Not to be confused with the Siberian tiger, the Siberian cat is ridiculously fluffy, and so it needs brushing. The fur is not as long or as dense as that of some cat breeds, though, so about 10 minutes a week should be sufficient to keep your furball mat-free.
Step 1
Prepare your grooming station, which will probably just be the sofa and coffee table. Assemble the brush, comb and some thick tape, like packaging tape.
Step 2
Call your cat over to sit in your lap or on a convenient piece of furniture. Bending or crouching over a cat on the floor can be a bit awkward.
Step 3
Stroke him from head to tail to determine the location of any tangles. Stroking also relaxes your cat and encourages him to stay put while you get on with combing, brushing and anything else.
Step 4
Tease out knots with your fingers and the comb if necessary. If the knot is loose, pull it gently apart. If it is tight, comb it out starting at the ends, in a similar way to how you'd remove a tangle from a child's (or your own) hair. Be careful not to tug, as your cat won't like that at all.
Step 5
Comb through the rest of his fur, not forgetting his tail, legs and around the face. Start at the top of the head and work your way back and down. Do the long hair around his face last -- this needs attention, but many cats get a little twitchy when you touch their faces. However, after you've stroked and combed the rest of him, he should be pretty relaxed.
Step 6
Brush him thoroughly, removing excess fur from the brush with the comb as required. If he is shedding, gently pull at loose fur. Obviously, tugging hard is not a good idea at all. You won’t achieve much except a few scratches and an upset cat.
Step 7
Let your cat go about his business while you deal with your clothes, which will almost certainly be covered in cat hair by now. Wrap a length of packaging tape around your hand with the sticky side facing out. Dab over your clothes to remove the hair, changing the tape as necessary.
Tips
- Groom your cat once or twice a week, increasing to daily sessions when he is shedding.
- Siberian cats with particularly dense coats might need the occasional bath. If this is the case, get him used to it from kittenhood. Bathing an unaccustomed cat is near the top of most people’s lists of “things I never want to do.” You’ll need a baby bath, a jug, cat shampoo and towels. Although the shower is often the best option for bathing dogs, cats sometimes hate it even more than a bowl. If your cat is mature and hates water, period, compromise by wiping with a warm, damp cloth.
- Indoor cats especially occasionally need their claws trimmed, although not usually as often as dogs. Ask your vet to show you how during a regular check-up.
- If mats have developed in your kitty's coat, ask your vet to remove them. It is difficult for the inexperienced to remove mats without hurting the animal. However, if mats are left unattended, they will just get bigger and more painful.
Writer Bio
Judith Willson has been writing since 2009, specializing in environmental and scientific topics. She has written content for school websites and worked for a Glasgow newspaper. Willson has a Master of Arts in English from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland.