Your feline friend might groom themselves after mealtimes or whenever it feels a bit bored. Depending on the type of cat you own, however, they may sometimes need a little help.

To decide how often to groom your cat, there's a couple of things you’ll need to consider.

The length of the cat’s fur

If you have a long-haired cat, for example a Persian, you might need to brush its fur at least once a day. Long-haired cats will require a fine-tooth comb to groom their thick coats.

Short-haired cats typically need less grooming and brushing. You can brush a short-haired cat’s fur once every second day or so. Short-haired cats can be groomed with a comb or simply by running your fingers through their fur.

If the cat is ill, very old, or overweight

These cats often have less desire to clean themselves and will require a bit of assistance keeping their coat clean. They might have difficulty reaching “problem” areas such as their back or lower stomach.

You may need to help these cats groom themselves at least twice a day, especially if they have long hair.

Amount of shedding

Cats shed their fur naturally - take note of how much hair comes loose when you cuddle your cat, this will give you an idea of how much hair they shed a day.

The more your cat sheds, the more you should groom it. Long haired cats may shed more regularly and require brushing twice a day or more. What's more, the more you groom your cat, the less likely it is that you'll have to deal with them coughing up a hairball - gross!

During warmer months, your cat will lose its winter coat and need more grooming than usual to help remove the excess fur.

What does your cat think?

Some cats love being groomed, brushed, and held—these cats value your aid with grooming and consider this as bonding time.

However, some cats detest being brushed. Cats that dislike grooming should only be brushed if there is an abnormally large amount of fur shed or multiple tangles. If you cannot handle grooming such cats, you can always take them to a professional groomer.