Patience, consistency and repetition are all keys to accustoming your kitty to bathing, grooming and nail clipping. I brush my cats at least once a night--Delilah even more. I keep the brush at my chairside table. She was a cat who bit and clawed when brushed when I adopted her. Now she practically begs for the brushing and attention. Use praise and treats and in the case of nail trimming, have your vet or a groomer show you how. It's difficult to restore trust once you accidentally cut the claw to the quick. As for bathing, my vet said that unless a cat mines coal for a living, chances are he doesn't need bathing like a dog might. Delilah has been bathed at the groomers, but Izzie has never had a bath and he's got beautiful fur and healthy skin. Since he would go spas-o-matic if I tried to bathe him, I'm grateful that his genetic make-up is such that he doesn't require a bath! Also, use many treats and praise and don't force your cat to be held and groomed. Keep the sessions short.

Izadore (Izzie) answered on 7/22/11. Helpful? / 0