 |
| Furkats Clarice after her bath |
|
|
Show Grooming For the Maine Coon Cat
|
|
 |
| RW GP Furkats W JR |
|
|
There are so many recommendations about show grooming those Maine Coon Cats for the show bench. Who should you listen to? Should you use Bounce fabric dryer sheets to wipe on your combs to prevent static in your cat's coat? How about putting 2 caps of Woolite in a pre-bath wash to get the coat really wet? And then there is the one about using Dawn dish washing liquid or Goop hand cleaner to get out stud tail and oil in the coat. Of course it cuts grease on pots & pans, but long range use could do damage to your cats skin. The general rule should be that cats aren't clothing or dishes or auto mechanics. Angora cats aren't sweaters so skip the Woolite. Maine Coons aren't pots and pans so skip the Dawn dish washing detergent. Hand cleaners like Go Jo and Goop are good for working man's hands, not cats. I prefer to avoid these products if possible. Excessive use of detergents and human shampoos can upset the PH balance of feline skin. Human products are formulated for human PH not kitty cats! All cats, especially show cats, should receive regular baths. It reduces the hair you have in the house and reduces the amount of hair the kitty will ingest while grooming itself. These can be maintenance baths or show baths. The idea is to get the cat groomed properly with minimum damage to the coat. Use of laundry and dish washing products can remove oils from the coat but may cause long term drying damage to the coat quality. However, when dealing with greasy stud males you may have to resort to Goop and dish soap but I prefer Ivory Liquid to Dawn. Ivory is clear and a tad more gentle. So if you want to show your cat over an extended period of time it is best to try to preserve the coat. Below is a brief outline of a show bath. Different products need to be used for different coat qualities. To find the best way to present your cat you need to experiment before the show to see which products work best for you. Below is a brief guideline for a basic show bath.
continuation of grooming for a Maine Coon Cat part 2
see http://www.mcpolys.com/groomingmainecooncats.html
|
e-mail: furkats@yahoo.com or call 859-282-0836 Any part of this site may only be reproduce with the permission of the owners of Furkats Maine Coon Cat Cattery.
|
|
|
