Russian blue cat is a stunning cat with a fabulous and bluish double-coated body and a silvery sheen. Don’t you want them to stay that beautiful all the time? And you might wonder how can you keep Russian Blue that beautiful all the time? What are things that are included in Russian Blue Grooming? Why is Russian blue cat grooming even important?
Grooming Russian blue cat allows you to bond with them while maintaining their hygiene and health. You can check for abnormalities and spots present in their body while grooming your Russian blue cat. Bathing to Nail Clipping, brushing their hair to brushing their teeth, all of these things are included in the grooming of Russian Blue cat.
If you want your Russian blue to stay healthy and beautiful, it is necessary to know how to and when to groom a Russian Blue cat.
Let’s dive into this article to get answers to the questions you probably have in your mind.
Best Grooming Tools For Russian Blue Cat
You need a few tools for the grooming purpose of Russian Blue. Here are the products you can get at Amazon.
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The Furminator |
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Palm Style Pet Grooming Brush |  |
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Pet Bath And Massage Brush | |
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Cat Nail Clipper | |
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Earthbath Totally Natural Pet Care Tushy Wipes | |
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Earthbath Hypo-Allergenic Cat Shampoo | |
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Oxyfresh Premium Pet Dental Kit | |
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Hollypet Cat Arch Self Grooming and Massaging Brush Toy | |
How to Groom a Russian Blue Cat?
Russian blue cat is a low-maintenance cat that barely asks for much attention and care. But that doesn’t mean you can neglect their hygiene and cleanliness.
There are few things that you should know while grooming your Russian blue cat. So, let’s find out.
Brushing Russian Blue Hairs
Russian blue cats are known for their beautiful double-layered coat with short hairs. They don’t shed much so it won’t matter if you don’t brush their hair daily.
These blues are very peaceful and gentle thus it won’t be a Jurassic park while you comb their hair. If they don’t prefer being brushed, you can bribe them with treats they like.
You need to use a fine-toothed metal comb to brush Russian blue hairs to remove tangles and knots. Also, a natural-bristle or rubber brush for cats is needed to remove all the loose hairs.
This brushing and removing loose hairs need to be a once a week but you have to do it properly. With the metal comb, you have to comb and stoke their hair in the direction of its growth.
Now, you have to use another comb to only sweep up their coat in the direction towards the head. After this, you have to smooth the hair down again to make them look brushed and cleaned.
Brushing Russian Blue Cat Teeth
Now coming to brushing their teeth. Brushing the teeth of Russian blue can be a lot easier than it sounds.
They are, as you know, very peaceful, friendly, and quiet cats, thus making it easier for you to convince and train them into brushing their teeth. You can use either a specifically made cat brush or go with the good old cotton bud method.
Along with the brush you have to get specialized cat toothpaste and never use human toothpaste as it can upset their stomach.
Now take a little toothpaste in the brush or the cotton bud, whatever you have, and rub the teeth with it. You can do this once or twice a week as Russian blue are indoor cats with less dirt to chew.
If Russian blue is trained from the very beginning, you will have no problem brushing their teeth in the future.
Or else you can go for the natural method to clean their teeth without using a brush. All you have to do is change their diet or food intake.
You can also go for dental chews, toys, or just a bone for them to chew on. Some other ideas include gels and water additives.
Russian Blue Cat Nail Clipping
Russian blue, if trained well from the period they were kittens, will give you to clip their nails with no tantrums.
But you have to be careful while doing nail clipping yourself or just ask for professional help. Don’t risk anything if you don’t know how to do it.
It is quite simple though; you just have to careful with their clear pink veins that you can clearly see through the nails.
Take your Russian blue in your lap and take their feet in your hand. You have to press the paw pad so the nails are clearly seen.
Now, when you see the nails that are about to curl, take a sharp nail clipper cut the white part of it. And remember to avoid the pink veins mentioned above or else your cat will start bleeding and won’t let you do this again.
Bathing Your Russian Blue Cat
Your Russian blue is an indoor cat that barely needs to bathe as they can clean themselves mostly. However, you need to give them a bath every 4 to 6 weeks.
