ear canal, all you need to do is remove
any dirt from the inside of the ear flap itself.
 Bran Bath:
A
bran bath is useful for removing all traces of grease and dirt from the
coat of a short-hair cat, but give it about five days before a show. Put
100g of bran - the type used for feeding horses - on a tray in a warm
oven. When the bran is warm, stand the cat (held by an assistant) on a
firm table and rub it onto the coat - against the growth - on its back,
belly and tail. Leave the bran on for as long as possible then brush it
all out.
Washing Your Cat:
 Sometimes
if may be necessary to bath your cat. The kitchen sink is probably the
best place to carry out this exercise; baths are too large and the cat
can become frightened, and basins are too shallow. Unless your cat is
accustomed to being bathed, it is advisable to have a friend help you.
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Fill the sink 1/3
full with warm water. Check the temperature with your elbow, similar
to testing a baby's bath. Using a plastic jug or cup measurement wet
the cat's fur.
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Apply a small
amount of baby shampoo or one which has been designed for cats.
Gently rub through the coat and rinse thoroughly.
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Apply a good
quality hair conditioner, but avoid those with too much perfume in
case this causes an allergic reaction. This will help to prevent the
coat of a shorthair cat becoming too fluffy after washing.
Thoroughly rinse the conditioner out of the cat's coat.
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Remove the cat
from the water and wrap him up in a towel and rub well.
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It is not
necessary to use a hair dryer for a shorthaired cat if the cat
objects. It can be towel dried in front of a heater or in a warm
patch of sunlight.
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Always brush a
shorthaired cat in the direction that the fur lies to keep the sleek
appearance.
Trimming Claws:
If
in any doubt as to how to trim the claws, let the veterinarian show you
how, or let him clip them yourself.
 Use
either very sharp scissors, human toe-nail clippers or veterinary
"guillotine-type" claw clippers. Hold the cat firmly in your lap and
gently press the pad of its paw with your fingers to make the claws
extend. Examine the nail carefully. The main part includes the
pinkish-coloured quick which contains the nerves and blood vessels. You
must NOT cut this. The white tips are dead tissue and can be cut, but
not closer than 2mm to the quick.
What About De-clawing
My Cat?
Three simple words: DON'T DO IT! Ever thought of having your
finger nails pulled off? Pretty well amounts to the same thing. If
you don't want the cat to scratch your furniture, get a scratching post
or a dog instead. You see, cats scratch. That's a fact of
life, they're just doing what comes naturally. De-clawing is an
inhumane and cruel treatment and many veterinarians nowadays refuse to
perform the operation.
Tea
Tree Oil - Toxic to Cats
http://www.messybeast.com/teatree.htm
Please visit the above link for
information on
Tea Tree Oil poisoning cats. |
