Brushing a cat can become a burden, especially when it comes to long-haired cats. The cat wriggles and struggles while you get the hair in its eyes and nose.

However, brushing is particularly important for long-haired cats and you will both be glad afterwards that you took the time to do it.

How do you brush cats with as little stress as possible?

The right tools

You will need a smooth brush, a coarse-toothed comb and a fine-toothed comb, nail clippers, rounded scissors, shampoo and conditioner. The brush, combs, nail clippers and scissors can be from the supermarket, while for shampoo and conditioner it is advisable to buy special products for cats from a pet shop.

The work surface

The easiest way to brush the cat is with a special grooming table on which the cat is held in the correct position. However, do not leave the cat unattended so that it does not strangle itself in its inevitable attempts to free itself.
If you want to brush the cat without a grooming table, use a table that is about belly-high.

Claw cutting

Claw trimming is mainly intended to reduce injuries if the cat fights back and scratches. I can therefore only recommend trimming the claws before brushing.
The claws are cut by holding the paw with one hand and spreading the claws apart, while the nail clipper is applied a few millimetres below the tip with the other hand. Do not go too deep so as not to damage the blood vessels.

Brush the coat

First brush the coat all over the cat's body with the smooth brush. Then comb through in the same way with the coarse-toothed comb. Finally, use the fine-toothed comb and carefully comb through piece by piece. If you get caught on small tangles in between, use the previous tool again and brush through again until the comb or brush can get through easily. The thicker and longer and therefore probably more matted your cat's coat is, the coarser and smoother the brush you should use to start the procedure. Be sure to remove all knots before washing the coat, as the knots will be much harder to get out after washing.

Bathe the cat

When you move into the bathroom, remember to take the shampoo, conditioner, three cloths and a towel with you. It's best to have them ready in advance. When bathing your cat, speed is of the essence, so memorise the individual steps.
Get the cat completely wet and let the fur float so that the water penetrates deep down to the roots of the hair. If your cat will not tolerate a full bath, shower it with the shower head.
Clean the eyes, ears and genital area with the cloths, do not hold the water directly on these areas. Use a new cloth for each area.
Shampoo the cat, wash out the shampoo thoroughly and massage the conditioner into the coat. If the cat gives you enough time, leave the conditioner on for a moment, if not, wash it out again straight away.

Wrap the cat in the towel

Don't rub the cat, as this will create new knots in the fur. Wrap the cat in the towel and hold it tight until the towel has absorbed enough moisture from the fur. For optimum drying, replace the towel with a fresh one every now and then.

Dry the cat

You can let the cat's coat air-dry, but the coat will collect dirt until it is completely dry. Knots form more easily in damp fur than in dry fur, so I recommend not skipping this step.
Set your hair dryer to the lowest setting and dry the fur while you brush it. Do not hold the dryer on the same spot for too long to avoid overheating or even burning the cat.

Trimming the paws

If the cat has longer hair on its paws, it is better to trim them with scissors, as dirt from the litter tray gets caught in the paws. The less hair that gets dirty, the better.