GROOMING CATS

All cats require a certain amount of grooming, from the occasional combing of the short-haired house pet to the daily, if not twice-daily, brushing of the long-haired show specimen. To enable the kitten to become used to grooming, whatever the breed, the earlier the start the better.
The general care is much the same for all varieties. The eyes and ears should be wiped out gently with small pieces of slightly dampened cotton wool. A light dusting of boracic acid powder right into the ears, once or twice a week, should keep them free from canker. If the ears show any signs of canker, they must be cleaned out carefully and a little canker lotion or powder poured in. while any cat may pick up a flea, there is no necessity for the animal always to have them. There are many flea powders on the market, but only those advertised as being suitable for cats should be used, as others may contain substances which are poisonous to them.
Compared with the long-hairs, grooming of the short-haired breeds is comparatively simple. A careful combing through with a fairly close-toothed steel comb should be followed by a brisk brushing with a stiff-bristled hair brush. A final rub all over with a piece of velvet, chamois leather or a silk or chiffon handkerchief, or a wipe with the hands, will produce a beautiful sheen.
With the long-haired varieties daily grooming is essential, particularly in the spring when the fur is being shed. The coat should be combed with a coarse steel comb to remove all the loose hair, and any knots gently teased out. The tail should receive special attention. The Blue, Blue-cream, Cream, White and Chinchilla cats may be sprinkled with a good quality talcum powder, which must be combed well into the coat and then brushed out until none can be seen. The frill should be brushed up all around the head.
Long-haired cats that are to be shown will require special preparation, although care must be taken not to over-groom to such an extent that much of the coat and frill is brushed out. At least a month before the show, intensive grooming may be started. Extra talcum powder may be used on the lighter coats, but it is advisable not to powder on the morning of the show, as this would lead to disqualification if any were to be left in the coat.
To get the coat into show condition every trace of grease and dirt must be removed. There must be no fleas or flea dirts, and the ears and eye must be perfectly clean. In short, the cat must be in perfect health and groomed to the peak of perfection.