Clean your cat’s eye area. An exotic’s eye area can get crusty and gooey because its flat face doesn’t allow for good drainage. Take a paper towel or washcloth and wet it with warm water. Then wipe around the cat’s eyes. Be sure to thoroughly dry the area after wiping. If you don’t do this, the discharge can stain your cat’s coat and also lead to infections if the cat’s eye ducts to become blocked.
- You may wish to ask your veterinarian to prescribe medicated wipes, as these cats are prone to developing yeast or bacterial infections due to moisture in the skin folds on their face. A medicated wipe will help prevent this.
- While cleaning around your cat’s eyes, it is a good time to inspect their eyeballs. Exotics can be prone to problems with their corneas, such as scratches or ulcers, so look at their eyes regularly to make sure that the surfaces of their eyes are smooth and there is no redness, cloudiness, or abnormal discharge that may indicate a problem.
Comb your cat. Even though an exotic shorthair has shorter fur than a Persian, they still need occasional combing to keep their coats in good shape. Combing your cat while it is in a shedding cycle will help to get rid of excess hair before it is all over your house and to keep the cat from ingesting too much, which can lead to hairballs.
- Use a metal long-toothed comb to comb your cat. These combs are sold at most pet supply stores.
- If your cat likes to be combed or brushed, you should do it regularly. Just because the coat doesn’t require it, that doesn’t mean that its not a great bonding activity and you can decrease the amount of fur that is left around your house.
Trim your cat’s nails. It is important for you to trim your cat’s nails regularly so that they do not get too long. Nails that are too long can be uncomfortable to walk on, can snag furniture, and the snagging can cause the nails to be ripped off. To trim your cat’s nails, hold the cat’s paw in one hand and the nail trimmer in your other hand. Only trim the tip of the nail. Not cutting back a lot will help you avoid cutting into the vein in the nail.
- The vein is easy to spot; it will appear as a pink, triangular area in the center of the nail. Take note of where it is before you trim your cat’s nails so that you can avoid cutting them too short.
- If you are nervous about trimming your cat’s nails, you can have a professional do it. Take your cat to a groomer that is experienced at working with cats or ask for someone at your veterinary office to do it when you take your cat in for an appointment.
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