How To Give Your Cat A Haircut – Do They Need Them?

Do cats need haircuts? Why would they need them? Can you give your own cat a haircut at home without visiting a fancy pet salon?

Alright hold your horses.

For starters, yes, some cats do indeed need occasional haircuts.

Cutting off excess hair is an essential part of grooming and you need the proper tools to do so in case your deshedding tools aren’t getting quite enough of the fluff out.

One of the main reasons for trimming her fur is that you need to spare yourself, your kitty, and your furniture those nasty hairballs which are bound to fall all over the place.

Cutting excess fur makes it easier to groom, comb, and bathe the cat. It improves its health tremendously not only because it lowers the risks of swallowed hair – and if they swallow too much and don’t vomit it, things can get truly devastating and even fatal – but also because it keeps your feline furball’s coat in excellent condition. It makes it shinier and fluffier, and most of all it lowers the dirt and debris levels which can result in allergies for you and the rest of the people residing in your household.

Is It Hard (And Safe) To Cut My Cat’s Hair?

Giving a haircut may prove to be simple and even relaxing, or it can be a tedious, stressful, and unsuccessful task. It depends more on your cat’s personality more than anything else.

Of course, if you happen to be the proud owner of a notoriously long-haired breed like the Maine Coon or the Persian, cutting the excess hair won’t be easy.

If your kitty’s fur is tangled, long, and thick, you’ll need to proceed carefully. If you happen to spot any symptoms of stress or panic in your cat, that will make the job twice as hard.

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How To Give Your Kitty A Haircut

So, how can you actually give your cat a haircut? Here are the three key things you need to prepare – the environment, yourself, and your pet.

First, choose a proper room. You can either opt for the bathroom or for another quiet, peaceful area which your cat finds familiar and relaxing. Mind you, loose cat hair will be falling on every single surface, so choose carefully. You might need to vacuum the entire room!

Start combing through the fur coats carefully in order to get rid of any debris and tangled bits. If your furry pal has a favorite comb, don’t hesitate on using it! It will teach the cat into thinking that getting a haircut is a relaxing and enjoyable experience.

You now have a couple of options.

You can use a pair of scissors to cut off the excess hair.

In order to avoid accidents, use a comb between the fur coats and the kitty’s skin. Always cut short bits. It will be easier to repeat the process a couple of times, shortening the hair length. Unfortunately, if you cut off too much at once, there’s no going back!

Make short pauses to use a cat brush, which your kitty enjoys, in between the cutting. This way you’ll lower the stress levels and your pet will actually associate the entire thing with a positive experience.

Your second option, if your own feline furball is tolerant and relaxed by default, is a set of electric clippers. If the cat shows any signs of fright, discomfort, or stress, immediately put away the clippers! It’s not worth it.

We’ve found that the Wahl pet-specific clippers are the best, quietest, and most effective for trimming, and they don’t seem to snag and pull the hair.

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How To Cope With And Clean The Aftermath Of The Haircut

You’ll need to carefully brush the kitty off after the haircut and then you’ll need to clean up all of the fallen fur.

In some cases, your cat might try to wriggle away from the scissors. If it does, don’t chase it. Instead, try continuing with the haircut a few days later. This could mean leaving your precious furball with a funny or unsightly haircut for a short period of time. Nevertheless, it’s the best alternative to scaring the poor kitty out of its mind.

If you’re unsure about how to cut the cat’s fur and how to avoid accidents and stressful experiences, you can always take your furry pal to your vet or to a specialized pet hairdresser. It may not come as cheap as doing it at home, but it will be safer.

Emily Parker

Emily Parker is the Content Manager at Catological. She's passionate about helping cat parents love their cats better by providing the best information and recommendations about everything you'll need to know about your cat, from kitten to senior years. She believes natural, biologically-appropriate products are best...why wouldn't you provide the best for a member of your family?!