For shy or anxious cats, they may prefer for a towel to be draped over the head while the groomer works on the back or rear end. Some feisty or even nervous cats may respond well to being wrapped up snuggly in a “kitty burrito” while having ears, eyes, and nails done.
Full-body restraint is defined as the cat being "held on its side with its back against the handler, while the handler grasps the front and back legs, with a forearm across the cat's neck. The cat is allowed little to no movement of its head, body or limbs."
Some feisty or even nervous cats may respond well to being wrapped up snuggly in a “kitty burrito” while having ears, eyes, and nails done. Having a towel handy can also be great when a freshly groomed cat pees, or it can be used to scoop up a frightened cat while still offering protection to the groomer.
If a cat is too stressed on the grooming table, and is badly matted, the most humane route to take is to sedate the cat to get it shaved. Once this has been done we have a clean slate to start the counter conditioning programme to help the cat get used to the grooming process.
Groomers should be trained and well-equipped to manage aggressive cats. Grooming is a professional service that cats truly need, especially for cats like Zain who strongly needs the service. Only a cat groomer can help.
If your cat shows any signs of being uncomfortable stop brushing before they become fully agitated. If you notice your cat only tolerates being brushed for 1 minute, start with 30 seconds, then work your way up. Speak in calm, soothing tones and reward them for their hard work with a treat or some catnip.
Behavioral over-grooming, otherwise known as “psychogenic alopecia,” is a form of stress-relief for many cats. However, this is a diagnosis of exclusion after all the potential underlying medical causes have been ruled out. Medical causes that may lead a cat to over-groom are usually those that make the cat feel itchy.
Only groom your cat in the areas they truly enjoy. Most cats like to rub their faces or bodies on an offered brush, but do not appreciate long strokes over their bodies. It is important to know your cat. If they generally get aggressive when petting their tail base, then stay around their head for petting.
If the mats are only affecting your cat's fur, a professional groomer can remove them either by combing or by shaving them off with electric clippers. If the mats are affecting the skin as well, veterinary care may be needed to remove them and care for any inflammation and irritation of the skin.
Some cats are most comfortable being held over your shoulder. Others prefer for you to hold them with one hand on their back, and the other holding their hind legs. Really squirmy cats sometimes enjoy sitting on an arm folded over your chest horizontally while you hold only their hind paws.
Although cats are great at grooming themselves, it's still important to get them professionally groomed once every four to six weeks. Proper and regular grooming is a great way to stay on top of any potential health problems.
Many long-haired cats need grooming every day to prevent knots from forming, while short-haired cats generally do a good job of grooming themselves. However, grooming sessions at least once a week are still important to help keep their coat in a good condition.
Less Stress and Anxiety
Grooming can help reduce stress levels in cats who suffer from anxiety-related behaviors, such as excessive meowing or scratching furniture.
Overstimulation. When a cat feels it's being pet or groomed for too long, they gradually become overstimulated. All the energy that has been built up needs to go somewhere, so after one cat bites the other, a fight often ensues. Since cats only groom people and fellow cats they like, it will rarely be a real fight.
Place your forefinger and middle finger on top of the cat's head and your thumb and ring finger under the jaw. This hold is a great alternative to scruffing calm cats, while allowing you access to scruff the cat if absolutely necessary.
In “Getting a grip: cats respond negatively to scruffing and clips” published in Veterinary Record, scruffing, clipping, and full-body restraint were compared with passive restraint to see whether they led to stress responses in cats.