By : Gary
"Why Brother Gary, what seems to be the matter", my pastor's wife asked as I made my way to my usual pew on Sunday morning. I didn't respond immediately, because I just didn't feel like talking. My beloved dog of 16 years had passed away the day before and my mind could focus on little else but the terrible void and sense of loss I was feeling. I probably shouldn't have been out in public so soon, but I thought support from those of like faith might help ease the pain I was feeling.
Before I could respond, she added, "You are always such a happy person and today you look so glum." As I sought for something to say I felt tears welling up in my eyes and I knew that I had to squeeze an answer out quickly or risk blubbering incoherently as my emotions took over. So I quickly blurted out "My dog died yesterday."
Sure that she heard the quivering in my voice and saw the tears beginning to flow I waited for the compassionate words that I knew only a pastor's wife could find. To my horror, instead of offering sympathy and compassion, she sarcastically, and if I might add, gleefully asked "Oh, and I bet you think your dog went to doggy heaven don't you?"
I didn't know what to say or do, so I resorted to the tactic most people resort to when they find themselves in an awkward situation; I chuckled and walked off. I didn't want to chuckle. I wanted to lash out and admonish her for her callousness; but I didn't. I didn't have it in me. It just was not that important at the moment. I couldn't handle a confrontation. I just wanted to be left alone and so I chuckled and walked away.
Outwardly I erased any sign of hurt or anger toward her, but inwardly I was mortified. She had taken one of the most traumatic experiences of my life and heaped more grief and pain upon it. Her undeserved cruelty to me was bad enough, but the sentiment she expressed was even more disturbing. I was to find later in my studies and work that many in ministry share her erroneous view of animals and the afterlife.
In my work I have received hundreds of letters and e-mails from exasperated church-goers who have suffered similarly at the hands (or words) of their ministers and their spouses. Sometimes it was from direct dialogue about a specific pet, but more often it was just hurtful comments made from the pulpit that suggested animals were not important and did not have souls.
Overwhelmingly, mainstream denominations hold to this opinion. They hold that animals are temporal creatures without souls. The usual premise for this belief is that the Bible says that God breathed life into Adam, but does not say that he did this for animals. Hence, in their mind man has the Spirit of God in him and animals do not.
I find this position theologically immature and wholly unsupportable. That animals have souls is an unimpeachable teaching in scripture. First of all, the word "soul" is used in over 20 different ways in scripture. When it comes to animals, the Hebrew word "nephesh" is used. This word "soul" means "essence" or "life". The word confers permanence to that life. It is not and cannot be temporal.
Moreover, God is the one who gave animals their essence or life, whether he breathed into them or not. Adam couldn't do it. All life comes from God. This alone refutes the erroneous notion that God did not somehow give life to these creatures. Just because it is not recorded does not mean it did not happen. We are not told that God breathed life into the woman. Are we to assume then that women have no souls?
If we follow this erroneous view it becomes more outrageous. We must conclude that only Adam had a soul, for God did not breathe into every man, only Adam. Adam may have been able to pass along physical traits to his offspring, but the soul comes from God. So, if God did not breathe into each man, each man did not receive a soul. How foolish an idea is when you follow it to the extreme.
The whole idea that animals do not have souls is erroneous. There is no Biblical support for such a position. Indeed, there is overwhelming evidence that proves that they do have souls and are eternal creatures. This is not a conclusion that is hard to arrive at. A simple, elementary study of pertinent scripture is all that is required. It is egregious that those who need to have answers do not make the effort to reach this understanding.
Many ministers need to revisit their ideas about animals and animal afterlife. Trusting what they heard from their Seminary Professor or a previous pastor is not acceptable. The onus is upon them to know the facts for their flock. Their calling is one that puts them in a position of trust. They are in ministry to serve and help when members of the flock have need. Losing a beloved pet is indeed a time of great need. It is not a place where a minister wants to fail or trust their responsibility to the ideas of others.
