Domestic Longhair grooming tips

Hi all, a question if i may.....i qas told when I got kitty an took hin the vet for his registration visit that he is a short/ medium fur but in gis recent visit they changed it to longhair, i know longhair takes a lot more looking after than normal so any tips advice wtc i would love to hear! Thank you xx

We have had mostly longhair cats and presently have a Persian kitty.  I find the "greyhound comb" extremely helpful.  Here is a link so you can check it out,

The main problems caused by so much fur are that the cat is ingesting a lot of hair, which can lead to hairballs/constipation/digestion issues, and matting, when loose fur gets tangled and compacted into uncomfortable wads. Getting into a routine of brushing regularly, usually every day, can help prevent both. Some cats will be a little more prone to matting and may need more intense brushing, other long haired cats might be less mat-prone and won't need to be brushed quite as much.

If the coat is pretty much mat and tangle-free, then it's relatively easy to keep it that way. Just remove little tangles as they form by brushing every day before they turn into mats. The metal comb mentioned above is great for this. My cat has some issues with constipation, and it helps a lot if I can remove as much fur as I can so she doesn't ingest it and get it stuck in her intestines. So I also like to use the Kong Zoom Groom brush (or something similar) which does a good job of gently removing lots of excess fur once all the tangles are gone. My cat really hates being brushed in certain areas, so I usually start with the zoom groom brush, which she likes better, to ease her into it, and then go after the tangles with a metal brush, and end with the zoom groom again.
 

If a cat has a really thick coat, like a Persian, or if they have a lot of mats, a professional grooming session might be useful. But if you have the time and energy, you can usually handle most grooming jobs yourself. It helps to look up some youtube videos of professionals showing you how to get mats out correctly, though.

Remember to brush his belly and under his arms if you can, because this is where mats develop most often. 

Lots of yummy treats are also an important grooming tool for my kitty! She isn't the most tolerant of brushing, but she will endure a lot for food!

If the cat has a double coat like a Persian, I would not brush, only use a comb. A brush will not reach the skin on a double coated cat and you will end up with a cat whose coat is matted underneath. A totally clean coat will not mat as easily either. If the cat is not used to grooming start slowly and reward the cat each time with lots of love and treats. If needed, a professional cat groomer can get the coat in shape for you and then you can just do the up keep.

Thank you very much all of you i have been brushing him but he really hates it! He will sometimes tolleraye it but that's not often and he nistly bats me with his paws sn goes to nip me!! So its hard. I was tempted to do it when he sleeps next to me ir on my lap as tgen hes more relaxed an tollerable unless it hurt i suppose but il have to figure what works for him i suppose. I will try that kong brush. Thanks again everyone xx

...i just use a soft brush and a flea comb on Bones...being a Maine Coon his coat's supposed to be waterproof.....every now and then i put a tiny amount of natural conditioner on my hands and rub it in real well......it's no big deal with longhairs...you just have to brush them pretty often...