When should I get my cat groomed next? This is a conversation I’ve had hundreds of times now and when I cover the topic my answer is often rubbery because there is a lot to consider. So let’s dive in!
Off the top it’s worth saying that I don’t like to repeatedly shave bad, tight and difficult matting on cats because it’s not fair to them, and my goal is to provide a service that maximizes a cat’s comfort and welfare. So my minimum recommendation will always be to avoid this scenario from recurring.
In the early stages of finding the right schedule it’s ok for me to see and remove some minor matting, as we are still working together to find the ‘sweet spot’ but ideally, we want to find a balance that works well for your cat and intervene before the task gets too uncomfortable and uncontrollable.
So let’s take a look at some of the variables that come into play, in no particular order:
Types of coat
Double vs Single coat
Long hair vs Short hair
Skin related issues
Excess oils produced by skin (stud tail and chin acne are classic examples)
Visible dandruff
Tip: Check 5-15cm up from the base of the cat’s tail (near the bum). Spread the fur apart on the top of the tail so you can see the skin. Put your finger there. Does it feel sticky compared to the rest of the coat? Can you see blackheads on the skin? This is how we check for stud tail, perhaps the biggest cause of matting and coats that need to be washed and maintained on a schedule.
History
A history of recurring matting that is predictable. I say that usually if a cat develops matting once, it’s likely to recur.
Seasonal considerations
Cat coats grow at different speeds and thickness throughout the year. There are two peak shedding seasons too (starting from very late June and again in late December)
Our ability to intervene
Are you able to regularly comb the cat’s coat?
Do you regularly comb the cat’s coat?
Are you often away from them for long periods that prevent you or others from combing?
I say that I’m a bit like a dentist… I always know when you’re staying on top of your brushing and when you’re not. Trips away from home often interrupt this but can be managed if the carer is staying on top of the brushing when you’re away.
Tip: Double coated long haired cats should be brushed 3 minutes a day, no less than 3 minutes every second day.
Lifestyle considerations
Indoor or indoor/outdoor cat?
Cats who love to get into the shower, sit in still water or roll in the garden?
Is your cat a ‘clean cat’ or a lazy one?
Health concerns
Diagnosed kidney issues or hyperthyroidism
An ageing cat
Obesity
Arthritis
Poor oral health
Particularly gunky eyes
Incontinence or loose stools
Dingleberries
Budget
We can’t ignore that for many, budget concerns are an understandable reality. By far the best thing we can do to save some money on professional grooming costs is to maintain the habit of regular combing. Some cats really resist this intervention, but most will tolerate it and some even enjoy it.
When starting out and we are working on a budget I generally try to push out the grooms as much as possible to establish how long we can go between grooms before we’ve gone too long. Patterns emerge and we can then tailor the frequency to be in the goldilocks zone…. Neither waiting too long, or performing unnecessarily frequent grooms.
It’s often more economical to look at shaving during the warmer months (either lion shaving or comb clipping) and bathing during the cooler season. Avoiding bathing during winter can often cause compacted or matted fur that needs to be shaved in Spring.
That said, if budget isn’t the primary focus in decision making, I see excellent overall results from a grooming schedule set to every two months for most long haired and/or double coated breeds. The grooming process is far more comfortable for cats too as we’re not treating overly compacted or greasy coats and I see the compounding benefits of keeping the coat in good condition year-round. Cats also acclimate much faster to the grooming process and the vast majority of cats on this schedule are very calm and enjoy many if not most stages of the grooming process. They’re calmer and the coats look and feel amazing. I feel very comfortable in recommending a bi-monthly grooming schedule for most cats I meet.
No gimmicks
I could ask you to count every instance one of these variables apply to you. Count them up and if you have more than 5, you’re probably in need of a more frequent grooming schedule. Unfortunately it’s not quite that easy, and some variables are more relevant than others.
I tried to lay this out in a chart too and create a heat map or some other visual indicator but couldn’t find a way to make meaningful sense of it, although it may have looked cool and compelling.
Instead, when I meet you and your cat I’ll be taking all of these considerations into account when I work with you to find a schedule that fits best with your needs.
I’ll almost never recommend monthly grooming and it’s also fairly unlikely I’ll recommend intervals 12 months apart – both ends of the spectrum would require special circumstances.
Every second, third or fourth month is typically where most of my recommendations will sit, and may change over time too, particularly if compacted fur becomes an issue that makes the grooming process uncomfortable.
Ok, I hope this has helped in giving you some insight into some of the issues we consider when recommending grooming frequency. Oh and of course, your preferences also get taken into account too! Thanks for reading.
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