It is a lazy and dangerous practice to disregard the Bible's instructions for those who minister "to search out whether these things are true". Ministers take on an obligation to have ready and sound answers for their congregants, in particular when it comes to matters of the heart. People go to church to "know" what God says, not what a Seminary Professor thinks. A minister must know, not hazard a guess.
Author's Resource:
The author is a retired Coast Guard Officer with over 32 years of service. He is also a Baptist Preacher and Bible Teacher. He helps those grieving the loss of a pet to understand the Biblical evidence that proves they live on. His most popular book, "Cold Noses at the Pearly Gates" delivers hope and comfort to the reader in a very gentle, yet convincing way. Visit at www.coldnosesbook.com for more information or write to petgate@aol.com.
Visit Animal Pets & Friends for more pet and animal articles.
How to Clean Cat Urine & Remove Cat Urine Odor
By: Stef Rigby
There are some nasty smells in the world and topping the list would have to be cat urine odor. Really I don't think there's much worse than visiting a friend and not being able to enter their house for the foul smell of cat urine, the odor meets you at the door and hits you hard. The stench is in the carpet, the furniture, it’s in the curtains, and it’s up your nose. Someone should really tell this person how to remove cat urine odor.
Cats are creatures of habit. When they find a place to urinate they will return to that same place and continue to urinate there – the fact that it may be your carpet, furniture or curtains really has no relevance to your cat at all. Once your cat finds a place to urinate it is drawn by the smell of its own urine back to that same spot time and again. Cats like the smell of their own urine, they have marked their territory and they’re happy with that.
To stop your cat urinating in the same place you need to remove the smell of cat urine completely, not mask or hide the smell, as it will just come back and so will your cat. It really is simple once you know how and which products to use and more importantly which products not to use. You may think you need a professional remedy for cat urine – but you don’t! You don’t need a cupboard full of cat urine cleaners either. You just need a tried and tested cat urine cleaner
So let’s learn how to get rid of the smell of cat urine.
First We Should Understand the Problem…
• Cats are not big drinkers so the urine is concentrated and very potent and gives the strong cat urine odor.
• Cat urine is made up of several different bacteria strains.
• Urea and Urochrome cause the stains, which can sometimes be invisible.
• Uric acid salts cause the odor by bonding to surfaces.
• Cat urine dries on the carpet and the uric acid forms crystals in the underlay padding. The Crystals are the source of that strong ammonia smelling odor and are also the reason puss returns to that “special place”.
• Cat urine crystals are the hardest part to remove.
• Most household cat urine removers contain ammonia so they are going to make the problem worse not better, your cat will be even more attracted to that same spot to urinate as puss thinks it smells wonderful.
• We need to use a cleaner that will break down the crystals so we can get rid of the cat urine odor.
• Water only spreads the stain and will reactivate the uric acid crystals, reviving old stains and smells.
• Normal cleaners, if they don’t soak the area with ammonia, will mask the odor of cat urine for a short time, but it always returns and so will your cat!
• We need to remove both the stain AND the odor.
How to Clean Cat Urine…
• Soak up the excess cat urine from the area as soon as possible.
• Use a dry cloth or paper towel (I like to use old towels as they are absorbent by nature) – do not wet the area or the urine will spread.
• Blot the area - don’t scrub the carpet – it’s kind of like when you get an ink stain on your clothes, and you scrub it. Does the ink come out or does it spread? Cat urine works the same way in your carpet as the ink. (By the way to get ink out, don’t wet the area or it will set the ink – instead soak it in a bowl of milk – yes I said MILK - and then scrub from the outside of the stain in towards the center, a nail brush is good for this! I just thought I would throw in that tip for you – it comes in very handy when you have kids.)
• Hold the cloth or paper towel over the spot for a while – I find standing on an old towel will absorb a good amount of the cat’s urine quite well.
• Let your cleaning solution soak into the area, again use a dry towel, put it over the urine stain and put some weight on the towel. Put something heavy over the towel and leave it overnight.
• The main objective here is to be eliminating cat urine stains permanently so your cat won’t be tempted back to this spot again.