You need to be careful while bathing them, not that they will attack, it just that there are certain instructions to follow.
You need to bathe them after all the other grooming is done. Their claws and tangled hairs can make it difficult to have a safe pain-free bath.
You need a rubber mat in the bathtub where you are planning to bathe your cat so that they don’t slip.
After adding the mat, fill your bathtub or sink with three to four inches of lukewarm water neither hot nor cold.
Make your Russian blue stand in the tub with water, then make them wet by pouring water with the help of a spray-hose or a simple pitcher. Do not let water into the ears, eyes, and nose of Russian blue.
It is like bathing a human baby, you need to be as delicate as that, or else there will be consequences you won’t like.
Take one part of cat shampoo and five parts of water, mix them together, and use it on the body of Russian blue till it lathers up.
Go from head to tail, in the direction of the Russian blue cat hair growth but avoid areas like face, ears, and eyes.
Now, you have to rinse them thoroughly till the shampoo in the body of Russian blue washes off completely.
You can use a washcloth or cat wipes to clean their face with little shampoo but avoid eyes and ears.
After all this washing-off is done, wrap them in a warm towel and dry Russian Blue in a warm place with no drafts.
Why Is Grooming Important For A Russian Blue Cat?
Well, Why is bathing, nail cutting, or any other grooming necessary for human beings? Why do you comb your hair?
You do all of the grooming for yourself to look presentable, stay tidy, and hygienic. You can get sick and have other health issues if you don’t look after your hygiene.
Grooming is the same for your cat and even more as they are prone to getting sick than you are with an unhealthy environment.
The fleas and ticks’ infestations can occur due to the accumulation of dirt and dust in the Russian blue body. Ear infection and ear mites can occur in the cat’s ears if they are not clean every alternate day.
Grooming can solve all these problems and even makes your cat more presentable and attractive. A healthy and clean cat is a happy cat.
Grooming is the thing that separates your cat from any other street cat. You don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars to get a pure breed cat such as Russian blue and let it go in vain with no grooming.
Hygiene plays a key role to keep your cat healthy and separates many skin diseases from oral diseases away from Russian blue.
Moreover, long nails, uncombed hair, smelly body, and dental issues can make your cat feel uncomfortable with their own body.
Russian blue is a clean freak that doesn’t even prefer dirty litter. So, you can guess how they will react when they feel dirty in their own body.
For the sake of the physical and mental health of your cat, it is very important to groom and take care of them.
You can learn more cleaning and grooming tips for Russian blue cats.
The Benefits Of Grooming Russian Blue Cat
You might think and decide you can get away without grooming your cat according to the time mentioned.
But you cannot. You can’t overlook the benefits of grooming your Russian blue and risk their health over something silly.
Uncountable small benefits grooming your cat have, overlooking those here are some of the major ones:
Grooming Reduces Claw Danger
Cats; claws, be it Russian blue’s or any other cats, are built-in weapons for the cat to defend themselves.
So, it is quite understandable when your Russian blue attacks someone and leaves a mark or injury. These injuries and accidents will not happen if Russian blue nails are well-trimmed.
The claws are known to grow long and sharp when left unchecked for a while and this can even harm the Russian blue itself.
Retracting the long claws can make a Russian blue cat cut its own paw pads and this can be pretty nasty.
So, trimming the nails of Russian blue not only saves the injuries it can cause to human beings but also to themselves.
Grooming Helps To Keep Matting At Bay And Untangles The Knot In The Russian Blue Hairs
Brushing the hair of Russian blue can prevent the formation of matt and help the hairs stay untangled. It can be painful and gruesome to remove the matt from the hair.
When you use the right brush for your Russian blue cat, it not only helps to comfort them but also removes dead hair.
Right brush and correct combing stimulate new growth and bring natural oils to the skin of your Russian blue.
Grooming Prevents Fleas And Ticks
When you bathe your Russian blue cat, it helps you look closely at their body and around their thick double-layered coats.
