FAQ: Grooming for cats

Use a separate clean cotton pad or gauze for each eye, moistened with cooled boiled water or an eye cleaner made for cats, and wipe from the inner corner outwards. Don't rub the eyeball and don't use human eye drops.

Tear stains are reddish-brown tracks under the eyes, more common in Persians and other flat-faced or white cats. They can be cleaned regularly with cat wipes or cleaner, but increased tearing may have a cause a vet should assess.

See a vet if the discharge is yellow or greenish, the eye is red or swollen, the cat squints, rubs it with a paw or tearing suddenly increases. These can be signs of infection or another eye condition.

Eye-area wipes made for cats are handy for daily cleaning of discharge and tear stains, especially for flat-faced cats. Wipes for people, scented ones or those containing alcohol are unsuitable, as they can irritate the eyes.

Long hair around the eyes can irritate the eye and collect discharge, so comb it regularly with a small fine-toothed comb and wipe it clean. Trimming hair near the eyes with scissors is risky, so leave it to a groomer or vet.

Healthy pads usually need no care, but it is worth checking them regularly for cracks, small wounds or stuck objects. In long-haired cats the hair growing between the toes can be carefully trimmed so the cat doesn't slip and dirt doesn't collect.

Most cats don't need paw balm. It can help when pads are dry or cracked, but choose only a pet balm that is safe to swallow, since the cat will lick it off, and show any wounds or cracks to a vet.

Wipe the paws with a damp cloth or cat wipes and dry between the toes. This is especially important in winter, as road salt and chemicals irritate the pads and the cat licks them off.

Dandruff can come from dry air, unsuitable bathing, dietary gaps or the cat being unable to reach her back, for example due to excess weight. It can also signal skin disease or parasites, so show persistent dandruff to a vet.

A greasy or unkempt coat on the back often means the cat has stopped grooming because of pain, excess weight or illness. That is a reason to see a vet, and meanwhile gentle brushing will help.

Stud tail is a condition where glands on top of the tail produce excess oil, making the fur greasy and sometimes causing blackheads, most often in unneutered toms. Gentle washing with cat shampoo can help, and talk to a vet about causes and treatment.

A flea comb has very fine teeth that comb fleas, flea dirt and eggs out of the coat. It helps check whether a cat has fleas, but treating and preventing fleas requires products recommended by a vet.

Comb with a flea comb over white paper or a towel, especially near the base of the tail and the neck. If black specks fall out that turn reddish when moistened, they are flea dirt, and it is worth asking a vet about treatment.

Remove the tick with a tick-removal tool, twisting or pulling steadily close to the skin without squeezing its body, and disinfect the spot. If the head stays in the skin, the area reddens or the cat seems unwell, see a vet.

The earlier the better: in the first weeks at home briefly brush the kitten with a soft brush while it is calm. Early practice helps the adult cat accept grooming calmly.

A kitten suits a soft brush or rubber glove that won't irritate its thin skin, plus a fine-toothed comb for long-haired kittens. What matters most is not the tool but short, pleasant sessions.

Briefly touch the kitten's ears, lift its lip and look at its teeth every day while stroking and giving a treat. This makes cleaning ears, eyes or teeth easier later, and vet examinations less frightening.

Yes, from around six months a kitten's fluffy coat changes into the adult coat, and it may shed more during that time. For long-haired kittens brushing is especially important then to prevent mats.

Older cats groom less and are less flexible, so they need brushing more often and more gently with softer tools. Keep an eye on the skin, nails and weight at the same time, as changes are easier to spot while grooming.

An overweight cat often can't reach her back and rear, so the coat there gets greasy, matted and soiled. Brush these areas regularly, use damp cat wipes when needed and talk to a vet about her weight.