Persian Cat Grooming and Bathing
Grooming a Persian cat is quite different than grooming other cat breeds. Persian cats need grooming on a daily basis, at least as far as combing or brushing goes. We use a wide-metal tooth, static free, comb. We do not use a brush, unless it is for "fluffing" the coat of the cat after all mats have been removed. Of course, if combing your Persian is part of your daily grooming, your Persian cat will not have any mats. Pay special attention to behind the your Persian's ears, under the armpits, and around the rump and legs as mats collect faster in these areas.
Here is a link to our recommended Supply List for Persians.
Before you bathe your Persian, make sure you get all the mats out. To do this, take a wide toothed comb, and gently comb out the cat. Do NOT pull the mats out. If you come across a mat, gently pull (break) it apart using your fingers. If you pull the mat out with your comb, you will pull all the hair out right down to the skin and have a bald patch on your Persian. Worse case scenario, if the mats will not break up, you can use a dematting tool or cut it out with a pair of scissors. Again, what ever you do, please do not pull the mat out as it will not only ruin the coat, but cause a lot of pain to your Persian cat.
The frequency of baths will depend on your Persian's fur. A Persian cat will begin to look greasy as it becomes more dirty and mats will increase quickly if the cat is not bathed. A clean Persian's coat is not greasy and will not appear separated. An owner can either bathe their Persian themselves or take it to a professional groomer. However, the type of bath and the products used are important so if you opt to use a groomer make sure you know what products are being used.
Remove all mats and knots in your cat's coat before the bath.
Do no use sharp-pointed scissors as you could cut the cat if he moves or jumps. Additionally, the cat's skin is very thin and it is very easy to cut/slice the skin without much pressure. To remove the mats, work at them with a large toothed comb and pull them apart. If you have larger mats, pull them apart into smaller knots and use the comb to work them out from the skin side outwards. The skin beneath the mat can be very tender and sore so be gentle. If a mat is left too long, the skin can become infected. It is best to comb a Persian cat daily in order to avoid mats altogether. In between baths, powder will help to absorb the grease and decrease matting. Grooming powder not baby powder. :-)
Trim the cat's nails prior to bathing.
This will make the bath much more enjoyable for you. Take care not to cut them to short or they will bleed. You should always have styptic powder on hand in case you cut a nail too short and bleeding occurs. I like either:
- Top Performance Medistyp Powder with Benzocaine
-
Kwik Stop
Please visit the Pet Edge web site to order these products.
I use my kitchen sink to degrease and bathe my Persians. The first step in a proper bath for a Persian is to degrease it.
After all the mats are removed, it is time to degrease the coat prior to bathing. There are a few good products that I recommend: Goop, Dawn dishwashing detergent, and House of An-Ju One Step Degreaser.
- If using Goop, apply it directly to the dry coat and rub it in, paying attention to the ear and underarm areas where the coat is usually the greasiest. It is not unusual to use a whole container on one adult cat. Goop is great in the fact that it not only degreases, but cleans and moisturizes. You can purchase Goop at Walmart (or similar type stores) in the automotive section. It comes in a white tub just make sure you buy the NON pumice kind.
- If using House of An-Ju, follow the directions on the bottle.
- If using Dawn, there are a couple of ways to use it and it depends on what you feel most comfortable with. Some people apply the detergent directly to a wet coat while others prefer to dilute it. You can fill the sink with warm, soapy water (Dawn). Put the cat in the sink and work the soapy water into the cat's coat until thoroughly coated. Wash thoroughly.
Whether using Dawn, Goop or House of An-Ju One Step Degreaser, after degreasing the coat it is important to rinse thoroughly. If using Goop, after applying to dry coat, add a small amount of water and lather the goop on the cat. Rinse thoroughly.
After degreasing your Persian's coat, rinse thoroughly. Float your cat's coat. Floating your Persian's coat is to gently ease the cat under the water (not its head) so that the coat rises up. Let the cat up immediately. Do this several times as it makes sure the water gets under the coat.
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