How to trim a cat's hair at home

Owners always try not to deprive their cat of care and provide him with proper nutrition. However, it is still necessary to properly care for its fur so that your pet is healthy and beautiful. Our pets should have clean and healthy fur. But the animals themselves often cannot always cope on their own. First of all, long-haired cats. Therefore, the hair needs to be trimmed, in addition to other cat care products. There are a number of reasons for this:

1.The most popular reason for cutting hair is shedding

The need for haircuts when gland secretion increases

3. Bacteria and fungi in hairballs, which can lead to infectious diseases in the animal.

Skin disease and negative impact on the general condition of the cat due to overheating.

The animal's gastrointestinal tract becomes filled with hairballs when the cat licks itself. This problem requires immediate assistance from a veterinarian.

Grooming cats at home will keep your pet healthy and save you from the listed troubles.

The problem of mats in cats

If an animal has a large number of mats, washing it becomes an almost impossible task. The wool becomes rotten and cannot dry, and ulcerative wounds form. It is strictly forbidden to pull out tangles - this causes great pain to your pet. In some cases, special oils will come to the aid of the owner. The mat gradually separates and unravels. However, the most reliable option is a haircut. An animal's mat can only be trimmed with a special clipper. Therefore, we recommend that you contact only professionals. Before the procedure, you cannot feed the animal for up to 6 hours, as anesthesia may be used. Most often, the procedure takes about 20-30 minutes for experienced specialists and anesthesia is not required. It is advisable to warn the specialist about the cat’s character and manners of behavior. Your pet will feel the effectiveness of cutting mats instantly and may begin to behave more calmly until the end of the procedure.

Popular model cat haircuts

There is a wide variety of model haircuts for cats. For example, a home haircut for a cat “like a lion.” Your furry friend will have a tail tuft and the fur will be trimmed from the elbow to the knuckles. You can also trim your mane with scissors.

Very similar to the previous one is the puma cat haircut. The difference is that the fur on the front of the body and on the legs is preserved.

With long hair, you can endlessly vary the options for different haircuts for your pet. Our craftsmen in Rostov-on-Don can use blades to cut patterns on your animal’s back or unusually design its paws, as well as create an original “Broom” or “Herringbone” tail design.

Haircut for hygiene purposes

Grooming a cat at home is not much different from the usual one. However, in order to prevent subsequent problems, a little more hair is cut off in problem areas of the animal.

Grooming cats at home and in the salon

Depending on your capabilities and desires, your cat in Rostov-on-Don can be cut both at home and in a salon.

Grooming a cat in a salon allows you to get the full range of cat care services. The procedure will be carried out efficiently using special instruments. However, this pleasure is quite expensive and the owner does not always have free time. Your pet will also get stressed from the move and the procedure itself in an unknown location.

Cat grooming in Rostov-on-Don

The veterinary clinic "Doctor-Vet" provides services in Rostov-on-Don at a competitive price.

Cat's haircut "Dragon"

Cats are wayward animals and not every owner can trim them on their own. Therefore, it is easier to contact a specialist who has experience in this matter and can perform the service efficiently. As a rule, cats are cut for hygiene reasons, because animals are not able to care for their fur on their own. Especially when it comes to long-haired breeds. Grooming allows you to combat problems such as tangles and tangled hair. If the mats are not cut off, they cause a lot of inconvenience to the pet and can even lead to illness. Haircuts are also very relevant in the summer, when mustaches suffer from the heat.

Calling a groomer to your home will be an excellent solution for owners who do not have time to take their pet to a cat “beauty salon” and wait for it to be cleaned up.

