In general – are cats easy to care for?

Are you thinking about adopting a cat? Then you should know about the intricacies of grooming a gat beforehand. It’s also worth reading about because for a lot of people, the grooming is something that scares them while it really shouldn’t. Cats aren’t all that difficult to care for. However, the term ‘difficult’ can be considered subjective. So, to really answer a question whether are cats easy to care for – we’ve prepared an article, that’s hopefully insightful and useful for you!

Hair & shedding – can get difficult & requires constant attention

Hands down, shedding is by far the most annoying thing for cat people. It is a constant reminder that you live with a cat. Hair gets everywhere. It sticks to surfaces and fabrics and decorates your clothes. Since house cats shed 24/7, it’s crucial to have the necessary tools for hair removal. You have your rollers which are used to collect leftover dead hair. You also have dedicated pet hair removers and the good old-fashioned vacuum. If the cat sheds – all is well. However, if they shed too much – it should cause concern because this might indicate illness

Cat hair can also cause allergies. So, before adopting a cat, make sure you do a test to eliminate the possibility. Because if it turns out you’re allergic, you’ll have to give the cat back, which is super hard emotionally, to cope with.

Bathing and washing – so hard to get them to behave

Even though cat hair goes everywhere, it’s nothing compared to the troubles you get when bathing them. Cats have an autonomous and instinctive cleaning regime. They clean themselves and do it quite regularly. With that being said, it is recommended to bathe them two-three times a year. Furthermore, you should always wash them if they get dirty or fall into something sticky, stinky, etc. 

Bathing is hard to do because the cat isn’t at all excited by the possibility of getting wet.  They could scratch, try to run, meow really loud and panic. Try to hold them in place while putting them under a gentle stream of lukewarm water. Reduce stress as much as possible and keep them under control. 

You’ll also need proper brushes and shampoos for it too. Pick them with care and the cat’s best interest in mind. The spending should not total more than 50-60 $. you can read about the best shampoos here. 

All in all, bathing is probably the thing you should be most cautious about. It takes a certain amount of courage and heaps of patience to wash your kitty. 

Brushing the hair – not too hard

Brushing is definitely not something to be scared of. If your cat has long fur, you should brush it more often. If they’re a Sphynx or hairless breed, well then that’s not important. It isn’t just for show and aesthetics either. When you gently brush the cat’s coat, it removes and clears any dirt or leftover dead hair that was present. Furthermore, it stimulates blood flow, cleans off dead skin fragments. This is inseparable from a glowing, healthy coat, hence brushing needs to be done ever so often. It isn’t that hard and that will be compliant, if you’re gentle enough. 

Food – picky eaters

The pickiness is down to their biological and instinctive urge to seek foods with an appropriate ratio of protein and fat. They want food that has 2.5 times higher concentration of protein rather than fat. Keep that in mind.

Nails

The cat’s claws/nails require grooming and management. If they get too long, it can harm them and your belongings as well. The only two routes from here are to either clip or grind the nails. In the debate of cat nail grinder vs clipper, the former always wins out. It’s a lot safer to use and you trim much more precisely. It doesn’t take too much time with a cat nail grinder, but it can be quite tricky to make your cat stay in one place for a while.

Conclusion

When you narrow down everything to the question of whether ‘cats are easy to care for?’ – the answer is Yes & No at the same time. You have different areas of grooming and care. Some require heaps of effort and patience (Bathing, Diets, etc.) while others are a piece of cake (brushing). To sum up – regardless of the challenges that might arise – cats are definitely worth the challenge that they create. They might not be the easiest animals, but they’re definitely one of the few that can truly understand and love you unconditionally.