Grooming Your Persian Cat

The Persian cat is a beautiful animal known for its long, thick fur and wonderful temperament. This type of cat is not a low-maintenance breed. Because of their luxurious fur, they need a great deal of extra care in grooming. Their fur is so long and dense that it is difficult for these cats to groom themselves properly.

Your Persian cat should also be groomed daily. It is a good idea to use a wide, metal static-free comb. This will help to get any knots or matting out of the fur. A brush can be used to ‘fluff’ up the fur after any mats that may be present have been removed. But, if you groom your pet daily, mats should not be a problem. You should pay extra attention to the area behind the cat’s ears, underneath its armpits, around the rump and legs as these areas tend to mat-up much faster. Leaving mats in your cat’s fur for too long can cause skin infections.

Try to be gentle when encountering mats in your Persian cat's fur. Do not simply yank them out with the comb. Try separating the mats with your fingers and gently work the mats out with the comb. You do not want to pull the matted fur out of the skin. Not only will this cause a bald-spot in your cat’s fur, but it will be extremely painful for the animal.

You should always brush your cat before you give it a bath. Another good idea is to trim your cat’s nails before bathing it. (Be careful not to cut the nails too short though, or they may bleed.)

When you get a Persian cat as a kitten, it is a good idea to get it used to having a regular bath. This will help them in accepting that a bath is a normal, regular thing that they must endure. Some cats learn to like having a bath, but others merely tolerate it. Bathing this type of cat though on a monthly basis is a must. This will help the cat’s fur retain its beauty and help it to be cleaner and tangle-free.

You can give your cat a bath yourself, or you can have a professional groomer do it. If you do use a professional groomer, be sure to inquire about the type of products that they use. The products should contain moisturizers and de-tangler for your cat’s skin. Also, there are special products that are formulated for the color of your cat.

It is also suggested that a daily face-wash should be done. Try mixing a little baby shampoo with water on a soft face-cloth to gently wash the cat’s face. Make sure that you do not get too much soap in kitty’s eyes. You can use a mixture of 20% soap to 80% water for best results.

This type of cat is prone to ‘tearing’ around the eyes and washing its face on a daily basis will help to reduce the stains. There are also some good products on the market today that can help with the staining around your pet’s eyes. You can use an approved product like Opticlear in your cat’s eyes, but never use one that indicates it “gets the red out”.

To dry your cat after a bath, use a fluffy towel to pat dry. Do not rub too much as it will tangle the fur. You can then use a pet-geared dryer to help dry your pet (not one for humans as these can be too hot for your cat.). There are also dryer cages that you can get to help with this step.

Some Persian owners will opt to have their cat’s fur shaved in a ‘lion cut’ to cut down on the grooming requirements. A professional groomer will shave your cat’s body of its long fur. The head, legs and tip of the tail remain unshaven, making it look like a small lion.

Another tip for grooming your Persian is to use a white grooming powder between baths to help cut down on greasy cat fur (that will mat more easily).

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