Unlike dogs, cats tediously clean their coats from head to toe. They are experts at cleaning themselves and love keeping their coats spotless and tidy. It’s one of their main hobbies. But what happens when your cat’s self-grooming becomes a problem?
Sometimes, cats will stop grooming themselves out of nowhere, and you may suddenly notice that your cat constantly has dirty feet or doesn’t smell very good. You may wonder why this is happening, and what you can do to help.
Why Your Cat May Not Be Grooming Themselves
While it may be alarming when your cat stops grooming itself, it’s important to make sure to assess the situation to determine the cause, and then you can take appropriate action. A visit or call with the veterinarian is always a good idea, so that you can get a professional eye on the situation.
There are many ways to detect why your cat is not grooming itself on their own. The most common reasons why cats stop grooming themselves or groom themselves less are:
You have a senior cat.
Senior cats have special grooming needs. Just like people, cats have issues as they age, and their grooming is affected by it. They have physical changes, like arthritis and overgrown claws and are more prone to dental disease. Senior cats often clean themselves less often or even completely stop, which results in odor, hair matting, and other issues.
Your cat is ill.
If a cat has fallen ill or is in pain of any kind, it may be less interested in grooming itself. When a cat is ill, they have detectable changes in habits, such as increased sleeping, eating less, or a change in litter box use. If a cat has gum disease, you will be able to see tooth decay or smell bad breath. Gum disease makes grooming uncomfortable, which can result in grooming less or not at all. Your cat may also have a bone or joint disorder that causes them to ignore certain spots.
After you’ve kept an eye on your cat’s behavioral changes for a while, contact your vet with your results and see what you need to do next.
Your cat is overweight.
Do you know how much your cat weighs? When a cat is overweight, it can have trouble reaching certain parts of its body and may stop attempting to groom these areas anymore. If you need to get your cat weighed to help determine if this is the cause of their grooming issues, contact your vet to make an appointment.
In any case, a cat’s weight can be controlled by switching to a healthier food and controlling portions. This can help ease their grooming issues and get them back in shape.
Your cat may have never learned.
Some cats have grooming issues from the start of life. When separated with their mother too early, they may have not developed the skills to properly groom themselves throughout life. In this case, you’ll likely need to help with your cat’s grooming regularly, but they may catch on as you do so.
Summary: When cats stop grooming themselves, there are a few common reasons. It may be because you have a senior cat, or your cat might be ill. It also may be because your cat is overweight, or they may have never learned how to groom themselves properly as a kitten. In any case, it’s a great idea to take your cat to the vet for a medical analysis.
How To Help Your Cat With Grooming
Bathing
Bathing is a great for your cat, if your cat is having grooming problems or if they’re not. You’ll be able to spot any fleas or ticks that might be present and get a closer look at the coat to detect any abnormalities.
Brushing
Daily or regular brushing of your cat’s hair can help eliminate matting, which can make your cat uncomfortable. It will help new hair growth and help bring back your cat’s natural skin oils. Your cat may really enjoy the feeling of being brushed
Trim Their Nails
When your cat’s nails are trimmed, they are free from pain and discomfort of overgrown nails, just like people. Since most house cats don’t run around on concrete daily, your cat won’t wear its own nails out, so owners can easily help with grooming in this area.
Ear Washing
To keep infections at bay, regularly wash your cat’s ears with ear cleaner, which helps clear out any buildup and sanitize inner ears. In addition, you’ll keep them free from ear mites, which can be a recurring problem in some cats.
Schedule A Vet Visit
When your cat is having trouble grooming on a regular basis, there may be an underlying issue at hand that needs to be dealt with by your vet. You can get a plan for getting your pet back to good health, and you can have peace of mind knowing that your cat is getting any major issue at hand taken care of.
Summary: There are many ways that you can help a cat that is having trouble grooming themselves, including bathing them, brushing their coat regularly, trimming their nails, washing their ears, and scheduling a vet visit.
Experience Our Professional Cat Grooming Services
Lucky Dawg Pet Services offers both salon pet grooming and mobile pet grooming services for your cat, and we’d love to pamper him or her at your convenience. We’re a family owned and operated pet grooming salon that’s been in business for over 20 years. Our personal and friendly staff is ready to love on your cat and make them feel at home in our salon.
Not only will we expertly and efficiently groom your cat, we’ll also help you detect any problems that we see during the service, and the service will take only two hours or less.
Whether you’d like your cat to receive our bath service, our bath with tidy up service, our bath with a haircut and style service, or any of our additional services, your precious feline will feel refreshed and better than ever after our visit.
Summary: Lucky Dawg Pet Services is a family owned and operated provider of pet grooming services, both in our salon and through our mobile grooming service. We have a wide range of grooming options to fit your needs and budget, and we’d love to pamper your cat anytime.
Let Us Help Your Cat With Grooming Today
Our salon is open 7 days/week from 8 am to 5 pm to fit your busy schedule. To set up a mobile grooming appointment in the convenience of your home, call 310-784-0566, or to set up a salon grooming appointment, call 310-784-0775. You can also contact us through our website form anytime! We look forward to serving you and your cat.
2923 Rolling Hills Rd
Torrance, CA 90505