So, the Doctor-Vet veterinary service provides the following types of services at home:

1. Hygienic haircuts. This procedure is not performed for beauty, it is rather a necessity. As a rule, a hygienic haircut is aimed at removing tangles and tangled hair or combating skin diseases (fleas, dermatitis, etc.). Hygienic grooming is also recommended for animals in old age, when they cannot care for themselves. The hygienic haircut is called “Lion”, since after it the cat becomes like a lion (the fur remains only on the head). The Leo haircut is also considered a model haircut. It is very common today.
2. Creative. Their main goal is to improve the appearance of the pet or to realize the owner’s fantasy. A creative haircut takes into account all the advantages and disadvantages of a pet and reflects its individuality. There are a great many options for creative haircuts. It all depends on the skill of the groomer, the characteristics of the animal and the imagination of the owner.
3. Brushing cats. Combing involves removing shedding hair using professional, and most importantly, safe tools. The coat is not cut, but its volume is significantly reduced, and the appearance becomes more well-groomed and healthy. Special attention must be paid to removing tangles. Sometimes they do not need to be cut, but simply combed with a brush.
4. The washing up. Washing a cat can be either a separate procedure or performed simultaneously with haircut and combing. Washing is not the easiest procedure, since cats do not like water and are afraid of it, and therefore it is not always easy for the owner to bathe his pet on his own. Our specialists will help you in this difficult matter. You will save time and nerves by inviting a groomer to your home.

It is advisable to groom cats 1-3 times a year. Of course, everything is individual and depends not only on the breed, but also on the animal’s body (how quickly the fur grows, what is the degree of thickness of the fur, etc.).

Since the climate in Rostov-on-Don is quite hot and in the summer the temperature can rise to 40 degrees, we recommend cutting your hair before the heat sets in. This will reduce the animal's discomfort to a minimum.

Before the procedure, it is recommended to trim the cat’s claws so that it does not injure the owner’s master during and after the procedure.

Reasons and frequency of haircuts

Cats need to be trimmed from time to time for several reasons. Most often, this activity should be carried out with animals that have long hair, due to its constant rolling into clumps, which cause numerous inconveniences. Cat haircuts can have different purposes:

1. For hygiene purposes. In this case, the process is necessary due to the wool becoming tangled and matted. The animal may get too dirty, and the type of contamination will be paint products or certain building materials that cannot be removed with shampoo.
2. In certain situations, the fur of very old or sick cats that are unable to take care of their “fur coat” is shortened. This procedure prevents the formation of hair balls in the stomach, which often cause intestinal blockage. It is also necessary in conditions of elevated air temperatures, when there is a risk of overheating of the pet.
3. Due to prolonged molting. In this case, cutting will make keeping the animal much easier.
4. For medicinal purposes. For certain diseases of cats, haircutting may be recommended by a veterinarian. Indications for such a procedure are usually infectious skin diseases, dermatitis, the appearance of various parasites, as well as hyperplasia of the sebaceous glands. Trimmed wool makes it possible to treat the skin with medications more effectively, and this significantly shortens the treatment process.
5. Decorative haircuts. Such hairdressing services for pets are nothing more than a whim of their owners. With the help of a model haircut, owners try to emphasize the individuality of their pet and the characteristics of its character.
6. Exhibition haircuts are designed to demonstrate the standards of their breed in animals.

Cat grooming prices

Prices for such services in Rostov-on-Don may vary and often depend on the wishes of the master himself. When contacting the Doctor-Vet veterinary clinic, you can be sure that there will be no surprises regarding the price of a haircut. We announce the cost over the phone and it does not change during the work process! We only employ experienced hairdressers who can cut even the most wayward cat's hair. After the procedure, the specialist will give recommendations for further care and answer all your questions. Groom your cat yourself or seek help from specialists - the decision is yours. The main thing is to provide your pet with timely care for its coat and monitor its health. The price for grooming a cat is 1000 rubles.

Why do cats get their hair cut?

Cats with long hair require more care than short-haired breeds - their hair needs to be combed every day with a special brush to prevent it from rolling into lumps, which later become mats. Long-haired cats cannot always cope with their hygiene on their own, and if such a cat goes out into the yard for independent walks, dry remains of grass and plants, thistles, etc., are sure to cling to its fur, which are then very difficult to remove, and cats do not do this procedure they love it very much.

In addition to mats, long-haired cats have another problem - heat. This is especially true for the southern region, where the air temperature in the summer months becomes very high and it becomes physically difficult for cats to bear such stress, especially if the cat is aged. Therefore, grooming cats in Rostov-on-Don will be very useful, considering how hot our summer is.

