The first thing to ask yourself is whether your Russian Blue needs cleaning right now. And the easiest way to figure this out is to see what your cat’s fur feels like. Easy, right?
So, does your Russian Blue’s coat of fur feel greasy or look clumpy? All cats are naturally oily. However, does it feel like you need to wash your hands every time you pet your cat? If yes, it is probably time to give your cat a thorough cleaning.
Hence, below I have all the information from how often you should clean your Russian Blue to tips on cleaning and grooming your furry little friend!
How Often Does Your Russian Blue Need Cleaning?
Another important question you need to ask yourself, “how often does my cat need cleaning?”
Well, the good news is that Russian Blues, with their silvery blue-gray coat of fur, tend not to look dirty fast. However, this does not mean that you can slack off on taking care of your cat’s hygiene.
A good rule of thumb is to brush your cat twice a week regularly, and even more often during the spring shedding season.
However, when it comes to bathing your Russian Blue, you can stick to once every 4-6 weeks.
Now, let’s see cleaning and grooming tips for Russian blue cat in a possible simple way.
Cleaning Your Russian Blue
Furthermore, there is often a misconception about cleaning your cats. Cleaning them does not simply include brushing their fur or bathing them. Equal attention given to the cleanliness of their teeth, ears, and eyes is also of immense importance!
Hence, below are some of the major ways of keeping your cat’s hygiene in check, and avoiding any kind of nasty infection!
Bathing
It may seem that bathing your Russian Blue is the best way to ensure its hygiene is in check. However, the truth is bathing your cat too often could strip away the natural oils that remain on its coat, and make their fur look extra dry.
Hence, it is important to remember that you only need to bathe them once every 4-6 weeks.
Furthermore, always stick to a good quality shampoo containing essential oils. The next step is to wet your Russian Blue with room temperature water. Then, mix one-part cat-safe shampoo to five parts water and apply it on your cat gently. Remember to take extra care when applying the shampoo near their nose, ears, and eye areas.
Once you are done with this step, rinse off your cat with water thoroughly. Then, you can use either a hairdryer or towel to pat them dry. The main goal here is to get your cat as dry as possible!
Cleaning their Teeth
Dental diseases caused by food residue in your Russian Blue’s teeth is a grave possibility.
Hence, it is important to stay on top of cleaning your cat’s teeth regularly. This will prevent the possibility of these seemingly harmless food residues to cause serious dental diseases in your cat.
Therefore, the best way to get rid of these food residues is to first purchase a cat-safe toothbrush and toothpaste. Then, making sure to brush your Blue’s teeth at least twice a week to get rid of any tiny food residue, which could cause huge issues later on!
Moreover, another option is to give them dental treats occasionally! However, brushing their teeth is the best solution for preventing dental diseases.
Finally, some of the telling signs of serious dental issues are bad breath, loose or discolored teeth, and inflamed or bleeding gums. Hence, if any of these signs are prevalent in your cat, then a visiting to the vet’s clinic should definitely be your next stop!
Cleaning their Ears
Cleaning your Russian Blue’s ears is of utmost importance, as ear mites are a serious problem with extremely dire consequences!
Hence, to avoid letting any ear mites near your cat, you can take a gauze, dip it in some cleaning solution and clean your Blue’s ears. You can do this by wiping the inside of your Blue’s ears by gently moving the gauze around. However, make sure that you use a second gauze to wipe it dry in the end!
Moreover, the most obvious sign of ear mites in cats is excessive scratching of the ears. Hence, if your cat has been stopping every few minutes to scratch his ears, then a quick visit to the vet is the best bet!
Cleaning Their Eyes
Cleaning your Blue’s eyes is probably the easiest step of all, as your Blue will not be as agitated as by the other cleaning procedures.
All you need to do here is to take a cotton ball, dip it in a lubricant (ex: water or Hydrogen Peroxide), and gently wipe the corners of your Blue’s eyes. This will ensure that any excess dirt around the eye area is taken care of.