• You really need to keep your cat away from this area until all trace of the urine odor has gone.
• If your cat keeps going back place some foil over the patch until the smell of the urine has gone.
• You may need to repeat this process until all trace of the urine odor and stains have gone.
What not to use. These are not effective Cat Urine Cleaners…
• Ammonia Might - remove the stains, but it smells too much like cat urine so puss will just keep coming back to the same spot to urinate again and again.
• Water -If used by itself can spread the urine and makes the problem area so much bigger
• Citrus based products - Only masks the smell – doesn’t get rid of it permanently
• Liquid soap - Just doesn’t work – at all
• Bleach - Which smells worse – bleach or cat urine – I think it’s a draw! Plus bleach tends to fade carpet, furniture and curtains
• Carpet shampooing - Only cleans the surface, wont soak down into the underlay padding where the urine crystals are
• Hydrogen peroxide - Only removes the urine odor temporarily – the smell soon returns
• Oxygenated products - Only works on the surface, doesn’t remove the smell from deep down and can cause fading or discoloration in your carpet, furniture and curtains
What to use. How to Choose a Cat Urine Remover…
There are many cat urine cleaners on the market. You’ve probably tried some of them while trying to find how to clean cat urine, and possibly found they don’t work. Why?
The bacterium in cat urine can be very hard to kill, and until you kill the bacterium you won’t be removing an odor. You need an enzymes to remove cat urine. Get rid of the bacteria and you’re one step closer to getting rid of cat urine smell.
There is no big secret on how to select a cat urine remover. You need natural cat urine cleaners. Using a combination of products found in your home. Once you use an all natural cat urine remover, you’ll wonder why didn’t try it sooner.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/how-to-clean-cat-urine-remove-cat-urine-odor-375119.html
About the Author:
Author Stef. For more information on How To Select a Cat Urine Cleaner & Clean Cat Urine using your own Home Made Natural Cat Urine Remover,
is the place for you.
There are some nasty smells in the world and topping the list would have to be cat urine odor. Really I don't think there's much worse than visiting a friend and not being able to enter their house for the foul smell of cat urine, the odor meets you at the door and hits you hard. The stench is in the carpet, the furniture, it’s in the curtains, and it’s up your nose. Someone should really tell this person how to remove cat urine odor.
Cats are creatures of habit. When they find a place to urinate they will return to that same place and continue to urinate there – the fact that it may be your carpet, furniture or curtains really has no relevance to your cat at all. Once your cat finds a place to urinate it is drawn by the smell of its own urine back to that same spot time and again. Cats like the smell of their own urine, they have marked their territory and they’re happy with that.
To stop your cat urinating in the same place you need to remove the smell of cat urine completely, not mask or hide the smell, as it will just come back and so will your cat. It really is simple once you know how and which products to use and more importantly which products not to use. You may think you need a professional remedy for cat urine – but you don’t! You don’t need a cupboard full of cat urine cleaners either. You just need a tried and tested cat urine cleaner
So let’s learn how to get rid of the smell of cat urine.
First We Should Understand the Problem…
• Cats are not big drinkers so the urine is concentrated and very potent and gives the strong cat urine odor.
• Cat urine is made up of several different bacteria strains.
• Urea and Urochrome cause the stains, which can sometimes be invisible.
• Uric acid salts cause the odor by bonding to surfaces.
• Cat urine dries on the carpet and the uric acid forms crystals in the underlay padding. The Crystals are the source of that strong ammonia smelling odor and are also the reason puss returns to that “special place”.
• Cat urine crystals are the hardest part to remove.
• Most household cat urine removers contain ammonia so they are going to make the problem worse not better, your cat will be even more attracted to that same spot to urinate as puss thinks it smells wonderful.
• We need to use a cleaner that will break down the crystals so we can get rid of the cat urine odor.
• Water only spreads the stain and will reactivate the uric acid crystals, reviving old stains and smells.
• Normal cleaners, if they don’t soak the area with ammonia, will mask the odor of cat urine for a short time, but it always returns and so will your cat!
