Grooming is one of our cats’ most important natural behaviours and we can often witness them performing this ritual for large amounts of time during the day.
If our cats stop grooming themselves, this is usually a sign that there is something wrong. It may be that they have sore mouths or that they have pain somewhere in their bodies, such as arthritis, which stops them from being able to perform their acrobatic grooming manoeuvres. If they are overweight, they may not be able to reach the back ends of their bodies and the fur on their back, back legs and tail may become greasy or show signs of dandruff.
Another reason why our cats may struggle to clean themselves is if they have very thick or long coats that can easily get matted or knotted. In this case, particularly if the knots begin to pull at the skin, they may need to be medically groomed.
We see many long haired, elderly and/or painful cats, especially in the summer, that are so much happier and lighter once their thick coats have been shaved or trimmed, especially in the UAE heat. My own elderly long-haired cat bounces around like a kitten once she has been shaved and she is able to manage her grooming ritual much better.
We do not recommend bathing your cat as this takes away the cat’s natural and personal scent which is very important to them. This is also why you should not spray perfume on your cats.
Please feel free to call us if your cat’s grooming behaviour changes or if you wish to book a medical grooming appointment for your cat at German Veterinary Clinic.
