Cats love to keep themselves beautiful and clean and do a good job of grooming themselves for the most part. Your feline friends may spend most of the time cleaning their ears, face, and paw pads. Felines are low maintenance and a reason why new pet parents love to adopt them.

A well-groomed cat makes a happy and safe environment for everyone around. Healthy felines are well-behaved and protected against various medical conditions, including dental diseases, skin inflammation, allergies, and infections.  

Irrespective of how well cats can manage to stay hygienic and clean by themselves, they still require your help. Grooming your cats is a common way to check on your cat’s teeth, skin, haricot, nails, and overall hygiene level.

For a new pet parent, grooming their young cats can get overwhelming because grooming requires a little more than shedding their top coat or trimming nails. It is part of your kitty’s overall wellness and healthy living.

If you feel regular grooming sessions can be pricey, look for a cat wellness plan. Wagmo wellness plans for cats provide you with easy access to your cat’s development and health.

Read on to find out why routine grooming is essential for your little furry friend and how Wagmo wellness plans can support you.

Why Cat Grooming is Key for Health?

Grooming plays a vital role in boosting your cat’s health, and the amount of grooming required depends on a variety of factors – coat type, breed, age, and environmental influences. Some of the key reasons that make pet grooming more significant are as follows:

1) Detects Potential Health Conditions

A well-groomed coat may provide you a glimpse of any lumps, bald patches, and bumps on your kitty's skin. You may also notice signs of plaque accumulation and conditions like gingivitis in pets with poor dental and oral hygiene.

A new pet parent could help to diagnose early signs of severe health diseases in their cats, which is possible through routine checkups and grooming sessions. Routine checkups and vet support also help avoid severe health conditions in the future.

2) Eliminates and Prevents Discomfort

Like humans, cats also feel confident when they are well-groomed. It offers a feel-good vibe to your little furry friends. Removing dead skins, matted coats, and overgrown nails with a gentle massage is the perfect way to pamper your cats and show unconditional affection.

3) Prevents Parasites like Flea and Ticks

Routine bathing and coat brushing prevent tick and flea buildup in your cats. Grooming to prevent pest infestation or early detection is especially needed when combing cats with matted fur.

4) Prevents Skin and Ear Infection

With routine grooming, you can protect your cats from different skin and ear infections. Your veterinarian or groomer may clean ear wax, debris, ear mites, and fluid from their ears. It also helps remove the dead skin and detect signs of any skin or paw irritation.

5) Provides Dental Care

Pet parents often confuse their cat’s white teeth with healthy white teeth. Cats older than 4-years old may have some type of dental or periodontal disease. A few common dental problems in felines include gingivitis, tooth resorption, bad breath, and broken teeth. Through routine grooming sessions, vets may clean, brush, and scale your pet’s teeth to prevent critical health conditions.

Easy Grooming Tips for Beginners

Below are a few tips to help new pet parents groom and take care of their pets without any hassle:

1) Developing a Habit

Kittens are more accepting of getting handled by others, so it is easy for new pet parents to develop the habit of grooming at a young age. Introduce your kittens to water, clippers, and brushes to familiarize them with the whole grooming process.

2) Grooming When Your Cat is Calm

Pet parents should never force grooming on their cats if they are displaying extreme discomfort. Avoid bathing your feline friends unless absolutely necessary if they got themselves covered in mud or sprayed by a skunk. Grooming for cats typically consists of brushing more so than bathing, and both can be made easier when your cat is calm, typically in the evenings or upon waking up in the morning.

Kittens can fail to tolerate water, so you should use a dry shampoo in the beginning and stick to brushing their coat only. Start with cleaning the body first and slowly move to the head and eyes.

3) Comb Regularly

Working your way through the tangled coat of your cat is the perfect way to eliminate the formation of hairballs and matting. Look for a soft rubber brush or a bristle comb to gently remove the excess fur. Aim for combing the coat bi-weekly to promote the spread of natural oil in the skin and fur.

4) Trimming Nails or Clipping Claws

Some senior cats naturally have overgrown claws, which may invite serious skin infections, dryness, and inflammation. It makes clipping and trimming the nails regularly more significant. The overgrown nails may lead to serious injury from scratching and twisting. As pet parents, you should trim your cat's nails in a few weeks. If you have adopted a kitten, make sure they grow comfortable with you touching their paws routinely.

5) Don’t Forget the Ears

Ear mite infection is a common ear problem in cats. Eliminate pain and discomfort due to an ear infection by paying attention to earwax buildup, discharge, ear mites, and debris. Never use Q-tips to clean your feline's ears and stay away from entering the ear canal any farther than your finger would go. Avoid the risk of puncturing the eardrum or causing trauma to the ear canal. Use a veterinarian-recommended ear cleaner and earballs, and follow the instructions.

Why Should You Opt for a Pet Wellness Plan with Grooming?

Not all cats are easy to groom at home. Some cats need veterinarian support for routine grooming and veterinary screenings. In this case, wellness plans for cats help provide the best services without you spending thousands of dollars.

Cat wellness plans offer the perfect way to take your cats to regular health checkups and ensure they are healthy and protected against different health conditions. Some wellness plans may also include services like routine vaccination, dental care, and behavioral training, along with grooming.

Most cat wellness plans work on a reimbursement model that pays you back the amount you paid for grooming and other services in less than 24 hours.

If you find it hard to choose a pet wellness plan that best suits your budget and care needs, visit Wagmo. Wagmo provides 3-tier wellness plans – Value, Classic, and Deluxe based on the services you want for your cats.

Pet parents looking for grooming services for their cats can opt for either Classic or Deluxe Wagmo wellness plans. Both these plans cover grooming along with other services.  

Wagmo wellness plans are perfect for dedicated pet parents that can take their pets to regular veterinary screenings, health checkups, and veterinarian consultants. All these services contribute to the health and longevity of your pets.

To know more about pet insurance plans and wellness programs, visit Wagmo. You can also take a quiz to find out the best plan for your furry friends.