Persian Grooming – It’s
EASY!
1.
Dirty kitten 2.
In the bath 3.
Under the dryer 4.
Clean and beautiful!
One of the advantages of buying a
Persian kitten from a reputable breeder is that he will be accustomed to
regular bathing. Grooming is not the
terrible chore some people believe, and can be soothing and enjoyable to both
cat and owner. When a cat is kept bathed and clean, there is need for only
minimal combing or brushing in between baths.
Also, a clean cat does not have problems with hairballs. Clean cats do
not shed the dander that causes many people to have allergic reactions. Most Persians need baths every 4-6 weeks to
look their finest, but some can go longer intervals.
The absolute first
thing to do before a bath is clip the cat's claws!
RStart a bath with wetting the whole
cat. It is recommended you bathe him in
a laundry room type sink, or in the kitchen sink, where a sprayer type hose is
available. DO NOT dunk the cat in water
– it does not adequately rinse him, and it will scare him.
RAfter he is wet all over, slather a
waterless mechanic’s hand soap (such as GOOP or GOJO which can be found in the
automotive section of most Wal-Marts) liberally all over him, excepting the
area immediately around his eyes, nose, and mouth. Concentrate on the chin, the ears, “ruff”
area, and in and around the front legs.
Be sure to use enough all over him until his coat feels slimy or
“gooey.” We usually use 7-10 ounces of GOOP
on each cat.
RRinse the waterless mechanic's hand
soap off the cat until the water runs clear. Now shampoo him with liquid dish
soap such as Dawn or Joy (keep out of the eyes!). Rinse the dish soap out. Repeat & rinse well. If you feel he is
still greasy, you can repeat either or both until you are satisfied with the
condition of his coat. A clean coat will feel soft and silky as the rinse water
flows through it.
RProceed by sudsing with a “human”
shampoo for oily hair or a PH balanced pet shampoo. Rinse very well. Wash face
and eyes with a tearless baby shampoo on a washrag.
RA conditioner at the end of the bath
will help keep his coat from tangling and makes it easier to comb out. You might find it helpful to dilute about 2
tablespoons of conditioner in a quart of warm water & pour it over him, or
you can spread it on full strength.
Rinse the conditioner out.
RTowel dry the cat (blot dry), then
proceed to blow drying. The cat is
accustomed to this process, but don’t be surprised if he tries to test you the
first few times to see what he can get away with. Use a hand-held pistol-style hair dryer
propped up in a coffee can that can be weighted with cat litter. You will need
probably two combs, one medium, one large, and a slicker brush. Comb and brush with the dryer blowing on the
cat. You will need to dry him until he is thoroughly dry, excepting only some
of the face area. Leaving him wet can
cause the hair to dry curly and mat.
RFinally, use a Q-tip dipped in Boric
Acid Powder (found at most drugstores) to clean and dry out his ears. The boric acid powder is a powerful drying
agent that will dry up any water that you might have gotten in his ears during
the bath, and thus prevent ear infections.
Do not insert the Q-tip into any part of the ear you cannot easily see,
as you can damage his ear.