Image Credits:
Pixabay
If you are one of those cat-keepers that believes that the furry
pets are self-groomers, then you could not be more wrong. Cats
lick themselves, yes, but it does not mean that they groom
themselves by doing so. Cats need regular cleaning; otherwise
you'll be left with a dirty, smelly, and unhygienic pet.
Why Licking is not Grooming
When a cat licks itself, it spreads its saliva all over its body,
which needs to be cleaned. It also takes into its mouth a lot of
hair along with the bacteria and germs on its body.
The hair it ingests is thrown out in the form of vomit, which
again finds a way to your catโs skin when it steps or rolls on
it.
Feels yucky, right? Which is why you need to keep your cat clean
by giving it regular baths.
Another reason to groom your fluffy pet is to keep its claws in
control. Cats like to sharpen their claws as they provide them
greater grip. Sharpened claws present a risk of injury for the
pet and the owners, as well. Nails, therefore, need to be kept
trimmed.
The natural choice for pet owners is hiring a professional cat
groomer. Several grooming service providers are willing to do the
work for you. But, is hiring a professional service the right
choice for you?
Here, we list some pros and cons of hiring a professional cat
groomer to help you make an informed decision:
Pros
A Convenient Solution
A professional cat groomer provides all essential grooming
services under one roof. A typical service offers basic nail
care, hair brushing and trimming, bathing, ear care, and
sometimes even dental care. With professional taking care of your
pet, you can avoid the stress and mess associated with the task.
With options such as mobile pet grooming, the task is even more
convenient now. Mobile groomers visit either your home or other
convenient location, as specified by you, to groom your pet. You
will not even have to part with your pet for grooming service.
Safe for Pets
It can be extremely difficult to groom your cat, especially if
you are a new pet owner. Even if you are an experienced pet
owner, a grooming session can be tiresome and demanding because
cats are not willing pets. Handling a fussy, irritated, or worse,
a frightened cat can be stressful for yourself and the pet too.
Grooming under stress can even cause injury.
Professional groomers are trained to soothe and calm down an
irate cat. They create the right environment for the cat and then
groom it.
Cons
Expensive
Cat groomers offer a premium service. Expect them to be
expensive. If they are offering comprehensive grooming care, then
the price can be even higher. Know the price before you hire the
service.
Finding a Professional Service is not Easy
Finding a registered and experienced groomer requires extensive
research. Your pet can be in inexperienced, or worse bad, hands,
increasing the risk of physical or mental injury to the cat.
Weigh these pros and cons of hiring a professional grooming
service to know what suits you the best.
At-Home Pet Grooming Tricks
My Standard Poodle, Wade, is a
wonderful guy. Heโs an expert cuddler, a social butterfly who
loves all people and animals, and heโs always making my husband
and I laugh with his funny expressions and mischievous antics;
heโs only 1 and ยฝ years-old, so he still has a lot of puppy
spunk!
Heโs a really great dog. However, heโs also a big dog -- 56 lbs.
at his last check-up -- and having a large dog comes with its
costs, one of which is expensive grooming. Now, full disclosure:
I live in Los Angeles, where prices may be higher because it is a
big city. Nevertheless, the first time we took Wade to a
professional groomer, they charged $70 for the works. As heโs
grown and gained weight, that price has gone up, and a full groom
now costs $100. Ouch.Poodles need to be brushed and groomed
regularly to keep their thick, curly, ever-growing hair clean and
free of mats. Knowing that we were looking at spending $100 every
6 weeks or so, we decided to learn how to groom at home.At first
it was challenging; especially with a puppy, we dealt with a lot
of wiggling and escape attempts.
Over time, however, Wade got more comfortable with being groomed,
and weโve learned some tricks along the way that make the whole
process a lot easier. So without further adieu, here are 5 of our
favorite at home grooming tricks and tips.
1. Brush First, and Use The Right Kind of Brush
Trying to brush out wet, tangled hair is no fun. The best thing
that you can do for your dogโs coat is brush it out regularly
(once a week or more, depending on what kind of hair they have),
and you should also give your pal a thorough once over with a
brush before bathing/grooming to loosen mats, tangles, and check
for fleas, ticks, foxtails, burrs, or other foreign
matter.The kind of brush that you use is important, and
will depend on your dogโs hair.
-
Slicker
brushes have thin, stainless steel pins that work to
remove mats and tangles. They are perfect for dogs with
medium-to-long or curly-haired breeds (like Wade!)
-
Pin
brushes look like brushes that we humans use. Pin
brushes are less effective at working through tangles than
Slicker brushes, so they are better suited to dogs with
naturally smooth hair (like Yorkshire
Terriers) or any dog that is brushed regularly and thus
doesnโt have mats or tangles. They can also be used as a
finishing brush.
-
Bristle
Brushes can help to reduce shedding and can be used on
all dog breeds, depending on the length and spacing of the
bristles. For example, if you have a dog with a long coat, the
bristles should be long and widely spaced.
2. Use A Detachable Shower Head
Once we figured this one out, we couldnโt believe that it hadnโt
occurred to us before. Before using a detachable shower head, we
would use a pitcher or Tupperware bowl to wet Wade down. Wade has
extremely thick hair, so fully wetting his body and washing off
soap required multiple, tiring scoops of water. We decided to
pick up a detachable shower head for $18 at a home improvement
store, and washing Wade has never been easier. Just be sure that
you get one with enough length to reach your pup -- ours has an 8
foot hose.
3. Get A Better Lather and Save Money By Diluting Soap
If you try to squeeze soap directly onto your dog, youโll end up
using a lot more than you need, and soap can be expensive (unless
you
make your own at home
!) Instead, put a bit of soap into a squeeze bottle or
container (like a Tupperware), fill it up with water, mix it
around, and squirt or pour the mixture over your dog.
Youโll get more mileage out of your soap and a much better
lather, too.
4. Desensitize Your Dog To Clippers
Ah yes, clippers. Wade was NOT too pleased the first time he
heard and felt clippers. Clippers are often noisy, and the
sensation is unnatural -- like a strange vibration. Before using
clippers to groom your dog, get them familiar with the sounds and
feelings so they wonโt be afraid. Turn the clippers on and give
your dog a treat. Touch the body of the clipper gently to
different parts of your dog (without actually removing any hair)
and offer a treat. Do this once a day leading up to grooming. One
note: be sure to introduce the clippers to your dogโs legs at
some point; the legs are the most sensitive parts of many dogs
(this is certainly the case for Wade).
5. Use Corn Starch For A Nicked Toenail
Even with lots of practice and the best intentions, chances are
you will draw blood from time to time when trimming your petโs
nails. You can stop the bleeding with styptic pads or powder
purchased from the pet store, or you can do like we do, and use
corn starch. Corn starch quickly stops bleeding by causing a clot
at the site of the wound. Simply put some corn starch into a bowl
and dip your dogโs nicked nail into it. Let the corn starch sit
on the nail for a while before washing it off. To avoid a starchy
mess while you wait, put a sock over your dogโs foot.---So those
are some of our tips! What are yours? Leave a comment below and
let us know! In addition, if youโre into saving money by grooming
at home, you might also be interested in PetPlus. With PetPlus, you can save on your petโs
medications, boarding, supplies, and more.