Teach Them to Use a Scratching Post
Teaching your cat to use the scratching post is a pretty genius hack for cat owners!
Not only do cats have a natural impulse to scratch themselves, but the act of scratching itself it very useful for getting rid of dirt and such from their claws.
Hence, investing in a scratching post is not just for your cat’s comfort, but it will also encourage your Blue to do some of the cleaning itself!
Grooming Your Russian Blue
Now, we both know that Russian Blues are attractive cats. They have their silvery blue-gray coat of fur and their bright green dazzling eyes. However, grooming your cat regularly will ensure that they always look their best.
Moreover, grooming your cat also means that the excess of hair on their back, or their long nails, do not become a nuisance for both you and your cat.
Hence, below are ways of taking care of both these issues with the best approach!
Hair Brush or No Hair Brush?
First, you need to know that there is an advantage in using your hands to groom your cat. For instance, you can wet your hands with water and gently massage your cat using your bare hands. This step will allow you to feel any rashes or such on your cat’s skin, which will allow you to take necessary measures if needed.
However, after this step, you can use a short brush or comb designed especially for cats, to brush out their fur. There are two major advantages to doing this. One is obviously to get rid of any knots or dirt stuck to its fur, and the second is to distribute their natural oils throughout their coat.
Finally, it is good to note that Russian Blues are a good choice of cat breed for you if you have only mild allergies. Since Russian Blues do not shed as much as many other cat breeds, due to their double coat, chances of you feeling the effects of any mild allergies, will be close to none.
However, it is always a good idea to check with your doctor before you commit to getting a Russian Blue.
Trimming Their Nails
By any chance, has your Russian Blue scratched you as of late, and it left a nasty red mark on your skin? If yes, your Russian Blue’s nails probably need a good trimming right about now.
Now, the best way of going about this is first to get a sharp-edged nail cutter. Then, once you have located the actual nail in its claw, cut the part of the nail that looks yellowed and old.
However, if this task is something that you would rather let a cat-grooming salon take care of, then that is a great option too.
Although, no matter which of these options appeal to you more, remember to get this taken care of. As your cat’s long nails can not only become a problem for you, it may also cause some of your precious items lying around to fall victim to it!
Cleaning Their Litter Box
Cleaning your Russian Blue’s litter box is another issue of utmost importance!
Always make sure that your cat’s litter box is clean and ready for use. Additionally, make note that your cat may not want to use a dirty litter box and choose to use some other part of your house to relieve itself!
Hence, get them a high-sided litter box if they are still a kitten, so that the litter does not spill. However, if they are an adult Russian Blue, then you can get them a litter box with only one opening so that they can have their privacy when doing their business!
Finally, it is important to note here that a dirty litter box may cause harm to YOU as well!
Toxoplasmosis is a disease, which comes about from being exposed to infected cat feces. This disease often causes Influenza-like symptoms and is better to avoid altogether. Hence, make sure that cleaning out your cat’s litter box is part of your daily routine!
Possible Threats of Parasites
Now, you should be aware from the very beginning as an owner of a Russian Blue of this serious issue.
For instance, heartworms, roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, are some of the harmful parasites that could enter your cat’s system by being near or on contaminated soil, drinking contaminated water, or even being bitten by harmful insects.
Furthermore, less severe parasites such as ticks, fleas, or ear mites, may even lead to serious illnesses in your cat. Hence, it is important to take necessary precautions either in the form of preventive medication or eternal vigilance when it comes to your Russian Blue’s health!
Final Words
In conclusion, having an upbeat attitude towards cleaning and grooming your cat is your best bet. All you need to keep in mind is that as long as your Russian Blue is clean, both of you will be happy and healthy!
Hence, my parting words would be to clean and groom your cat without thinking of it as a tedious job. Instead, think of it as a great way of bonding with your beautiful Russian Blue!
