How to lower the stress in your cat when grooming

By pigs4fun

Stress with a cat

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Do you need to groom your cat? Try these easy tips to lower the stress on the cat.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Towel
Patner
Grooming tools

Step1

Cat muzzles are available at many pet supply web sites. It is hard to find one in a local pet store but you can call around until you find one or someone will order for you.

Step2

A professional groomer or your local Vet can do these things for you but if you want to save - try it yourself. You never know until you give it a go.

Step3

Calm yourself down. Your pet picks up on your energy and stress level.

Step4

Exercise your pet. Play with your pet. Anything that will get him/her tired. Throughout this make sure to pet the pet with the nail clippers so that he/she will get comfortable with device.

Step5

Have a towel ready or a think blanket.

Step6

Try to do the nails without the towel. If cat is not going for it then wrap towel around cat making sure to cover the head so it can not see what you are doing. You should wrap and hold the cat firmly not tight. You want to control the situation not crush the cat.

Step7

If doing the nails take one paw out of the wrap at a time, cutting the nails as you holding the paw firmly. If you cat pulls the paw out of your hand repeatedly then it will know that it is still in control. You are in control - Be firm.

Step8

If cleaning the ears follow the same technique but allow some access to the head. Nails should be clipped before this to make sure if you get scratched that nails should just graze you not stick into your skin.

Step9

Cleaning teeth is the most challenging. If you feel confidant then give it a go just hold the body and paws tightly like a baby swaddle.

Step10

If you need to shave a long haired cat. Placing a towel around the head is a great helper but beware most cats hate the clipper sound. Play Music that can mask some of the sound.

Tips & Warnings

Try to wrap cat with different layers letting you get to the needed area without unwrapping and wrapping the cat every time you need to move to another area.
If you get a worked up and you are not getting anywhere it is time for a break.
Listen to your cat and check the status often.