Bathing is one of the best measures to spot and kill flea and tick present in the cat’s body. Even if the fleas aren’t fully removed from their body after a bath, you’ll know about the problem.
You can take other steps to remove the fleas and ticks’ infestations as these tiny living things can be a big pain for your cat.
Grooming Helps To Keep Ear Infection Away
Wax, dirt, debris, and fluid present inside the ear of the cat are the culprit that causes ear infection to your Russian blue.
Cleaning the ears of Russian blue once or twice a week will prevent ear infections as well as ear mites.
This also helps to remove other ailments that can harm your cats and make them feel more comfortable.
Check Abnormalities In Russian Blue Cat While Grooming
If you are grooming your cat in the regular interval since it was a kitten, then you’ll have an idea about the marks, spots, etc. present in their body.
So, it will be easier for you to spot the difference while grooming making it easier for the vet to know if it a health issue and other diseases or not.
Unfamiliar lumps and bumps will be detected early that in turns helps to protect your cat from a serious illness.
Comfort With Humans
The bond between your cat and you becomes stronger while you are grooming your Russian blue. Your cat feels a certain connection and is cared for when you groom them.
Grooming develops the trust between you and your cat and makes your cat more comfortable with you. Be careful with the things you do for your cat; they will reflect it and feel it.
Dental Care
Brushing the teeth of your Russian blue cat helps to prevent oral diseases, gum diseases, and other dental issues.
Dental care of cat also helps to maintain dental health and long-term oral health i.e., keeps the cat’s gums and teeth healthy.
Likewise, Brushing helps to reduce dental plaque and prevent tartar formation while promoting healthy gums and reducing bad breath (halitosis).
How Does A Russian Blue Cat Groom Itself?
If we are here talking about Russian blue, then you need to know these cats are the epitome of cleanliness.
They have very short hair and have the ability to clean after themselves hence the grooming. But How does a Russian blue Groom itself? That’s the real question.
Nature works mysteriously and here with Russian blue mother nature has given them a unique tongue, forepaws, and teeth.
This unique barbed tongue of Russian blue helps them to lick themselves and moisten their foreclaws. Now the foreclaws when moistened with saliva acts as a washcloth to clean Russian Blue.
Lastly, the teeth help them to dig out debris that are tougher and fully stuck in their body. You have a unique cat so even if you don’t pay attention more often, you will find Russian blue clean and attractive.
When Should You Start To Groom Your Russian Blue Cat?
You need to start early if you want your Russian blue to get used to all the touching and physical contact.
The best way to make them familiar with all the grooming is to help them do it even when they are a kitten. Russian Blues are short-haired double-coated cats and are quite capable to clean after themselves when they are small.
But as they grow older, their body becomes stiffer and they can’t reach all the areas. So, if you train your Russian Blue cat from the very beginning about all the grooming process, they will take your help when they are adults.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some FAQs about grooming your cat.
Are You Supposed To Give Russian Blue Cats Haircuts?
No, Russian blue cats have short hair that will grow to a set length and shed after a while. New hair grows from the same place making them double-coated and beautiful with no issues.
Can I Cut My Cat’s Whiskers?
No, Absolutely not. Keep the scissors away from your cat whiskers, these sheds like any other hair in a cats’ body.
Your cat will become scared and disoriented if you cut its whiskers. Let them be as it is and it will shed off itself.
How Can I Clean My Cats’ Teeth Naturally?
There are other ways to clean your cats’ teeth without a brush and toothpaste. Few things you can do are change their diet and food intake, go for gels and water additives and buy dental toys and chews. You can also simply give these cats a bone that they can chew on.
Conclusion
Briefly, grooming your pet is the first step to make them healthy and attractive. Russian blue is already an attractive cat but can be a mess if not groomed properly. The risk of injury with their claws increases if you don’t trim their nails. Likewise, dirt and dust in the body of Russian blue results in many skin diseases as well as some internal diseases too.
That’s why you need to groom your cat once in a while just like you would take care of any human baby. It is always simple things that matter the most even if it is something simple like brushing their hair or teeth.
