Grooming
Brushing frequency by coat type, whether cats need baths, nail trimming, ear checks and hairball prevention. Short routines that keep the coat healthy and double as a weekly health check.
Most cats keep themselves clean, so grooming by an owner is less about hygiene than about maintenance and health checks. Brushing is the backbone of it: once or twice a week for a shorthair, closer to daily during shedding season or for a longhair, using a soft brush or rubber curry followed by a metal comb to lift what sits near the skin. Short, calm sessions, always ending before the cat wants to leave, build tolerance faster than one long struggle.
Bathing is rarely necessary. A healthy cat that is not covered in something toxic or greasy can go years without a full bath, and repeated washing strips the coat oils that keep it water-resistant. If a bath is genuinely needed, fill the tub shallow, use a cat-safe shampoo, work quickly and keep the water warm rather than hot. Dry shampoo or a damp cloth handles most small messes better than a soak.
The rest of the routine is small but useful. Trim nails every two to three weeks by pressing the pad to extend the claw and cutting only the clear hook, well clear of the pink quick. Check ears monthly — a little pale wax is normal, while dark crumbly debris or a smell suggests mites or infection worth a vet visit. Hairballs are a signal rather than a routine: occasional ones after a shed are ordinary, but frequent hairballs, especially paired with a dull coat, usually mean more brushing and more water, and sometimes a medical reason worth investigating.
Adult
How often should you brush a cat?
Most cats do best with brushing two to three times a week, while long-haired breeds such as Persians, Maine Coons and Ragdolls usually need daily brushing to stay mat-free.
The full answer →How do you bathe a cat?
Bathing a cat is safe when done properly, but most cats need a full bath only every four to six weeks at the very most, and plenty of healthy indoor cats go months without one because they groom themselves so effectively.
The full answer →How do you trim a cat's nails?
Trim your cat's claws every two to three weeks, taking off only the clear hooked tip and stopping well before the pink quick that carries blood and nerves inside the nail.
The full answer →Why is my cat shedding so much?
Heavy shedding in spring and autumn is completely normal, but shedding that stays extreme all year, or that comes with bald patches and itchy skin, usually points to something you can fix or a problem your vet should check.
The full answer →How do you clean a cat's ears?
Clean your cat's ears only when they look dirty or waxy, usually every two to four weeks, using a vet-approved ear cleaner and cotton balls, and never push cotton buds down into the ear canal.
The full answer →How do you prevent hairballs in cats?
Hairballs form when a cat swallows loose fur while grooming and the fur clumps in the stomach instead of passing through the gut, so brushing your cat several times a week is the single most effective way to prevent them, backed up by hydration, fibre and more play.
The full answer →