Grooming

Once or twice a week you need to comb the British coat with a medium-frequency metal comb and a massage brush with natural bristles. First with the growth of the fur, and then against the grain. You should start from the pet's back, then scratch along the sides, moving to the chest. The cheeks and neck are combed towards the cat's face. After the combing procedure, all excess hair is removed using a rubber mitten or wet palms.

Is it necessary to cut a British cat's haircut?

For your information! It is recommended to finish this procedure by applying a protein conditioner or anti-shedding spray to the combed coat. Such products can improve the structure of the coat and maintain a healthy shine.

About once every three weeks, it is recommended to clean the coat with dry shampoo or powder, which is massaged into the coat and then thoroughly combed out with a brush. Such products contain silicone and special components that cleanse the coat of subcutaneous fat and dirt, remove static electricity and add volume.

Once every three months it is necessary to bathe the cat using high-quality shampoo, which contains lecithin, conditioner and antistatic components. After washing, dry the coat thoroughly using several towels and, if the cat is not afraid, a hair dryer, and then comb thoroughly.

Combing out the excess hair of the “British” should be done 2 times a week.

Combing allows you to get rid of excess falling hairs, which, during the licking process, end up in the “British”’s gastrointestinal tract. A hairball can lead to a blockage in the stomach and intestinal obstruction, causing the cat to suffer from lack of appetite, constipation and vomiting. Trying to avoid such problems, owners are thinking about grooming British cats.

Purpose

One of the main reasons why cats are cut is due to matting and matting. In this regard, the main purpose of a haircut is to relieve the animal of the unpleasant sensations that arise as a result of the skin being pulled together by matted hair.

Long-haired cats suffer from this especially often, as these troubles happen very often. Once you skip brushing, the animal begins to experience noticeable discomfort and become very nervous. Moreover, blood circulation in tight skin is impaired, resulting in unbearable itching.

Another, no less important purpose of haircuts is to prevent the ingestion of large amounts of fur during licking, which often provokes serious problems with the pet’s digestion.

An equally important reason for cutting excess hair is too hot a climate, as well as an increase in room temperatures in summer and winter. It can be very difficult for animals, especially long-haired ones, to tolerate air temperatures above 35 degrees, so it is simply necessary to alleviate the pet’s condition in such cases. Another common problem with wool cats is contamination of their long fur with excrement while going to the litter box.

In this case, there can be two ways out of the situation: constantly washing the contaminated area or cutting off the hair around the anus.

However, the latter procedure does not add attractiveness to the cat, so it is better to trim the entire cat rather than clipping individual areas.

In addition to the hygienic component, there is also an aesthetic aspect to cat grooming. A properly trimmed pet looks very beautiful and well-groomed, attracting the attention of others and pleasing the eyes of its owners. In addition, intensively shedding animals also require trimming, otherwise they will literally fill the house with their hair. But if a cat sheds too much and for a long time, you should show it to the veterinarian, since intense hair loss can be caused by a lack of vitamins or the onset of a serious illness.

Is it possible to cut British cats?

Veterinarians recommend “British” haircuts for hygiene purposes:

British cat looks very impressive after a haircut

• preventing skin damage. Trying to get rid of a mat, a pet may pull out a clump of fur;
• injured skin is an ideal habitat for the proliferation of bacteria and fungi that provoke the development of lichen or skin diseases;
• prevention of gastrointestinal problems caused by the formation of a dense hairball;
• elderly long-haired pets are not able to properly care for their fur, which results in multiple mats, fecal balls on the back of the thighs and nervousness of the animal;
• British cats, just like Scots, Persians, Siberian and Norwegian Forest cats, have a hard time withstanding hot days, having a dense woolen coat suitable for living in cold climates. Grooming British cats can alleviate this condition and improve their well-being.

