Grooming a Persian Cat - Grooming help - to teach you to Groom Persian Cats!

How do you turn a cat into a show cat? or at least look like one!

Grooming a Persian Cat

Persian cats need to be groomed daily. When grooming a Persian cat, comb through the cat's coat. Make sure you comb the armpits and behind the ears, as these areas are prone to matting. It is strongly recommended that you use a wide, metal comb.

Daily grooming of a Persian cat does not have to include baths. Baths need only be given every two to six weeks, depending on how dirty the fur looks upon close inspection. Close inspection is necessary because Persian cat fur is very good at hiding dirt.

If you are properly grooming a Persian cat, the coat will not look separated or greasy. If your Persian cat is to be a show cat, then he/she may need to be bathed and de-greased more regularly. Be careful when de-greasing your cat that you do not strip the coat. When de-greasing, breeders carefully use Dawn dish soap in bath water or Goop on the Persian cat's dry coat.

If you think that you may have stripped your Persian cat's coat, you can help put oils back in by using a warm oil treatment or a special medicated shampoo. If you use the warm oil treatment, test the warmth of the oil on your wrist first to make sure it is not hot before applying it to your Persian cat. Some people also give their Persian cat Lipiderm to improve skin health.

Choosing the right cat shampoo for your Persian's fur color

There is a common shampoo mistake people make when grooming a Persian cat. The mistake is not choosing a shampoo that matches your Persian cat's fur color. When grooming a white Persian cat, you'll want to start with a clear, white or brightening shampoo. When grooming a black Persian, use a darkening shampoo.

• With black Persian cats, you want to keep them from drying off too quickly and from getting too much light.
• Red Tabbies need reds in their shampoo to redden their orange bars.
• Dilutes and bicolors should have a shampoo that matches their dominant color and brightens the whites. When grooming a Persian cat, look for shampoos that are sold to match specific cat coat color types. OR use a clear, semi-clear, or white shampoo for all and any color coat. Anna Shampoo Healthy Coat pH  Cat Shampoo is fairly clear and works on all coat textures and colors!

Get each cat shampoo you will need to give your Persians the "purr-fect bath" when you order this Hollywood Purr-fect Bath DVD and Shampoo Gift Set. You may also want to download our FREE cat shampoo ebook, which provides a chart showing each of the Anna shampoos, when to use each, and when to use conditioner.

Dealing with matted fur

As mentioned earlier, when properly grooming a Persian cat, the matting in your cat's fur should be removed before the cat is bathed. Never use a sharp or pointed tool to remove mats, as cats are prone to restlessness and sudden movements and sharp tools can result in severe injury. It is best to take the mats apart into little knots then try to work them skin-side out with your wide metal comb. Powder may be useful in this process. Be careful as the skin under mats is normally extra tender. In fact, infections can result from a mat left in place too long.

One way to help avoid dealing with a lot of mats when grooming a Persian cat is to prevent them by de-greasing your cat regularly. It is when you let your Persian cat get too greasy in the chest and armpit areas that small knots turn into large mats. Powder can also be good for absorbing grease. The best powder to use when grooming a Persian cat would be a soft white grooming powder applied between baths.

For shaving, it is highly recommended that you let a veterinarian or professional groomer do it. During breeding season, when not doing cat shows, many breeders like to have their Persian cats given a lion's cut. It is a charming cut that isn't allowed in cat shows.

Dealing with stud tail

Go here to read our cat stud tail article with pictures.