by Crystal Foran

Created on: November 03, 2008

Grooming your cat can be a chore to say the least. Grooming a long-haired cat can be an almost hair-raising experience. Be prepared for hair up your nose, in your eyes, and you might even end up with a little in your digestive tract. I will say that when you are finished and your cat has calmed down from being violated, you will both be happy you took the time to make your four-legged ball of fluff feel her very best.

Acquire your products and grooming tools. For grooming a long-haired cat, you are going to need a slicker brush, a wide- and fine-tooth comb, cat-size nail clippers, small blunt-tipped scissors, shampoo and conditioner. You can get all of these supplies at your local pet store for under $30.00. I do suggest using all-natural shampoos and conditioners because of the benefit to your cat's health, but you can go with anything you feel comfortable with. Just make sure that the products are made specifically for your feline, because human shampoos and conditioners can be too hard on their skin.
Prepare your grooming area. I suggest a grooming table because it makes the process so much easier. A grooming table comes with an arm and a noose (a loop-like device to hold your cat in place). Make sure, if you are using this method, you do not leave your cat unattended. Cats tend to leap from the table if they feel they can get away, so it is best if you place the noose around the neck with one of the front legs through it. This will lessen the chance that you will hang your precious little fur-monster. A regular table at abdominal level will work just fine if you decide not to go with the grooming table. It is totally up to you; I just suggest the grooming table because it does make the task easier. Set out all tools from step one.
Trim the nails. I can't stress it enough that you must trim your cat's nails before doing any other step. This is to save you from any scratch-related injuries. Remember, most cats will bite, claw and dig their way away from you. At least if you have the claws taken care of you only have to worry about the biting.
Brush out the entire coat. For this step you should start with the slicker brush and brush the coat in sections. Then, move to the wide-tooth comb and comb in the same manner as the brush. Follow up with the fine-tooth comb. If at any point in the process, you cannot get through the fur, you must go back to the prior tool. For instance, if the comb keeps getting stuck when using the fine-tooth comb, go back to the wide-tooth

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