“The British” have long and reliably won the hearts of cat lovers. Their short, plush coat with a soft sheen creates a deceptive impression that special care and a special diet are unnecessary. In fact, the hair of the skin of British cats has a double structure - a dense undercoat and guard hairs of the same length as the undercoat. Thanks to this structure, the fur of representatives of this breed acquires a plush effect with pearlescent tints. This effect largely depends on a balanced diet and proper grooming, an integral part of which is grooming British cats. This article will tell you how this happens and why it is needed.
Do Scottish Fold cats need to be cut?
Grooming a Scottish cat is not the most popular procedure; most often the hair is shortened as needed, for example, before medical procedures or if the pet is very dirty. Some owners prefer to groom their cats before shows and for photo shoots.
Important! If a Scot is getting his hair cut for the first time, then it should be done by a specialist. Then the cat will receive minimal psychological stress, and the owner will become familiar with the procedure and will be able to repeat them on his own in the future.
Reasons for haircut
The most common reasons that prompt an owner to cut a Scottish cat's hair are:
- Formation of tangles and unkempt appearance of the coat. This applies to long-haired Highland Folds that are poorly groomed.
- The thick undercoat forms a dense “felt” layer, does not allow air to pass through and creates comfortable conditions for the proliferation of skin parasites. Unlike tangles, which you can try to comb out, here cutting is the only rational solution.
- Excessive and prolonged shedding - during this period, Scottish cats are cut to get rid of excessive amounts of hair on carpets and sofas.
- Skin diseases. More often they arise due to poor care of the Scots, but sometimes they also appear for reasons beyond the control of the owners.
- Formation of hairballs in the stomach (trichobezoars).
There is a common belief that the Scottish cat needs to be cut in the summer to protect it from heat stroke. In fact, the best heat transfer regulator is wool, and bare skin will suffer much faster from exposure to sunlight.
Important! Scottish kittens under the age of one year should not be cut. Their adult coat has not yet fully formed and the hairdressing procedure can be painful for a young body.
Services of grooming salons for animals Cat grooming - review
Hello! Meet my beloved cat Bantik))) And he is a Scottish Fold.
I thought about cutting my cat’s hair two years ago, when I was going to castrate him. I had serious reasons for this:
- A small child who spent most of his time on the floor.
- The floor is strewn with wool EVERY day, no matter how much you clean it.
- A cat who vomited this fur every other day, most often at night (waking up to these sounds is still a pleasure).
- The daughter, hugging the cat, was also covered in fur.
- Summer, heat, thick undercoat is very difficult to collect.
Before the haircut
In addition, the cat still needed to be anesthetized, so I decided to give him a haircut. We did all this at the veterinary clinic (anesthesia is a serious thing, I just don’t trust grooming experts with this). The preparation is simple: do not feed the animal 12 hours before the procedure. Since castration was performed that day, they did an ultrasound of the heart. This is also very important, since this breed often has problems with it and it may not withstand it. Everything turned out to be fine, the doctor himself did the haircut and the nurse helped him. I was sitting in the waiting room. The sleeping cat was returned to me, already lying in a carrier, and we went home. Within an hour, Bantik recovered from the anesthesia: his paws moved in different directions, crashed into furniture, door frames, so it is very important not to leave the animal alone, you need to be nearby. You can’t feed for an hour after the procedure. He didn’t react at all to the haircut)
We used grooming services for the second time this year. I was so looking forward to this! Tired of the everyday wool carpet on the floor. In addition, this year the heat came very early and the cat was hot.
Let's go get a haircut
The haircut was done at the same veterinary clinic, we really like it there. The preparation is the same - do not feed 12 hours in advance. This time the cat was very nervous, he really doesn’t like leaving the apartment. Upon arrival at the clinic, they began to prepare him for the procedure - they placed a catheter in a vein and put him under anesthesia. Bantik was knocked out instantly, just in a split second. The catheter was placed without any problems, it is absolutely non-aggressive, it does not know how to bite or scratch, and if something happens, it will be eaten first). He just looked at everyone with wide open eyes, full of horror. And he tried to crawl away unnoticed. They cut it like a lion! The claws were also shortened. All procedures took approximately 30-40 minutes.
