Don’t know whether it’s good or bad to trim a cat’s fur? Then don’t try to find an answer in Facebook groups or forums. Some people sympathize with them, while others find shaved cats quite amusing. There are always heated debates on this topic, each with their arguments, for and against cat grooming.
I find it amusing that there are individuals who comment with statements like, ‘The cat was given fur by God… and that’s how it should stay! Absolutely!’ Or others with a cute sentimentality say, ‘You’re making a mockery of the cat! She’ll be embarrassed by how she looks when she’s without fur!’ I would suggest that those who hold such opinions should never trim or shave themselves in their entire lives. And for gentlemen, they should keep a ‘natural beauty’ with bushes by their side. Because, you know, that’s how they were given by God.
As for the idea that ‘the cat feels ashamed of how she looks when shaved,’ it’s the biggest misconception. It’s true that she may feel a bit odd, but she won’t be any more ashamed than when she’s grooming herself in front of us or when she’s scolded for misbehaving. In other words, not at all. Cats don’t have self-perception, they don’t experience shame, and they don’t recognize themselves in the mirror. She won’t stand in front of the mirror saying, “Meow… what idiotic owners I have… I looked better with long fur.”
Why should you trim a cat’s fur and when should you do it?
While in the case of dogs, grooming is more about fashion, to make them look appealing when walked on a leash, for cats, grooming is more of a necessity for their owners. Most people groom their cats to get rid of the hair around the house, especially during shedding season when the cat’s fur is dispersed everywhere. Speaking from experience, a trimmed cat sheds very little hair around the house. What many owners don’t know is that the cat hair found on the sofa, clothing, carpets, and all over the rooms actually comes from a layer of dead hair in the cat’s coat. This layer is almost entirely removed during the cat’s grooming. Some people say that grooming doesn’t solve much regarding the hair; it just replaces long visible strands with shorter, less visible, and more dangerous ones. This is completely false; you can trim a cat’s fur.
Trimming is also advantageous for the cat. It helps them endure hot summer days better, making them more active and playful instead of lounging all day on cold tiles, in the bathtub, or other cold spots around the house. It’s beneficial for both sides. We get rid of hair around the house, and the cat feels better on hot days. You should not trim cats during cooler months or towards the end of summer. It’s essential for the cat’s fur to grow sufficiently to keep them warm during the cooler autumn months. Most people trim their cats once a year, typically in the spring when the weather starts to warm up. There’s no issue if your cat gets a trim again in June; her coat will have regrown almost completely by mid-September.
What’s crucial to consider is that if a room feels warm to us, it doesn’t necessarily mean the same for a cat. We perceive temperature as part of a formula that also includes air humidity, resulting in a thermal comfort index. Cats are much less sensitive to air humidity. If a room is at 26°C and we feel comfortable with the right humidity, trimmed cats might feel a bit cold. Similarly, we wouldn’t feel warm at 26°C with low humidity. The human body’s temperature is 37°C, so we’d notice the difference quite acutely. To better understand how these humidity-related temperature differences affect cats, try this experiment: set the room temperature to 26°C, fill a bathtub with water at 26°C, and immerse yourself in it. You’ll notice that the water feels much cooler than the room. Separated, both environments have the same temperature.
Returning to cats, the difference is even more significant. A cat’s normal body temperature ranges from 38°C to 39°C. For this reason, they tolerate higher temperatures much better than we do.
The above information is based on my experience with my own cats, especially Soricel, a 14-year-old cat (2009), who had never experienced grooming until the age of 7. I also didn’t know what it was like to have no cat hair around the house, and she didn’t know that she could play and be active in the summer.
I must admit that after each grooming session, I go through a mix of laughter and tears when I see her new look. 🤣 It takes me 2-3 days to get used to her new appearance.
Can you trim a cat’s fur at home or should you take them to the veterinarian?
Can you trim a cat’s fur at home? It’s best for a cat to be trimmed at a veterinary clinic, where there is qualified staff more focused on medicine than fashion. However, even there, you need to be very careful and informed about how this procedure is done, which can often be complicated and stressful for the feline. I admit that I would never have my cats trimmed if they were stressed by the procedure or if sedatives were necessary. I once met a veterinarian who said upfront that he would have to administer anesthesia to the cat and put her to sleep during the grooming. This was even before he had seen the cat, and I hadn’t had a chance to explain that she’s a docile cat who has never bitten or scratched anyone in her life. I absolutely refused to accept such an approach. In such a scenario, it’s better not to have the cat trimmed at all.
It is, however, the right of every doctor to choose their method, just as it is the right of every cat owner to refuse it.
The last time I took Soricel for grooming, the lady doctor and her assistant asked us, “Is she well-behaved? Have you had her groomed before?” They breathed a sigh of relief when we told them she was very well-behaved, continuing with, “Yesterday, we had a beast of a time…” while showing us the scratches on their arms.
If you have an aggressive cat or one that gets extremely stressed and scared, it’s best not to put them through grooming. Sedatives are not a solution, and the fact that a signature is required from the owner beforehand is because in some cases (rare), cats never wake up again. Keep in mind that before the benefits of grooming, the mental and physical health of the cat should always be a top priority.
