What Is The Proper Way Of Taking Care Of Your Kitten’s Hygiene?

Being a cat owner can be a hard thing, especially when you have to take care of its food, comfort, and most of all important things; hygiene. Here are some things you need to know about a kitten’s hygiene, some cat hygiene problems, and how the cleanliness of your feline can make all of the difference.

There are three main areas of importance when it comes to having a clean and wonderful smelling cat. They are:

Keeping The Coat Clean

Here is everything you need to know about indoor cat hygiene like bathing a kitten and when and how you should do it. 

1. Brush It Out

The coat of the cat can get tangled and messy very easily, especially if it likes to play around a lot. A tangled coat can be hard to clean after it's been wet, so before you even think about bathing your kitten, it's best to brush out the coat using a cat brush. The bristles are strong and they will get rid of all kinds of tangles and knots in the cat’s fur. Your cat will also particularly enjoy this step because this is very reminiscent of getting a massage for the feline.

Invest in a good and sturdy brush, especially if you have a Persian cat or Maine coon, since their coats are very thick and are prone to getting extremely tangled and knotted. Something with metal bristles and a sturdy base like a wooden or metal brush will be perfect for your cat.

Make sure that you are also cleaning the brush and washing it after every use because this also comes as a part of the cat’s hygiene.

2. Use A Good Quality Shampoo

There are so many varieties of shampoos available in the market, that you are bound to get confused as to which one you should select for the hygiene of a kitten. It's best to consult with your vet first. They will know if your cat is allergic to anything in particular, like scents or certain ingredients, which might irritate the skin and coat of the cat, so those options can be avoided. Try to go for something which is gentle on the fur and has good cleaning properties.

When bathing the kitten, make sure to avoid the eyes and mouth, because the shampoo can be hazardous if the cat ends up swallowing it or getting it in its eye. Also, get in all of the places, like the tail, under the tail, under the arms, and folded areas where the cat can’t clean itself.

3. Look Out For Ticks And Fleas

For cats with thicker coats, fleas and ticks may be a problem and this is not only unhygienic but it can also lead to a lot of health problems in cats. It's best to keep an eye on the fur and see for any signs of these pesky blood-hungry creatures crawling that is one of the major cat hygiene problems for cat owners.

There are medicated shampoos available for cats and kittens which can get rid of fleas and ticks and they can be used just like regular shampoo. Ticks are easy to get rid of if you have a proper course of action against it. Also, get in between the claws, because those are the perfect nesting areas for the ticks to grow colonies.

Similarly, you can get tick sprays and powders which can be applied to the cat after it's been bathed. It will stay on the fur and work its magic. Just make sure to avoid the eyes, nose, and mouth, when spraying the tick spray.

4. Sponge Bath

If your cat is a messy eater or gets food all over itself after eating, then it's best to clean it up with a sponge bath. This is also a good thing to do if your cat or kitten isn’t a fan of baths. You can get used to getting wet by starting with a sponge bath.

• All you need for this is a clean and soft washcloth and warm water.
• Make sure that the water isn’t too hot. You don’t want to burn the skin of the cat.
• Drench the rag in the water and wring out any excess.
• Then, clean the face, whiskers, sides of the eyes, hands, feet, body, and tail of the kitten.
• Also, get under the tail and clean the hard-to-reach areas. 

Dental Hygiene

Kittens and cats are developed carnivores and they love to use their teeth to munch on their favorite foods. It's important to keep their teeth healthy to avoid cat hygiene problems. Here is everything you should know about the dental hygiene of a cat.

1. Teeth Brushing

Teeth brushing is just as important for cats and dogs as it is for humans and a critical part of indoor cat hygiene. Of course, cats are going to fuss when you try to pry a brush into their mouth, but it's important that you get the kitten used to getting its teeth cleaned.

There are special cat toothbrushes and toothpastes available, which will clean the teeth effectively and you will be left with a cat that has a minty fresh breath.

2. Getting The Teeth Checked

Are your kitten’s teeth looking yellow?  Does it have bad breath?  Are the gums dark in color and bleeding? These signs may be an indication of tooth decay, gum problems, or a cavity. If you experience any of these signs, to ensure proper hygiene of a kitten, take your cat to a vet and have its teeth checked. These signs can be common if you don’t clean your cat’s teeth at all.

The vet is going to do a full examination of your kitten’s teeth and also clean them thoroughly. If there is a cavity, then it will need to be filled.

3. Getting Kittens Used To Brushing

Teeth brushing is great and all and you get the right cat hygiene products, but how do you get your kitten to cooperate with you in keeping its mouth clean?

Well, you can start by just putting the toothbrush in its mouth and gauging the kitten’s reaction. It might not be favorable, but let it play with the toothbrush for a couple of days. After this, you can do a test run and try brushing your teeth.

You want to cradle your kitten in your lap and hold its mouth open gently with one hand and use the brush with the other hand to clean the teeth. Try this for some time and your cat will get used to it eventually.

Kitten Grooming

Last but not least, you want to think about the general appearance as well when considering hygiene of a kitten. Here are great grooming and hygiene tips for your cat.

1. Get The Coat A Trim

The biggest part of grooming a cat or kitten is getting its coat trimmed or even shaved from time to time. If the cat has many ticks, then the coat is shaved, ticks are removed and then the new coat is allowed to grow. Otherwise, a trim is perfect for a regular grooming session, because it's going to get rid of the dirty and dry fur and promote healthy growth of hair.

Make sure to use the correct cat hygiene products for trimming or shaving the coat.

2. Nail Cutting

You don’t want your cat or kitten to grow long nails. They are not only harmful to you but long nails can be breeding grounds for bacteria and they can house all kinds of dirt and germs. For indoor cat hygiene, nail cutting is essential.

You want to trim them as soon as they are showing from the paw. This is going to prevent the kitten from hurting itself or other people and it will also be more hygienic. 

3. Dirty Eyes

If you have a cat with a lighter-colored coat, then you might have noticed dark rings forming around the eyes. This is just the drying and accumulation of eye sand around the eyes. Nonetheless, it makes the cat look dirty and you need to clean it for better general hygiene of the cat. You can use a wet washcloth and pry the dirt off the eyes. If it's fresh, then it will come right off.

While you’re at it, try to remove any lingering sand in the eyes too. If the rings are dried, then try a special eye solution that tends to dissolve the sand around the eyes and clean it in the end with a wet washcloth.

4. Lint Removal

Lint removal is similar to hair brushing, but instead of getting the tangles out of the coat, you are getting rid of the detached and stray hairs from the coat, so it doesn’t shed onto the surfaces or your furniture.

It is done with a brush-like tool, with stoppers in the middle. These stoppers pluck out the stray hair in the coat and leave your feline feeling fresh. You can shop them from store that has cat hygiene products.

Conclusion

There you have it! These things may seem difficult, but once you set a sound routine that works for you and your kitten, all of the things will fall into place and it will become easier for you as your kitten stops fussing.