Cat Grooming: Persian Cat Shampoos, which one to use

Persian Grooming 101 School E-Course: Lesson 2

Groom Your Persian cats! Keeping Kitty Coat in Shape

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International award-winning breeder of Purrinlot Persian cats Laura Thomas teaches you the professional Persian cat grooming techniques she learned while actively breeding and showing her cats in this FREE online Persian cat grooming 101 course. In Lesson 1 Laura covered the tools of the trade you will need, with her personal recommendations for which brushes and combs to purchase. Now it's time to talk about choosing the right cat shampoos (yes people actually make shampoos specifically for cats.) Lesson 2 will cover Laura's personal recommendations for which shampoo and conditioner products to purchase.

This page is part of a grooming class. Go here If you are looking for:

 

Lesson 2 Overview

Many people think that since cats wash themselves frequently they do not need baths, not like dogs anyhow. But the truth is many of them do, particularly the longhaired breeds such as Persians and any cat that you plan on taking to a cat show. Respectable breeders of the long hair breed spend a lot of time making certain that the kittens are very used to the water and the bath routine before they go into new homes. Something I learned during my years actively breeding and showing my Persian cats is that some buyers are afraid to give cat baths. When this happens, the kitty will grow into an adult forgetting the bath routine and most likely will eventually develop one or more large knots in his/her fur. If this happens to you, don't feel alone! The best thing to do AT THIS POINT is to get a professional grooming job and ask for a lion cut.

A lion cut is where the body and top parts of the legs are shaved- leaving the feet, head and tail- much like a poodle. The cats, in all honesty, love to be shaved like his. They dance around very vain and enjoy the coolness and lack of knots. The only downside to the lion cut is that it is not considered acceptable for showing, so if you plan to take your kitties to cat shows it is best to introduce your kitties to a bath routine at an early age so they will be used to it by the time they are old enough to show and you'll be able to prevent large knots from forming in the first place so the lion cut won't be necessary.

Hopefully we can start fresh with a kitty un-knotted and freshly combed

Ideally, if you've never given a cat a bath before, you will start with a kitty that is un-knotted, freshly combed, and still a kitten as it is much easier to introduce a kitten to a bath routine than an adult cat. But if this isn't the case, don't worry... just be sure to pay extra attention to my future lessons on how to introduce your kitty to a bath without getting mauled. But for now, let's return to the subject of choosing the right cat shampoos.

There are many pet shampoos on the market and many of the dog and horse shampoo's work wonderfully on the cats too. I like to suggest a baby shampoo for someone who is working on cleaning up a butt area, a first-try bath, or a kitten in general. However, in my personal cat bath, I use at least 3 different shampoos.

Step 1: Get a Degreaser

First I degrease with Goop hand cleaner (Goop Hand Cleaner, Laundry Stain Lifter, 14 Ounce ) or some dawn diluted dish soap. Degreasing is a very important step in the bath, especially for the long hair cats and the ones with oily skin. A degreasing stage on a bath will actually improve the final outlook of the bath and help it to hold up longer. I purchase the regular Goop at Wal-Mart in the auto department, but never buy the one with pumice. Goop looks like Crisco when opened yet it conditions while it degreases.

You can melt this goop for a few seconds in the microwave and allow it to cool off. Then pour over the kitty while in a sink, and work it into the coat as a first shampoo. You can also mix the goop with one part melted goop to one part water to one part dish detergent for a really deep degreasing. Make certain your water runs clear after you have completed the degreasing stage and rinsed.

 

Step 2: Choose a Shampoo

This step depends entirely on what are you wanting to accomplish.  Do you want to enhance volume, shininess, color? All of the above? Conditioning? Whatever you are looking to do to improve on the coat, shop for that shampoo. A good cat shampoo or general pet shampoo should give some indication of what it is intended to accomplish either on the label or on the product description.

I tried dozens of different shampoos including some that were intended for humans on my cats when I first started giving them baths, and each time I would try a new product I would write down everything I liked and disliked about it. Then I would research their ingredients to determine exactly which ingredient was responsible for the results I liked so I could look for it in future products and which ingredients I should avoid from hereon. Eventually I began formulating my own shampoos using my list of desired ingredients, which later became my Anna Designer Pet shampoo line.

persian cat shampoo report

Learn my complete shampoo routine in this FREE e-paper!

In general, the steps I take when shampooing my cats are:

  1. degrease
  2. color enhance
  3. improve the coat with a vitamin shampoothat also adds volume
  4. then use a protector/shine shampoo in this order.

In the days prior to developing my Anna line, I would sometimes use Kenic Snowflake as my color enhancer. Sometimes I use a salon shampoo made for a certain color of hair. I perfer shampoo with oatmeal to help add volume, which is why I use the Anna pH Almond/Oatmeal/Honey Healthy Coat cat shampoo, always, as my last shampoo for my protector and shine.

There are many ways to shampoo. You can add the product straight to the coat, dilute it in water first,  or mix it as if you were making dishwater. I use several of these methods all in the same bath. My favorite is making it into dish water because it is easier to rinse and not as harsh on the coat.

In the Orginal Bath DVD (not the Hollywood version)- I go through several different shampoos explaining what each does best. Ofcourse that was before Anna's line had been developed so now most of the needs can be found in the Anna line. CB is working on bringing in new shampoos too!

Rinsing is very important. Most people feel they rinse really good until they watch my Hollywood DVD and see how I rinse. It is amazing how much better your cat will look if degreased and rinse properly- especially rinsing.

For a visual on shampoo selections, degreasing, bathing, blow drying, and rinsing, you might want to check out this link for the DVD's: http://www.purrinlot.com/persian-cat-grooming-tools.htm

A written step by step bath can also be found on the Purrinlot site. Also more good grooming can be found in my e-book called Lookin' Good http://www.purrinlot.com/cat-books.htm

Next Grooming School class: Conditioning: how to know when you need it and what to use.

 

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anna tips

 

An Anna Tip: cat tips are found all throughout our site: "A high quality diet will help to reduce the occurrence of tear stains."

 

 

Articles of Interest: Grooming 101-E classes:
How to: Great Stuff!

  1. Grooming- Tools of the trade
  2. Persian Cat Shampoos the differences
  3. Persian Coat Conditioning
  4. Getting the GUNK out
  5. The itchy Itchies
  6. Drying Techniques
  7. Finishing Touches

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