Before adopting an adorable kitten, consider the grooming needs of the cat. Different cat breeds have different grooming needs, therefore select a kitten which matches your family.

 

Cat Care for Kids: Grooming

How to Clip the Claws
How to Clean the Eyes
How to Clean the Ears
How to Clean the Teeth
How to Brush Longhair and Shorthair Cats
Special Grooming for Kittens
How to Give a Kitten a Bath

How to Clip the Claws

Trimming a cats nails is not a job for a child. This needs to be done by an adult for the health and safety of the kitten. For indoor cats, this will need to be done on a weekly basis. Adults can follow the instructions in our article: Cat Care: Trimming Your Cat’s Claws
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How to Clean the Eyes

Most of the time, kittens and cats will just need a soft touch and a Kleenex.

1. Wrap the Kleenex around your ring finger (not the pointer finger.) This will give a lighter touch.
2. Gently wipe around the eyes being careful not to touch the eyeball

Long hair cats may get stains from the tears around the eyes. In this case, you will want a cotton balls and some baby oil.

1. Dip the cotton ball in baby oil
2. Squeeze out excess baby oil
3. Gently wipe away the stains around the eyes
4. Dry off the eye with clean and dry cotton balls.

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How to Clean the Ears

Occasionally, you may need to clean your cat’s ears. Before cleaning the ears, check them out very carefully. If the ear smells like yeast, do not clean the ear. Take it to the vet, because it could infected. Also, if anything is lodged in the ear, take the cat to the vet.
DO NOT USE COTTON SWAB (Q-Tips). Cotton swabs could puncture the ear drum or hurt the cat. Just do not use them. Instead, use cotton balls and baby oil.

1. Dip the cotton ball in baby oil
2. Squeeze out excess baby oil
3. Using a circle motion, gently wipe the ear
4. Do not rub long or hard because it could hurt your cat

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How to Clean the Teeth

Just like you, your cat needs to have its teeth brushed. However, you do not want to use your toothpaste. Kittens need special pet toothpaste to keep their teeth clean and white.

1. Use either a pet toothbrush or a cotton swap
2. Put a tiny bit of toothpaste on the toothbrush
3. Touch the toothpaste to the cat’s lip to get it used to the taste
4. After doing this every day for a few weeks, begin touching the teeth with the toothbrush and toothpaste
5. Brush your cat’s teeth once a week

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How to Brush Longhair and Shorthair Cats

Whether you have a longhair cat or a shorthair cat, the first thing you do is look for little black specks. This is a sign of fleas. If you cat has fleas, then you will need to give it a flea bath or give it flea medication. (See How to Give a Your Cat a Bath with Dawn)

Brushing Longhair Cats

Longhair cats must be brushed every day to prevent tangles and mats. Additionally, it will help shed dead skin, make your cat look shiny, reduce hair balls, and bond you with your cat.
Tools
Hair Brush – I like using a regular hair brush with plastic bristles. It is like brushing your own hair and feels good to the cat.
Wide Tooth Comb – A comb is need if there are any tangles. It will make removing tangles easier.
Talcum Powder – Do not use it often and keep it away from eyes and mouth. But I do use it as a quick dry bath,
Procedure

1. Remove all tangles first, by pressing firmly on the skin and gently combing out the tangle.
2. Brush your cat against the growth (brush up first)
3. Pay special attention to the neck area because your cat has a hard time grooming this area
4. Then brush with the coat (down) smoothing out all the fur
5. Don’t forget to brush the belly
6. End by brushing out the tail

Brushing Shorthair Cats

Short hair cats do not have to be brushed every day but they do like it and it will make them shiny. At the very least, you need to brush your shorthair once a week.
Tools
Rubber Brush – I actually use a dog brush called the Zoom Groom. It is like giving my cat a massage and causes a static cling, which picks up even more loose hair. I use this daily as my cat loves and sometimes demands it.
Fine Tooth Comb – I use the fine tooth comb about once a month or when it is dirty. The fine tooth removes dirt and will also reveal fleas and flea dirt.
Procedure
Since you do not have to worry about tangles, you can brush your shorthair in any fashion you wish. I like to do circles and figure 8s. Like a longhair cat, you do need to pay close attention to the neck. This is where you will remove the most loose fur.

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Special Grooming for Kittens

Starting a kitten young will make grooming an adult cat much easier. Like I mentioned before, my cats love being groomed and it is a special individual bonding time. Sometimes, I spend an hour just grooming my cats because it is relaxing and the cats love it. However, you have to start a kitten young to get such a good response.

Tips to Grooming Kittens

• Short Sessions – Kittens are playful. Therefore, don’t groom them for very long at a time. It is better to groom them 3 or 4 times in one day than to force them to a long session.
• Gentle – You want the experience to be pleasant. As kittens, focus more on being gentle and loving than actual cleaning. If you cat does get matted, take it to the vet. You want all grooming experiences with you to be pleasant as a kitten. When it starts liking being groomed, then you can add more pressure and begin removing tangles at home
• Treats – Reward your kitten’s good behavior with treats. You may want to brush your kitten while it is eating a can of tuna.

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How to Give a Kitten a Bath

You should not have to bathe your cat very often. Cats are pretty clean and if you brush him on a regular basis, then it won’t need a bath. However, at some point your cat will roll in something stinky or will otherwise get dirty. When this happens, you will need to bathe your cat.
We have complete instructions on How to Give Your Cat a Bath. Here we give a quick overview for kids.

1. Get Everything Ready – Fill the tub with an inch of warm water. Have cat shampoo ready, get a plastic cup for rinsing, and a fluffy towel.
2. Close the Bathroom Door – Take your kitten into the bathroom and close the door in case it tries to escape.
3. Allow the Cat Freedom – Let your cat walk around in the tub only grabbing it, if it tries to escape. Some cats actually like baths!
4. Wet the Cat – Use the plastic cup to soak your cat
5. Latherthe Cat – Put the cat shampoo in your hand and start lathering the cat. Start with the head and work towards the tail. This will keep fleas from running into the eyes and nose. Be careful not to get the shampoo in the eyes. It will burn just like it does on you.
6. Rinse the Cat – Use the plastic cup to rinse off the lather. Start at the head and go towards the tail. Again, keep the shampoo and water away from the eyes.
7. Dry the Cat – Once the bath is done, wrap your kitten up in a nice fluffy towel and give it lots of love while drying it off.
8. Treats – You reward your cat for good behavior by placing some treats (like tuna) on the ground as you dry off your cat.

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