• We need to remove both the stain AND the odor.
How to Clean Cat Urine…
• Soak up the excess cat urine from the area as soon as possible.
• Use a dry cloth or paper towel (I like to use old towels as they are absorbent by nature) – do not wet the area or the urine will spread.
• Blot the area - don’t scrub the carpet – it’s kind of like when you get an ink stain on your clothes, and you scrub it. Does the ink come out or does it spread? Cat urine works the same way in your carpet as the ink. (By the way to get ink out, don’t wet the area or it will set the ink – instead soak it in a bowl of milk – yes I said MILK - and then scrub from the outside of the stain in towards the center, a nail brush is good for this! I just thought I would throw in that tip for you – it comes in very handy when you have kids.)
• Hold the cloth or paper towel over the spot for a while – I find standing on an old towel will absorb a good amount of the cat’s urine quite well.
• Let your cleaning solution soak into the area, again use a dry towel, put it over the urine stain and put some weight on the towel. Put something heavy over the towel and leave it overnight.
• The main objective here is to be eliminating cat urine stains permanently so your cat won’t be tempted back to this spot again.
• You really need to keep your cat away from this area until all trace of the urine odor has gone.
• If your cat keeps going back place some foil over the patch until the smell of the urine has gone.
• You may need to repeat this process until all trace of the urine odor and stains have gone.
What not to use. These are not effective Cat Urine Cleaners…
• Ammonia Might - remove the stains, but it smells too much like cat urine so puss will just keep coming back to the same spot to urinate again and again.
• Water -If used by itself can spread the urine and makes the problem area so much bigger
• Citrus based products - Only masks the smell – doesn’t get rid of it permanently
• Liquid soap - Just doesn’t work – at all
• Bleach - Which smells worse – bleach or cat urine – I think it’s a draw! Plus bleach tends to fade carpet, furniture and curtains
• Carpet shampooing - Only cleans the surface, wont soak down into the underlay padding where the urine crystals are
• Hydrogen peroxide - Only removes the urine odor temporarily – the smell soon returns
• Oxygenated products - Only works on the surface, doesn’t remove the smell from deep down and can cause fading or discoloration in your carpet, furniture and curtains
What to use. How to Choose a Cat Urine Remover…
There are many cat urine cleaners on the market. You’ve probably tried some of them while trying to find how to clean cat urine, and possibly found they don’t work. Why?
The bacterium in cat urine can be very hard to kill, and until you kill the bacterium you won’t be removing an odor. You need an enzymes to remove cat urine. Get rid of the bacteria and you’re one step closer to getting rid of cat urine smell.
There is no big secret on how to select a cat urine remover. You need natural cat urine cleaners. Using a combination of products found in your home. Once you use an all natural cat urine remover, you’ll wonder why didn’t try it sooner.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/how-to-clean-cat-urine-remove-cat-urine-odor-375119.html
About the Author:
Author Stef. For more information on How To Select a Cat Urine Cleaner & Clean Cat Urine using your own Home Made Natural Cat Urine Remover,
is the place for you.
A Detailed Guide to Grooming your Cat
By: Andrew Mcgregor
To keep your cat happy, healthy and clean it is essential to properly groom your cat. By reading this section you will learn how and when to groom your cat and also what equipment to use. You will learn how to brush your cat, bath your cat, how to clean your cats ears and how to look after your cats teeth.
Brushing and combing your cat
Cats spend 10 percent of their waking hours grooming themselves by licking dirt and excess fur of their coat but this is not enough to properly keep them clean and some cats do not clean themselves properly. You should brush and comb your cat on a regular basis. Short-hair cats are much easier to groom than long-hair cats. If you are unsure of what your cat is, visit the breeds section. When you are grooming your cat you should be alert and checking for fleas, scars, wounds and lumps.
