If you’re not already brushing your kitty, here’s your reason to start: A brushing session gives you an opportunity to check for fleas, loose hair and mats. It’s also a good time to inspect his ears and trim his nails.

A practicing veterinarian once told me a cat should be brushed every day. While I know daily brushing is not realistic for the majority of people (myself included), I do think it’s worthwhile to brush your cat regularly.

As far as how often you should brush your cat is concerned, the answer depends on his coat type. Here is a guide that will help:

Short – Short haired cats should be brushed once or twice per week.

Medium-haired cats should be brushed every other day.

Long haired Cats – Long haired cats can benefit from a brushing about once a day (especially if he tends to mat more often if he tends to mat easily).

And as an aside, you’ll want to keep in mind that while they may not need nearly as much grooming attention as dogs, cats still require regular nail trimming and ear cleaning.

How to brush your cat

I’ve written before about the importance of learning how to properly brush your cat and as long as you keep a few things in mind, you will be able to keep your kitty relaxed during the process: Use a gentle petting motion when brushing her. Be sure to use one hand to support her torso while the other does the brushing.

If you see a mat, gently pull it out with your fingers or scissors before attempting to brush it out. Without regular brushing, some mats are so bad that they need to be removed or cut out. If your cat is resisting, try moving his brush session to the bathroom where he will be more comfortable.

I also want to point out that it’s not necessary to spend a great deal of time brushing your cat each session. It is, however, beneficial to pay close attention to the areas below:

Brush behind her ears and along her neck (most cats like having this area brushed). Brush your cat from his chin down to his tail (his backside will thank you for this). Brush his hindquarters – she will get a kick out of it and you’ll notice any mats are located in this area.

Overcoming your cat’s initial resistance to being brushed is only the first step. From here on out, pet owners will need to make brushing their cats a regular part of their grooming routine. If you’d like some suggestions on how to make brushing a less cumbersome task, check out these helpful tips:

• Make it part of your kitty’s daily schedule.
• Brushing only takes two or three minutes and the more you do it, the easier it will be.
• Brush different areas of her body each time you polish her off.
• Change up the type of brush you use. There are many different brushes on the market and each one will work better for some cats than others. An excellent one is the furminator for cats.

If you are consistent with your brushing, cat owners will find that they can remove mats before they become too serious of an issue. In addition to mat removal, regular grooming sessions provide a great opportunity for pet owners to check their kitty for fleas and loose hair.

I hope this helps to answer the question “how often should I brush my cat.” If you have any questions, please comment on the blog below.