Ragdoll cats normally don't shed much, but you may notice some "seasonal" shedding in spring months. No sooner do you vacuum and mop your floor, thinking “no cat hair on the floor,” than your beautiful ragdoll furbaby sashays into the kitchen. A few simple strategies can curtail this issue.
Step 1
Provide a healthy diet for your ragdoll baby. Internally, this helps her to minimize even slight fur-shedding. The ideal cat food is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, oils and minerals, so her fur and skin are as soft and healthy as possible.
Step 2
Pamper your little girl, and give her some alone time with you by brushing her frequently. Start the brushing routine early in her life and get her accustomed to daily brushing so she will start looking forward to it. Begin each brushing session with some calming talk: “Come on, Fur-girl, let’s make you pretty!” Sit on the floor with her, and brush her gently in the direction her fur grows. Brush from her head down to her tail, and don’t forget her chest, legs or tail. Watch her stretch and settle into that pampering. She’s your girl, and she knows it.
Step 3
Add a combing with a wide-tooth steel comb, especially in the spring. Your ragdoll baby has to shed that fur coat she was blessed with during the winter so she won’t overheat in the warm season: “Mom, I’m just going to hang my fur coat away for the season.” Would that it were that easy! The fur of a ragdoll kitty normally does not mat, but combing can help her transition her coat into the summer months.
Step 4
Add warm water to a large plastic basin and set it into your tub. You’re going to give your fluffy furbaby a bath. Unlike other feline breeds, ragdoll kitties take well to baths when they are started early enough. Begin giving your kitty baths as a kitten, and help her get used to this part of her “pretty" routine. Massage a gentle pet shampoo into her fur, then rinse her off completely. Wrap an old bath towel around her to soak up the excess water, then blow her fur dry on a cool setting so she doesn’t chill. You should ideally bathe her once a month.
Tips
- If your kitty has eye discharge, clean her face with a damp washcloth.
- As you are blowing your pet's fur dry, gently brush it to remove loosened fur that is ready to fall out.
Warnings
- Do not use shampoo intended for humans. It has fragrances and substances that can upset your kitty’s system. Remember, she will lick her fur to groom it after her pampering bath.
Writer Bio
Genevieve Van Wyden began writing in 2007. She has written for “Tu Revista Latina” and owns three blogs. She has worked as a CPS social worker, gaining experience in the mental-health system. Van Wyden earned her Bachelor of Arts in journalism from New Mexico State University in 2006.