The first thing you need to know is the difference between a cat comb and a cat brush. A cat comb is used to remove excess hair, remove knots and to remove dirt. A cat brush is to fluff up the fur and make it smooth and look good. If you own long-hair cat I would recommend buying both a comb and a brush as you will learn later on, if you own a short-hair cat it is not as important but you can if you want.
You could alternatively choose to buy a cat grooming kit which includes a comb, brush and everything else you need. You can buy the right equipment from your local pet shop but you could also consider buying online. There are many different combs and brushes to choose from and all of them have their advantages and disadvantages. If you want to get the best results and not spend a fortune you should buy a wide toothed comb, a brush and a flea comb. This should all cost under $10 USD.
It is a waste of time brushing your cat with a normal comb/brush. The advantages of using a cat brush is that it shelters the natural body oils, the bristles gently remove tangles and after brushing your cat it will have a shiny, good looking and healthy coat. But most importantly it is designed to remove excess hair, then in future when your cat cleans itself it does not swallow as much hair, preventing it from having a hairball.
If you have a kitten, it should be brushed from an early age so it becomes accustomed to the process and doesn't find it a scary and distressing experience. It will enjoy the grooming procedure but most of all you will not have to train it later on in its life. If you have an adult cat that does not like to be brushed and finds the experience frightening, introduce grooming slowly and do not make the sessions more than five minutes. If this does not work you could try ending the grooming session with playtime so your cat will look forward to it each day. One of the most important things to remember is that a short session each day is better than a long session each week.
As I briefly mentioned before, short hair cats are easier to groom than long-hair cats, it is a bit more difficult and the process can take a bit longer. If you own a short-hair cat you should groom it on a weekly basis or every few days and it should take from 5 to 10 minutes. If you own a long-hair cat grooming should be done everyday or every two days and it should take about 10 to 20 minutes. By now you are probably thinking 'how can you brush a cat for 20 minutes'. The grooming process is not just brushing but is also cleaning nose and ears if necessary and sometimes brushing your cat's teeth. For more information about these, read on.
To groom your cat, follow these easy steps:
-Place your cat on a bench or table. It depends on what your cat is most comfortable with; some owners brush their cat on their laps.
-Gently brush from head to tale using short and gentle strokes with your comb to remove knots, do not pull hard otherwise it will hurt and distress your cat, making the experience unpleasant and enjoyable. For best results also brush under its neck and stomach. If you have a flea comb, brush again from head to tale.
-Use a brush to fluff up the fur, if you are unsure of what brush to use ask your local pet shop. A cat brush is good for your cat's appearance and health and can be brought from a number of different places.
Bathing your cat
It is not necessary to bath your cat unless it becomes very dirty. Most people who have prize-winning cats bath their cat on a regular basis. Many cats do not like water and find a bath a frightening and traumatic experience. If you ever need to bath your cat, the below information will tell you how. The first thing you need to do is to brush your cat to remove excess hair and dirt. Talk to your cat with relaxed voice to keep it as calm as possible and do no make quick movements. Have everything ready before you start which should consist of 4-6 towels, shampoo, a hair dryer and cotton balls. You can use special cat shampoo or you can use regular shampoo but it really doesn't make a difference.
Use cotton balls to protect water from getting into your cats ears. If your cat has smaller ears use only half or even a quarter. If you have a bathroom or laundry hose, use it because it makes it much easier. If you don't have a hose use a cup or plastic container. You should not wear good clothes because the chances are that you will end up as wet as your cat. Wash your cat in a bath or a laundry sink. Start by wetting it with warm water. Avoid wetting its eyes and ears as much as possible unless it particularly dirty.
Hold your cat firmly because it will try to escape and probably bite and scratch you. Once the cat is wet apply shampoo and gently massage. If your cat is really dirty you can shampoo twice. Rinse your cat from top to bottom and make sure you get all of the shampoo out. Use the towels to dry your cat as best as you can then finish the job off with a hairdryer.
Cleaning your cats ears
Cleaning your cat's ears should be a part of your grooming routine. To get rid of the dirt and wax, use a cotton swab but never go deeper than you can see because it can cause permanent damage to your cats hearing. It should be done every month.