At home he began to recover from the anesthesia, crashing into everything, but at the same time he pretended (staggering) that nothing had happened, everything was as it was. I went to the toilet (a little past) and fawned. The fur grows back completely within three months.
Obvious advantages of grooming:
- The cat is not hot.
- Easy cleaning - wipe the floor with a cloth, and beauty!
- The animal does not feel sick from fur.
- You can take it in your arms and not be afraid for your clothes.
The disadvantages include anesthesia, but this is an individual matter. I am in favor of anesthesia, because it is less stressful for the animal - he falls asleep, wakes up, and the stomach is the most painful place when cutting.
I recommend! And we will do more!
What harm can a haircut cause?
The negative consequences of grooming in Scottish cats include both physiological and psychological factors:
- If there are other cats in the house, the short-haired Scottish Fold will most likely lose authority in the family hierarchy of four-legged pets. He will have to re-prove his right to a “place in the sun.”
- It has been noticed that after a haircut, which is a serious psychological stress, pampered lop-eared Scots very slowly return to normal.
- Damage to the whiskers during the cutting process. Sensitive hairs grow throughout the cat's body and help her navigate in space. Therefore, after the procedure, the animal may sway slightly when moving, but this quickly passes.
- Skin deprived of hair becomes chapped, peels and dries out. Additional care will be required to keep your Scots skin healthy until the new coat begins to protect it from the elements.
- It will take time for the fur to recover after shearing. The fact is that under natural conditions, hair does not change simultaneously, but is renewed gradually. Mechanical hair removal disrupts this process. Therefore, the new coat will be slightly worse than the previous one.
Most often, Scottish cats are cut on the recommendation of a veterinarian.
Useful tips
To cut your cat's hair yourself, you need to know the subtleties:
- You cannot cut the hair on the cat’s head, on the pads, in the ears, or shorten the whiskers. Cut hair on a pet's head can disrupt its spatial orientation. The fur in the ears performs a protective function against the penetration of dust and foreign bodies.
- Sometimes after a haircut, the coat changes structure and shade. It may become darker or lighter.
- Please note that the length of the regrown coat may be shorter than the previous one.
- The haircut process is quite long and labor-intensive. If you do not have such experience, you should expect 2-3 hours.
- It is recommended to use the machine on dry skin. When using scissors, the fur is slightly moistened and combed, then it will be easier to deal with vegetation.
- Cats should not be cut too short. A few millimeters should remain to maintain natural thermoregulation and avoid skin damage.
- The owner shouldn't worry. His condition is transmitted to the animal and can easily provoke stress. The cat will begin to struggle and scratch.
- Nervous animals are easier to trim their fur. The hair will remain longer and the cat will worry less. Haircut against the grain greatly irritates your pet.
- To alleviate nervousness, it is recommended to cut your hair in several approaches. During breaks, stroke and soothe in every possible way.
- Cats have a hard time reacting to outbursts of emotion during or after grooming. This should be avoided and not made fun of by the haircut.
Types of haircuts
There are different ways to cut a Scottish cat's hair. However, two models have already become traditional for all cats:
- Haircut “like a lion” - the head and mane to the shoulder blades, paws and the tassel at the tip of the tail remain untouched.
- “Puss in Boots” haircut – from the neck the body is machined, at the end of the legs neat boots of arbitrary height are made and a tassel is always left on the tail.
Fantasy hairstyles:
- “Like a dinosaur” - the head and paws of a Scottish cat are cut “like a lion”, but a jagged ridge of wool is formed along the spine.
- Cat in a skirt - haircut for girls. A fluffy hem is left on the body just below the line where the ribs end, and the rest of the hair is shaved.
This is interesting! Recently, a new fashion trend has emerged - applying colored patterns to wool. You need to use only high-quality paints that are safe for your pet’s health.
What do you need to do it yourself?
To create a Scandinavian Lion hairstyle, you need to prepare a number of tools:
- hair clipper equipped with No. 10 blades (they are universal);
- metal comb;
- brush;
- dog shampoo;
- hair dryer;
- nail clippers;
- cotton buds;
- towel.
How often can you groom an animal?
The regularity of haircuts depends on 2 factors: the cat’s reaction and possible consequences for its health. If the first haircut provoked long-term stress or lowered the status of the animal among other four-legged animals, then in the future it is worth abandoning such procedures.