After the haircut

As we have already said, after grooming the cat should be wiped with a damp cloth, and it is also worth combing it. As a rule, cats easily get used to their trimmed appearance. But some problems may arise:

• The cat may get injured when scratching or playing the first time after the haircut.
• May begin to lick itself more often and exhibit slight irritation.
• In rare cases, the behavior may change and aggression may appear: the cat damages furniture, defecates in inappropriate places, or attacks.

If the cat’s behavior does not return to normal on its own, then you need to contact a veterinarian.

Preparing for a haircut

Before grooming, it is recommended to trim your cat's nails and then bathe him. Cut claws will protect the owner from serious scratches that a cat can inflict during a haircut if it gets scared. Using special nail clippers, the tip of the claw is cut off to about 2 mm. If you cut off more, you can cause pain to the cat by hitting nerve endings or blood vessels. Trimming the claws of “British” cats is carried out once every 2-3 weeks; such regularity will not allow the claw to split or grow in an irregular shape.

For your information! Clean wool is the key to an even, shape-holding haircut. In addition, clean wool does not dull or damage tool blades.

The fur, dried with a towel or warm air from a hairdryer, should be thoroughly combed. If small tangles are found, carefully untangle them with a comb. It is recommended to start from the bottom of the tangle, gradually moving higher. To make detangling easier, you can lightly spray with a special spray designed for this purpose. If you find large neglected tangles or it is impossible to untangle them, carefully cut them off.

It is better to cut off matted mats with a hair clipper. When cutting tangles with scissors, you need to be careful and feel the distance between the fur and the skin, eliminating the possibility of accidentally injuring the cat’s skin.

Important! When grooming British cats, sedatives or anesthesia should not be used. The master must find an approach to the cat so that he can calm down and relax.

Using a machine, the hair is removed first on the sides, going down to the armpits, stomach, and then to the back of the body. The minimum length of the coat should be 5 mm, this will eliminate irritation and itching after cutting.

The tail can be trimmed as desired, for example, leaving a small tassel at the end. The fur from the paws is cut off at the elbow, leaving peculiar socks that can be slightly trimmed with thinning scissors. Under no circumstances should you cut the hair on your cat's head, ears or whiskers.

Nail trimming must be done very carefully so as not to damage the blood vessel.

After the procedure, shorn "British" haircuts are wiped with a damp cloth or bathed in clean, warm water. Such actions will rid your pet of remaining hairs that prick the delicate skin.

Instructions on how to cut a cat's hair at home

The first step is to trim the nails. How to do this correctly, you can watch the video presented by the channel “Univet - a group of veterinary clinics”.

If your pet is restless and afraid of electrical appliances, then you can wrap construction tape around its paws - it does not stick to the fur much and you can get rid of it painlessly.

The procedure for grooming a cat looks like this:

1. Using a machine with a 3 mm nozzle, you need to remove hair from the left and right sides, from the back and belly. In the last place, you need to be extremely careful so as not to injure the animal.
2. Change the nozzle to 2 mm and cut the hair in the armpit area. Then you can proceed to the back of the cat's body.
3. The tail, as a rule, is also trimmed, leaving a tassel, like a lion's. You need to trim it with scissors. Sometimes the tail is not touched at all.
4. You must leave socks on your feet. Under no circumstances should you cut off the fur on your paws completely.
5. Also, the hair on the head cannot be cut; it is only recommended to trim it a little with scissors to make a neat shape.
6. Now you need to bathe, comb and dry the cat with a hairdryer. If the pet cannot stand the noise of the hair dryer, then wipe the cat with a dry soft towel.

Types of haircuts are shown in the photo:

How often to cut a cat's hair

The frequency of haircuts depends on the following circumstances:

• length of the cat's fur. Representatives of the Persian or Angora breed are cut more often than short-haired “British” ones;
• care at home. Regular washing and combing of wool minimizes the occurrence of tangles, reducing the frequency of hygienic haircuts;
• A veterinarian can prescribe an unscheduled haircut, as well as cancel an upcoming one, depending on the cat’s health condition. Treatment of some skin diseases is carried out after cutting the coat. Exacerbation of chronic diseases or poor health of the cat may be a reason to cancel the haircut.