Dental Care
Many people do not brush their cats teeth often enough, some have never done it. If your cat's teeth are not brushed, bacteria will build up and could result in loss of teeth. You should brush your cat's teeth every week. If you have a kitten you should start brushing when all of its 36 teeth have grown which is around 6 months of age. If you have an adult cat, introduce slowly and keep the sessions short.
You can buy special toothbrushes designed for cats but a child's toothbrush will be just as good, just make sure the bristles are soft so they do not cut the gums. Do not use normal toothpaste because it will cause digestive problems and make your cat sick. You can buy special cat toothpaste from your pet shop, vet or online.
To properly brush your cat's teeth start by gently brushing the outer surface of the teeth. Do not brush the inside of the teeth until your cat is used to the process. Brush in a circular motion from the bottom of the gum to the tips of the teeth. Some cats require professional cleaning when there is a severe build up of tartar. When brushing your cat's teeth note the condition of your cat's gums.
Consult your vet if the gums are swollen, if there is any bleeding, bad breath, drooling, dark spots, sores, refusal to open mouth or reluctance to eat. If your cat has any of these symptoms there is a chance that it has gum disease. Gum disease is common in cats and can be fatal unless treated. It begins with the build up of plaque and tartar which causes the roots to become infected. This can be prevented by regular brushing.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/a-detailed-guide-to-grooming-your-cat-46507.html
About the Author:
If you liked what you read here, visit http://www.petguide-online.com for more information on all aspects of caring for your pet/s. The site consists of a huge range of detailed information on cats, dogs, birds and fish.
To keep your cat happy, healthy and clean it is essential to properly groom your cat. By reading this section you will learn how and when to groom your cat and also what equipment to use. You will learn how to brush your cat, bath your cat, how to clean your cats ears and how to look after your cats teeth.
Brushing and combing your cat
Cats spend 10 percent of their waking hours grooming themselves by licking dirt and excess fur of their coat but this is not enough to properly keep them clean and some cats do not clean themselves properly. You should brush and comb your cat on a regular basis. Short-hair cats are much easier to groom than long-hair cats. If you are unsure of what your cat is, visit the breeds section. When you are grooming your cat you should be alert and checking for fleas, scars, wounds and lumps.
The first thing you need to know is the difference between a cat comb and a cat brush. A cat comb is used to remove excess hair, remove knots and to remove dirt. A cat brush is to fluff up the fur and make it smooth and look good. If you own long-hair cat I would recommend buying both a comb and a brush as you will learn later on, if you own a short-hair cat it is not as important but you can if you want.
You could alternatively choose to buy a cat grooming kit which includes a comb, brush and everything else you need. You can buy the right equipment from your local pet shop but you could also consider buying online. There are many different combs and brushes to choose from and all of them have their advantages and disadvantages. If you want to get the best results and not spend a fortune you should buy a wide toothed comb, a brush and a flea comb. This should all cost under $10 USD.
It is a waste of time brushing your cat with a normal comb/brush. The advantages of using a cat brush is that it shelters the natural body oils, the bristles gently remove tangles and after brushing your cat it will have a shiny, good looking and healthy coat. But most importantly it is designed to remove excess hair, then in future when your cat cleans itself it does not swallow as much hair, preventing it from having a hairball.
If you have a kitten, it should be brushed from an early age so it becomes accustomed to the process and doesn't find it a scary and distressing experience. It will enjoy the grooming procedure but most of all you will not have to train it later on in its life. If you have an adult cat that does not like to be brushed and finds the experience frightening, introduce grooming slowly and do not make the sessions more than five minutes. If this does not work you could try ending the grooming session with playtime so your cat will look forward to it each day. One of the most important things to remember is that a short session each day is better than a long session each week.
