Most cats enjoy being groomed. They like the attention. To get your cat into the habit, start the grooming sessions with regular petting and caressing. Allow enough time for her to sniff your extended hand and accept the attention before you touch her. Stand your cat facing away from you and softly stroke her all over.
Start by using a metal comb working your way down the sides. For long haired breeds, you may need to untangle some of the snarls with your hands.
Switch to the rubber brush, and work your way down the sides and under the chest. To get out some of that loose fur and prevent shedding, brush hair upward, and then smooth back down
Apply a few drops of coat conditioner, and finish off with a soft cloth for a healthy shine.
You might think the idea of massaging your pet is a bit much, but the physiological and psychological benefits of massage are as real to animals as they are to humans. Massage improves circulation, increasing the supply of oxygen to the muscles. It relieves pain, easing muscle spasms and chronic stiffness. Studies have shown that massage can alleviate symptoms of depression and reduce stress - in the recipient pet and the masseur! So let’s get started!
Massage is easy to learn and take only a few minutes. But first, you have to be in the right frame of mind. Take a few deep breaths and let outside worries fade away so that you can focus on your pet - and only your pet. Animals can be sensitive to our feelings, so don’t try it in a bad mood.
Begin by speaking or singing softly some endearing words in a soothing tone over and over a few times to get your animals attention. You probably already have something you say all the time ("who’s my little pumpkin puss? ", "I love you Sadie, pretty lady" - whatever).
Allow enough time for her to sniff your extended hand and accept the attention before you touch her.
Never make first contact with the top of the head or face, always approach from the shoulder. Even your own dog or cat can become alarmed by your reaching for her from on top, and the point of the massage is to relax them, right?
Stroke your hand down your pets back and see how long it takes. Now, slow it down. Repeat the stroke in double the amount of time. It may seem like a waste of time, but the pets really like this slow movement. Repeat several times, and gradually put light pressure in the strokes without increasing speed. Look for positive feedback. For cats, this will be purring, blinking, drooling, sleeping or self-grooming and for dogs could be licking the lips, sleeping, or simply a relaxed body posture and love eyes.