Typically, the hair grows back after shearing within 3-5 months. Long-haired breeds are cut 2-3 times a year. For cats with medium thick fur, it is enough to cut them 1-2 times a year. Doing it too often can cause skin damage that becomes flaky and itchy. In addition, it must be taken into account that, deprived of wool protection, shaved “Britons” become vulnerable to sunlight, drafts and sudden temperature changes in the summer.

Some owners groom their cat during shedding to maintain order and reduce the amount of lost hair in the apartment. In the case of prolonged shedding, when hair loss continues for a long time, grooming your pet is useless. The new fur will also fall out as it grows. Therefore, one should look for the cause of such a pathology, for example, in an unbalanced diet, a reaction to new products or hygiene products, high humidity, illness, or a depressed state of stress.

Is it possible to cut hair?

In order to trim a cat, you need to take into account the characteristics of its breed. For example, a British woman is predisposed to heart disease and before visiting a grooming salon, you should definitely visit a cardiologist. Whether to cut cats or not depends on the animal’s coat; this procedure cannot be performed on pets whose fur is less than 4 cm long. A veterinarian may also prescribe the procedure if there are skin diseases. Grooming is possible for Persian, British, and Scottish cats.

Grooming is an aesthetic or hygienic procedure

If the cat has no contraindications, and its owner has decided on a hygienic haircut, then why not combine business with pleasure by making the haircut aesthetically attractive? A professional groomer will tell you which haircut model is suitable for a cat of a particular breed, focusing on the individual characteristics and comfort of the pet.

Note! Gradually accustoming a kitten to grooming allows you to avoid stressful situations during grooming for an adult cat.

Haircut "French Lion"

One of the most popular cat hairstyles is the French Lion cut. The cat's fur on the back, sides, belly, upper paws and part of the tail is removed with a machine. The untouched long hair on the pet's head and neck, compared to the bald body, resembles the shape of a lion's mane. The fluffy tassel at the tip of the tail gives it an even greater resemblance to a large predator. At the owner's request, the socks on the pet's paws are milled or slightly shortened using scissors. Is it possible to cut British cats this way? Of course yes. Unlike the fluffy Persian lion, the “British” with such a haircut will look like a cute lion cub.

Features of grooming

It is impossible to carry out such a procedure on your own and get an effective result without the help of an assistant. Before cutting, in addition to the necessary equipment, it is recommended to purchase a collar for the animal, specially designed to protect against its bites. In addition, it is worth stocking up on compounds that have disinfecting properties, for example, chlorhexidine or hydrogen peroxide. They may be needed in case of possible cuts.

Required Tools

Since cat fur is thick and fine in structure, using scissors and clippers on people would be impractical. To provide hairdressing services to animals, you should prepare specialized tools directly for grooming. Such a set should include:

Pros and cons

As mentioned above, there are undoubtedly benefits from grooming cats. This includes relieving the animal of unpleasant sensations caused by the tightening of the skin by tufts of matted hair, alleviating the pet’s condition in the heat, and significantly reducing the amount of hair in the house during the cat’s molting. The latter is especially true for owners suffering from allergic reactions to animal fur, as well as for young children.

In addition, a haircut significantly transforms and ennobles even the most ordinary-looking cat and turns it into a beautiful and graceful animal.

However, in addition to the obvious benefits, haircuts also have their disadvantages. One of the most important negative aspects is a violation of the thermoregulation of the animal’s body, due to the fact that rough interference occurs in the natural skin conditioning mechanism provided by nature. As a result, after removing part of the fur, the animal’s body temperature changes, and it becomes vulnerable to drafts and direct sunlight.

Another weighty argument against cutting is the deterioration in the condition of the coat after regrowth. There are frequent cases of noticeable degradation of the hair structure and changes in color. But this is not the main thing, since the most dangerous consequence of cutting cats is the extreme stress that most animals experience, especially those getting their hair cut for the first time. After the procedure, many pets become seriously depressed and often become ill due to nervousness. It is also worth mentioning here the known cases of animals dying from cardiac arrest during shearing.