There are many things to love about felines, and our marvelous fur coats and lovely skin are just the catnip on top.
From long and luxurious manes to thick and curly locks, every type of cat hair is beautiful, but good looks like this don’t just happen overnight. Special care is required to keep your cat’s skin and coat healthy and full of life, and they rely on you to help them maintain it.
Here are my best tips for not only refining your cat’s complexion but making it look and feel better than ever.
Nala's Tips for Improving Your Cat's Skin and Coat
Nutrition and Supplements
Here is a human saying that goes “you are what you eat.” This applies to cats, as well!
Nutrition is the foundation for overall health, and the quality of your cat’s food has a huge impact on the vitality of their skin and coat. Check the label to ensure what you’re feeding your feline friend has these key nutrients:
- Omega-6 fatty acids (Linoleic acid and arachidonic acid)
- Omega-3 fatty acids (Alpha-linolenic acid and Eicosapentaenoic acid)
- Zinc
- Copper
- Vitamins A and B
- Biotin
Grooming
Regular grooming not only improves your cat’s skin and coat health, but it keeps them looking like the fabulous feline they are by evenly distributing oils throughout their coat.
It’s also an easy way to prevent hairballs and external parasites, reduce the amount of loose hair around your home, and strengthen the bond between you and your furry best friend.
A good brushing one to two times a week will suffice depending on the length of your cat’s fur. Make sure you don’t skip the hair beneath their armpits or behind the ears, and check for any patches of sensitive skin or unusual lumps. You’ll want to report these to the cat doctor right away.
Bathing
As much as I hate to admit it, an occasional bath can be very beneficial for your cat’s skin and coat. Most cats are self-sufficient in this category and will rarely need to be bathed, but those unable to fully groom themselves or suffering from skin conditions may require some assistance from their pawrent.
Before bathing your cat, make sure you have a shampoo that is formulated specifically for felines and free from ingredients like tea tree oil and added perfumes.
Fill your sink or bathtub with a few inches of lukewarm water and gently soak your cat’s fur. If they don’t respond well to being placed in water (which I completely understand from a cat’s perspective), try wetting their fur with a washcloth instead.
Use your shampoo as directed and be sure to rinse thoroughly before wrapping your cat in a towel and drying them off. Don’t forget to brush their fur afterward!
Maintain A Low-Stress Environment
Do you have little quirks like biting your fingernails or cracking your knuckles when you’re anxious? We cats can develop stress-induced habits too, and excessive licking is one of the most common.
If your cat is in a high-stress environment, they may adopt this compulsive behavior and over-groom themselves to the point of extreme hair loss, also known as psychogenic alopecia. As you can imagine, this doesn’t bode well for the overall look and feel of their fur coat.
To minimize stress at home and prevent your feline friend from developing bad habits, I suggest providing a quiet and safe space for them to retreat to when they want some alone time. Also, supply plenty of healthy food, vertical spaces to climb, toys, and most importantly, lots of love.
Share the Love With Your Furry Best Furriend
Every ounce of Love, Nala’s cat food and mousse treats are made with nutritious ingredients you can trust and, the most essential ingredient of all, love.
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Love, Nala
