Do It Yourself Pet Grooming

If you're devoted to grooming your pet on a frequent basis, though, you'll need to arm yourself with the proper cat grooming tools. Here is a comprehensive list of cat-grooming tools available that you may need:

• Brushes in numerous shapes, sizes, and tine depths
• Combs with combination tine depths and widths
• Conditioner mists
• Dental finger brushes
• Dental wipes
• Ear wipes
• Electric and battery-operated clippers
• Eye wipes
• Flea combs including electric and ultrasonic versions
• Full-body cleaning towelettes and sprays for allergen removal purposes
• Gloves with "nubs" or "fingers" for hair removal
• Mat-removing brushes and combs
• Mat-removing sprays
• Nail trimmers with safety-stop guards
• Plastic brushes with a "magnetic/static" charge to hold the removed hair
• Post-grooming colognes
• Powder, swabs, and liquids to stop nail bleeding
• Self-cleaning brushes
• Tear-stain remover products
• Vacuum cleaner grooming brush attachments
• Vibrating massage and cleaning brush

Cats spend 10 percent of their time doing the grooming job themselves. Longhaired cats get dirtier faster than their short-haired counterparts, which puts them at greater risk for hair balls. Overweight cats may need help reaching every part of their body. And no matter what the breed or size of your cat, regular grooming gives you a chance to check for conditions you might otherwise not become aware of - lumps, bumps, cuts, fleas, or raw patches.