Grooming a Siberian

Cats groom themselves, that’s nothing new. But cats with so much fluff… Do they need help?

Their fur

Siberian Forest Cats originated in Siberia, Russia. Siberia is a cold, snowy place. Makes sense that Siberians would have such fluffy coats. Their coats are also semi oily (you won’t really notice this), making them water-resistant. That is handy in a wet cold place.

Brushing

Your cat will greatly appreciate this and it will bring you closer. If that isn’t enough to incentivize you to occasionally brush your cat, I will let you know that it also helps prevents hairballs. By brushing out the loose fur, your cat won’t accidentally swallow it while grooming which leads to… you guessed it… Less hair to throw up. How nice is that?! For everyone really.

Although Siberians are known for not matting, it can occasionally happen. Just like people, cats will have different textures and thicknesses to their fur, which may be more or less susceptible to matting. By brushing your cat you lessen the chance of mats. Thus lessening the chance that your cat will have to be shaved to get rid of the mats. And let me tell you, grooming isn’t cheap, so just help you, your wallet, and your cat out and have a brush next to the couch. Try to brush them 2 times per week with a steel comb.

Bathing

You shouldn’t have to bathe your cat. But if your cat gets into something or steps in the wrong place in the litter box, you may want to give them a bath. Being that Siberians like water, they may actually enjoy a bath. I recommend using pet-specific shampoo or a little bit of Dawn soap. Don’t use human shampoo. Even though it is ok for humans, that does not mean it is ok for animals.

Being water-resistant, it may take a little longer to fully drench, lather, and rinse your cat. So keep that in mind. Towel dry as best you can and help your kitty by brushing them if they will let you after the bath.

Shedding

Siberians will shed twice a year. Considering how fluffy they are though, it doesn’t seem like that much shedding. In the spring they will shed their winter coat and in the fall they will shed their summer coat.

Again, brushing is helpful to prevent matting, hairballs and feeling like there is hair all over. Help a cat out, brush it out.

Nails

I highly disagree with declawing. I am just going to start there. Declawing is actually cutting off the fingertips at the last digit. This is a harsh surgery to recover from and cats often get infections following. If your cat ever got lost, there would be no way to protect itself.

On to nicer alternatives. Trim them yourself. This depends on your cat and how they react. If you feel comfortable, you can cut the sharp tips off. This Youtube video ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99PtaOQbBIY ) is a great one to watch and refer to when trimming nails yourself. You can also pay your vet or groomer to do them, starting at about $10.

Another alternative is nail caps or Soft Paws. This is like a manicure for cats. A claw-shaped pocket is glued onto the trimmed nail. As it grows, the cap falls off and you replace it. A great Youtube Video to watch on this is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0ryspk-Xvk .

Soft Paws caps come in so many different colors

If your cat is scratching furniture and you want to just switch its focus or deter them, here are some ideas. Cat Deterrent Spray can work to break the habit of scratching that area if sprayed often enough. A double-sided tape or foil placed on the area being scratched (like the corner of a couch) can be very helpful and the clear tape is not very noticeable. The easiest thing I have done is put a better alternative in the scratching problem spot. For example, a scratching post right next to the corner of the couch or on top of the carpet they like to scratch. Slowly move the post away from the scratch area. If the cat continues to scratch that area, move the alternative back and try again or try another alternative.

Try to have available scratching spots such as cat trees or scratching posts or blocks for your cat so they can do what they instinctively need to do.

If you have any concerns or questions about any of this information please don’t be afraid to ask. I’m here to help!