As I briefly mentioned before, short hair cats are easier to groom than long-hair cats, it is a bit more difficult and the process can take a bit longer. If you own a short-hair cat you should groom it on a weekly basis or every few days and it should take from 5 to 10 minutes. If you own a long-hair cat grooming should be done everyday or every two days and it should take about 10 to 20 minutes. By now you are probably thinking 'how can you brush a cat for 20 minutes'. The grooming process is not just brushing but is also cleaning nose and ears if necessary and sometimes brushing your cat's teeth. For more information about these, read on.
To groom your cat, follow these easy steps:
-Place your cat on a bench or table. It depends on what your cat is most comfortable with; some owners brush their cat on their laps.
-Gently brush from head to tale using short and gentle strokes with your comb to remove knots, do not pull hard otherwise it will hurt and distress your cat, making the experience unpleasant and enjoyable. For best results also brush under its neck and stomach. If you have a flea comb, brush again from head to tale.
-Use a brush to fluff up the fur, if you are unsure of what brush to use ask your local pet shop. A cat brush is good for your cat's appearance and health and can be brought from a number of different places.
Bathing your cat
It is not necessary to bath your cat unless it becomes very dirty. Most people who have prize-winning cats bath their cat on a regular basis. Many cats do not like water and find a bath a frightening and traumatic experience. If you ever need to bath your cat, the below information will tell you how. The first thing you need to do is to brush your cat to remove excess hair and dirt. Talk to your cat with relaxed voice to keep it as calm as possible and do no make quick movements. Have everything ready before you start which should consist of 4-6 towels, shampoo, a hair dryer and cotton balls. You can use special cat shampoo or you can use regular shampoo but it really doesn't make a difference.
Use cotton balls to protect water from getting into your cats ears. If your cat has smaller ears use only half or even a quarter. If you have a bathroom or laundry hose, use it because it makes it much easier. If you don't have a hose use a cup or plastic container. You should not wear good clothes because the chances are that you will end up as wet as your cat. Wash your cat in a bath or a laundry sink. Start by wetting it with warm water. Avoid wetting its eyes and ears as much as possible unless it particularly dirty.
Hold your cat firmly because it will try to escape and probably bite and scratch you. Once the cat is wet apply shampoo and gently massage. If your cat is really dirty you can shampoo twice. Rinse your cat from top to bottom and make sure you get all of the shampoo out. Use the towels to dry your cat as best as you can then finish the job off with a hairdryer.
Cleaning your cats ears
Cleaning your cat's ears should be a part of your grooming routine. To get rid of the dirt and wax, use a cotton swab but never go deeper than you can see because it can cause permanent damage to your cats hearing. It should be done every month.
Dental Care
Many people do not brush their cats teeth often enough, some have never done it. If your cat's teeth are not brushed, bacteria will build up and could result in loss of teeth. You should brush your cat's teeth every week. If you have a kitten you should start brushing when all of its 36 teeth have grown which is around 6 months of age. If you have an adult cat, introduce slowly and keep the sessions short.
You can buy special toothbrushes designed for cats but a child's toothbrush will be just as good, just make sure the bristles are soft so they do not cut the gums. Do not use normal toothpaste because it will cause digestive problems and make your cat sick. You can buy special cat toothpaste from your pet shop, vet or online.
To properly brush your cat's teeth start by gently brushing the outer surface of the teeth. Do not brush the inside of the teeth until your cat is used to the process. Brush in a circular motion from the bottom of the gum to the tips of the teeth. Some cats require professional cleaning when there is a severe build up of tartar. When brushing your cat's teeth note the condition of your cat's gums.
Consult your vet if the gums are swollen, if there is any bleeding, bad breath, drooling, dark spots, sores, refusal to open mouth or reluctance to eat. If your cat has any of these symptoms there is a chance that it has gum disease. Gum disease is common in cats and can be fatal unless treated. It begins with the build up of plaque and tartar which causes the roots to become infected. This can be prevented by regular brushing.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/a-detailed-guide-to-grooming-your-cat-46507.html
About the Author:
If you liked what you read here, visit http://www.petguide-online.com for more information on all aspects of caring for your pet/s. The site consists of a huge range of detailed information on cats, dogs, birds and fish.