Cats take very good care of themselves but aren't as self-sufficient as people may think. They need some basic care from their pet owners.

Grooming your cat in the summer months

Especially in the summer months, cats need to be groomed. Cats suffer from the heat and humidity just as we do. Their heavy coats do not 'insulate' them as some people mistakenly believe.

Your cat will become ill, and unhappy if you don't keep him groomed and clean. Cats develop hairballs very easily during the summer when their fur sheds. Shed fur is messy for you and is itchy for cats.

Vet and grooming care are very costly. We don't take our kids to the doctor for basic care nor do we need to for our cats. It's much easier to groom the cat at home when you know some basic techniques.

Basic grooming techniques to use at home

Here are several basic steps that you can take to keep your pet safe, healthy and clean in the summer.

Get a good double-sided brush (one per cat just as we have one per person). Your cat's brush should have wire tines for combing and nylon bristles for brushing. These are available at most pound/ dollar stores.

Brush the cat's fur at least once a week and more if the cat is outdoors or has long fur. First, carefully comb out kitty's fur with the wire side to remove rubbish, dead skin, and bugs. This will give her a nice skin massage as well. Be careful of the face and bottom area.

Next with the nylon bristle, brush out all the excess fur your cat sheds. It may take some time to get all the fur out. Under the top layer of hair is the soft, bushy fur layer. This is usually what causes hairballs in the stomach. Brush until only a few hairs come out on the brush and no more of the fuzzy clumps.

Be sure to brush outside. You'll want to keep all the hair out of the house. The birds really appreciate kitty's grooming times because they get some really useful nest materials!

Dealing with fleas

If your cat is scratching quite a lot, she probably has fleas. Don't use a flea collar as these are dangerous for children and not very good for kitty either. There are over the counter flea sprays that work very well. We like Sergeant's Gold but the ones available from your vet are usually the strongest.

What we use

Another good brand we’ve tried is Bravecto. You will need to see your vet for a prescription but also for them to be weighed as the amount of treatment given goes on the weight of the cat.

For worming we use Profender and have never had any issues with it. Generally you should give flea and worm treatments 7 days apart.

Cats' ears trap a great deal of dirt and filth. Use pet or baby wipes, to gently clean out your cat’s ears. Cotton swabs work well also but use them very carefully.

Wipe the cat's eyes and nose out as well. This is especially necessary for your outdoor kitties. Outdoor cats feel it's their duty to inspect all crevices, containers and corners and often come out pretty grubby.

If your cat is digging his ears or shaking his head frequently, he may have ear mites in his ears. These tiny insects can make a pet's life miserable. You can obtain some over the counter ear mite drops which you simply drop in his ears.

Caring for a cat is soothing and therapeutic for you as well as your pet.

Top tips

Lastly in summer cats are often outdoors more. If you’re worried about busy roads try to keep them in at night. This is what we do with ours. And if you haven’t yet had your cat neutered or spayed then this is the time to do it. Cats wander much further and spend more time outdoors in summer. It’s best not to have more unwanted kittens around as they are hard for rescue centres to look after and rehome.

Want to read more on our furry friends?