You also need to pay attention to how the haircut affected the structure and color of the coat.
Before grooming your pet, it is advisable to seek advice from a professional groomer or veterinarian.
Important! Shorthaired Scottish Fold Fold cats are groomed no more than once a year. Longhaired Highlands will take even longer to fully recover from the first treatment.
Grooming cost
Grooming is a complex of activities that includes not only haircuts. Professional salons offer the following services to pet owners:
- nail trimming;
- ear cleaning;
- eye care;
- oral cavity treatment.
The cost of grooming depends on what procedures the master performs. The final price is also influenced by the breed of the cat, the complexity of the haircut, the qualifications of the stylist, and the salon’s pricing policy.
Groomer services are common in Moscow, so the price of haircuts here may be cheaper than in the regions. A standard fur trimming for a metropolitan resident will cost 1000-1200 rubles, while in other cities services can cost over 1500 due to the lack of specialists. Creative hairstyles are discussed individually and are more expensive.
Additional services are paid separately. On average, treating tangles and trimming claws will cost another 300-400 rubles.
Technique of the procedure
Before grooming Scottish Folds, it is recommended to trim their nails. You can also use thick wristbands to protect your wrists from scratches.
The procedure is carried out in several stages:
- Apply a degreasing composition to dry wool and rub it well along the entire length of the hair. In longhaired Scots, special attention is paid to the tail, hind legs and collar area. To the rest of the body (including the head), the drug is usually applied without much effort.
- After the period of time specified by the manufacturer, the product is washed off with water.
- Apply the main shampoo, rub it with your hand until foam forms and after 2-3 minutes rinse thoroughly. The procedure can be repeated several times (depending on the degree of contamination of the wool).
- The final stage is treatment with conditioner, which gives the wool shine, silkiness and covers it with a protective layer.
- After bathing, the Scottish cat is wrapped in a towel and the coat is dried.
- The haircut is performed using a special electric clipper, but in the groin area and under the tail, the hair is carefully removed with ordinary scissors.
- Scissors are also used to form curly elements of the hairstyle and trim.
After grooming, the Scottish cat needs to be washed again with shampoo. This will remove cut hairs and wash out the bottom layer of fur that may not have been completely cleaned during the first bath.
Grooming a cat is a rather labor-intensive and complex process, since most pets do not tolerate such procedures well. Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, you should not subject the animal to such a test. And if the owner is not confident in his skills, then it is better to seek help from professionals.
Fashion industry for cats
Model haircuts for cats, photos of which are published on their websites by animal beauty salons and groomers, of course, often look quite exotic and shocking. These are the requirements of the current fashion industry, which, of course, does not forget about our smaller brothers.
Of course, because eccentric owners are ready to give any money to make their pet look like them. For such people, their own hairstyles are as important as the cats' haircuts - the photo of the pussy on the owner's page on the social network must correspond to the rest of the atmosphere of luxury and glamor!
Breeds that often need grooming
Typically, cats of semi- and long-haired breeds suffer the most from matting and the formation of tangles. Even if you miss even one brushing, for example, of a Persian, problems will definitely arise. The animal's blood circulation is impaired due to skin tightness, it becomes nervous, experiences discomfort and itching.
Read the article about why a cat can scratch itself until it hurts.
Therefore, most often, haircuts to remove tangles are used for:
- Kurilian bobtails;
- Neva Masquerade;
- Maine Coons;
- Norwegian forest;
- Siberian;
- Turkish Angoras;
- Persian;
- ragdolls.
It should be remembered that Persians have hair in the undercoat and the main coat of the same length, and cutting for this truly long-haired breed does not disrupt heat exchange. Therefore, the grooming procedure is not dangerous for their health. But the semi-long-haired Maine Coon, Siberian and Norwegian forest cats have axial and undercoat hair of different lengths. Due to this, a layer of air is naturally created, protecting the pet from overheating and excessive cooling.
The texture and structure of the hairs here are also different, so cutting these breeds must be done very carefully and only as a last resort.
Short-haired breeds usually do not require trimming at all. The only exception is the British.
It is easier to prevent the formation of tangles than to cut them off later, ruining the aesthetic appearance of your pet. Moreover, you should not subject him to a more beautiful general haircut, disrupting the heat exchange of the skin and causing unnecessary risks to the cat’s health.
