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No matter what breed you have, or what their coat is like, a consistent grooming schedule is an important part of good cat care. It's a bonding ritual that will let you and your cat have fun times together, gets them used to handling, and helps you keep tabs on their health status. Here's how to get this process started at any age.

* Start slow. Kittens will regard it as a game, adults will regard it as an intrusion. They will learn to see the fun in your approach with comb (long hairs) or brush (short hairs.) Start with a few strokes along the back, like petting, and with adults, try the back of the neck and then a face touch up. Follow with a treat. Let them wrestle with the tool at first. Later, when they learn to enjoy it for its own sake, they will stop doing that.

* Don't push. This isn't a task to be completed. Grooming stimulates the cat and they can get rowdy. If this happens, stop. It's time for a treat. As the cat learns to relax and enjoy the petting aspect, you can cover more territory in a grooming session.

* Once the cat enjoys the grooming, don't start with the face. Start with the tail, and work your way towards the face, which is their favorite part to be groomed. This way they learn to wait for their favorite part, and have more tolerance for touchy areas like hindquarters and belly. If they bail midway, let them. Come back the next day to go over the missed parts. Remember, fun.

* They will probably want the treat anyway, but get some token strokes in before you give it to them. Otherwise, they will milk the situation.

* For a short- or wire-haired cat, the grooming is not essential. With breeds who have long, fine, or dense fur, it is. These breeds have a tendency to mat, which is when the fur forms thick clumps that create "hot spots" on their skin and are painful for the cat, impeding their movement. Get them used to grooming early, and they will appreciate how much better it makes them feel. Get a "mat comb" which is an implement with a shielded sharp edge which cuts through the mats and makes their removal much easier. These kinds of cats need daily grooming, and even an occasional face washing. It's a small investment in time and tools to keep them looking, and feeling, their best.

* Take this opportunity to check their ears, their paws, and their teeth. They will put up with it for the reward they know is coming, which is the face fussing as much as the treat.

* Enjoy it. Get some petting and ear rubbing and affection in, and make it part of the grooming ritual.

* Don't be offended if they go off and do touchups on your handiwork. This is part of coming down from the stimulation of the grooming, which cranks the cat up.

* When to groom is an important part of cat acceptance. This shouldn't be approached as a chore to get through. Wait until we have time for gentleness and patience. The cat picks up on our emotional set. If we regard it as a chore to be rushed through, so will they, and they won't want to.

Grooming isn't always about keeping the cat looking good, since most of them feel they are quite capable of that, thank you. Grooming is a way to connect with the cat and take care of them.

So approach it with love, and they will respond.

Learn more about this author, Pamela Merritt.
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