How often do you groom your cat?

[minlee]

Mine are both shorthair indoor cats. I recently had to groom my girl cat mainly because she had a streak of poop on her back and my male I bathed only once but he stunk so bad that the owner put him in a stinky cat carrier. I got him off craigslist and the owner was nice. I just didn't like the smell that was coming from him lol....I just wasn't sure how often....He was in perfect shape he gets his teeth brushed and also just got his rabie shot when we got him. So he is good for the rest of this year.

 

[callista]

I bathe them when they are stinky, which is not very often. Usually it happens when they had the bad luck to be in the carrier to the vet's and couldn't hold it long enough to get home and use the litter box. Then they hate me for the next day, but what am I to do?

Their claws get clipped every couple of weeks, and I brush them occasionally, whenever I see that they are shedding a lot.

As for brushing teeth--Christy hates it so much that I've started feeding her dental treats instead. They're a decent compromise as far as I am concerned, and whenever I check her mouth, her gums and teeth seem to be pretty healthy--they are no pinker than they were when I first started worrying about her teeth about two years ago; so I figure the dental treats and hard food are keeping her teeth pretty clean. A good thing that my checking her teeth is getting her used to having her mouth handled. I may have to start brushing her teeth eventually, if the dental treats start not being enough.

Both of mine are shorthairs. If you had a longhaired cat, daily brushing would probably be a good idea. Some longhaired cats need it less often--Maine Coons have remarkably easy to care for long fur, for example--but daily brushing sure doesn't hurt them, and many cats love it, especially if you start when they are young kittens.

 

[minlee]

Yea I tried giving my girl a bath as a kitten and she hated it. Still hasn't changed she would just cry and cry.

 

[mystik spiral]

I have never given Holland bath, and I tried brushing her when I first got her (almost 3 years ago) but she hated it and before long I realized that she doesn't really need it (she's a DSH). Though she has been shedding like crazy the past week or so, so I may have to break out the brush and see how she does.

She gets her claws clipped every couple of weeks, but she doesn't have any teeth so I don't have to worry about that!

 

[minlee]

Your cat Holland is very cute

 

[mystik spiral]

Thanks!!!

 

[Draco]

I brush my cats every day with a wire brush, and use the furminator every other or so. The last time I gave Monet a bath is when he needed to be expressed and I figure the tub's the best place for it.

They don't like my fingers in their mouths, so I let them lick CET toothpaste off my finger.. at least its something!

 

[minlee]

interesting my male cat tiger had his teeth brushed specially by his previous owner. He went and got them specially done. I am like what???? I never heard of taking a cat to the vet who did cat teeth. He is like you need to get this done every 6 months. When we got him his teeth were as white as can be. He told me they clean their teeth gums, etc. This man took very good care of his cat but i am not sure on going to that extreme considering he was spending about $150 every six months for it.

 

[milu]

Mine get a partial manicure about every week. Partial, because they never hold still long enough for me to do them all

When Lulu had the runs and kept getting poop all over her hind legs she was incredibly good about me holding under the water and washing the mess off. Sweet girl didn't even mind that the water was cold. Which reminds me, how warm should it be for a bath?

I brush them occasionally, just for fun. Neither of them seems to need it, whew

 

[arlyn]

Spaz no longer grooms herself and will attack you if you try to do it for her.
Best I can do with her is damage control to prevent mats and nail clipping.
I do damage control as often as she'll let me, once she notices that I'm not actually petting her, she attacks.
Her nails I clip once a week or so as needed.

The shorthairs are self cleaning

I do clean their ears monthly and nailing clipping as needed (I'm lucky in that they actually enjoy having their feet played with).

For teeth they actually get raw chicken wings and necks with bone about once a week, sometimes once every two.

Spaz is 17 and has never needed a dental

 

[rafm]

All of our cats love being brushed. When they see one getting brushed, the literally line up for their turn. DH brushes all of them multiple times a week, even the shorthairs and always gets so much off them. They all constantly shed.

I did have to actually wash the old guy after his last vet visit....he threw up in the carrier and then pooed as well and then sat in it. He was LIVID and ignored me for two days after that.

 

[anita1216]

Naked cats get bathed every other week. Ears and nail beds are cleaned weekly along with a pedicure as required. Those wearing fur are bathed only as needed. Gnocchi is a bit of a slob and being white, she has found herself tubbed more than she would like. I brush furry cats everyday to help with shedding and my allergies (yep Im highly allergic to cats LOL)I also trim nails and clean ears on furry kids once a week. Teeth are left to the dentist once a year, but I do try to rub teeth with a soft cloth now and again. I figure it helps some (I hope!)

 

[bellaandme]

I haven't gotten the nerve to try to clip Turtle's nails yet. I shudder at the thought!! I don't have any reason to bathe her. But she will let me clean her teeth, which she seems to tolerate pretty well and I'm amazed at that. I brush her every day, for short periods of time. I sing a little song to her. It's a nice way for us to bond. And sometimes she'll fall off to sleep....