How do I get a better Coat on a Tabby Cat

AmberAmber

hello, I got my cat last February, a rescue cat that had been left behind when some one moved house ! how or why God only knows ! no matter he is safe now.
So my Tabby cat is fed and watered but when I was home at the weekend my cat is not as fit looking as my Moms cat ! Moms cat is sleek and his coat is silky and mine is sheadding hairs every where ! my red rug is "Tabby coloured" !!!
I brush him every day but there is so much more to fall out. His coat is not sleek and tight when he sits up on the chair his fur lifts in segments. My friends reassure me he is ok but do people Groom cats or wash them should I feed him some thing extra.
Feel silly as an adult to have to ask ,
"what should I feed my Cat"
and "Should I wash the Cat" ?
but I just dont know for sure .
His claws are a little sharp !!! so maybe a trip to the groomers might be good

ABajaninCork

Cats will shed anyway - No matter how hard you try to keep the coat. As it's summer ATM, she'll shed even more. Central heating doesn't help either. Prepare to have a tabby-coloured rug for the rest of your cat's life...

I used to brush mine every other day with a 'Zoom Groom'. It's a rubber brush with rounded ends. Brilliant for getting the loose hair out, and is supposed to be a pleasurable experience for the cat. However - I was never sure the cats would agree with that! :pac:

I used to give mine a tin of sardines/tuna in oil every other week to keep their coats nice.

Don't worry about trimming her claws - she'll be doing it on trees as well as your furniture...

I never used to bathe mine - I'm not silly!! I quite like having unshredded arms...I did sprinkle them with baby powder from time to time to make them smell nice but they never used to smell anyway.

Finally - what are you feeding her? If she likes the food you're giving her, then I wouldn't bother to change it. Cats are notoriously fussy and hate change of any kind - Including food!

HTH

AmberAmber

Thanks !! feel a bit reassured !
oh I or "he" has had fussy days eating but then I would not eat any of the stuff that is in cat food !!
I mix it up different brands of wet food each week unless there is a real hunger strike , I mix it with dry yea have given tin of tuna when I am out of food and its hovered up ! but its the salty one not the oil ,, which I might just buy as a back up once a month and see.
yea brushing is a bit of fun but more for me than Him !! its physio for me !!
he has been eating a bit of grass the last few days and coughing it up but does not hack up wool balls like I though cats did !!! he grooms him self is clean uses the kitty litter no bother so all in all I am very very lucky to get a super cat as now from reading stories and talking to people you never know what kinda cat you may get some times.
We had the chat when he moved in I guess ... if you want to go ,, off with ya if not there is a bed and food there ! I know I talk to the cat !!! he is going to take over the world one day so just want him looking his best !!

ABajaninCork

DON'T give the cat any more tuna in brine!! Not good for their little kidneys. Give the canned fish in oil - good for the coat. Grass eating is normal. It clears their stomachs. I wouldn't be mixing up the brands too much either. Find a brand your kitty likes and stick to it - different varieties of course.

Mine ran my life. And they knew it.

SillyMangoX

Salmon oil is fantastic for coats, my it shines my cats right up coming up to shows. Before I discovered salmon oil, I used to feed them this food. It's amazing stuff, my cats had really dry coats and lots of dandruff, then started feeding this and they became so glossy and sleek it was amazing the difference in 6 weeks. Salmon oil in their food does the same trick now though because I'm feeding them a good quality food. http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/cats/dry_cat_food/royal_canin_pure_feline/126965

Rips

Some cats just have a coarser coat then others. There are a couple of supplements you can get but really you should start with the food, supermarket quality food is not the best and you would be better off getting a very high quality diet, you'll notice the difference inside and out, from his coat to his poo! The happier and healthier he is, the more he will groom also.

If your cat goes outdoors then he needs his claws, but otherwise you can clip them yourself. The best thing I always find is actually a large human toenail clippers, used flat against the flat edge of the claw. Look online for a tutorial if you are not sure. You only cut the translucent tip of the claw.

I always think my cats smells like new carpet after he's groomed himself, which is amazing considering his mouth smells sometimes smells like crap!

AmberAmber

Thanks every one !
I just want to do the right thing. learning as I go. I don't mix the brands just use different ones , but yea its been supermarket food I have been feeding him. Last thing I want is a sick cat so tuna in brime is out now for sure !! I am sick enough my self but another story for another day.
Maybe I should my cat home for his holidays it might do him good !! next summer maybe !!! haha

once again thanks and I will see about salmon and salmon oil too .

Stepping Stone

Steer clear of supermarket quality food. Have a look at the percentage of meat on the back then have a look at the percentage on good quality, pet shop stuff. Our is on a diet of dry Royal Canin food. While an exclusively dry diet isn't recommended, she won't touch anything wet so we have to make sure that she drinks huge quantities of water but the vet says that so far, she is in amazingly good health, especially since when we found her, she had a terrible chest infection and was just a bundle of rough fur and bones. Seriously though, it is a pain in the ass since we are always stressing about her kidneys but she just will not touch anything unless it is dry and crunchy.

Her fur is so, so, so soft and shiny. It is almost like fake cat fur it feels so nice. Daily grooming is all essential but you will have fur everywhere for years. Our is very lazy about grooming, but she is generally lazy anyway. If you have been feeding your cat cheap, tinned food, you need to get the vet to check her teeth. My in-laws had issues with their cat looking a mess and it stemmed from dental pain and an inability to groom herself. She had a few teeth out and now looks fabulous.

Pumpkinseeds

Our 4 love the tins of Bozita cat food. 6 cans is about 8.99 on Zooplus and between them they'd only go through about 1.5 cans a day max. They also have dry food that we leave down all the time. Their coats are gleaming and it's a high protein food. They all love the consistency and it's nice to have a food that they all like.

mymo

We have 3 cats and 2 temporary kittens here at the moment, all 3 adult cats have different coats.
The tabby and white boy has smooth, tight to the body coat, healthy looking but not shiny.
The ginger boy has a much thicker coat, shiny and fluffy but not long, that doesn't lie flat to the body and sticks out when he sits, like you describe, he also sheds a lot, so needs lots of brushing (we got a furminator which we use once a week, it helps a lot)
The tortie girl has the sleekest shiny coat I've seen, thick and soft, very smooth, sheds less than the ginger but more than the tabby.
All three are fed the same, bozita grain free wet food, and applaws grain free dry, occasionally sardines or mackerel in oil.

Once your cat is on a good diet I wouldn't worry too much about its coat not looking like your mums cat, my three are all different even on the same food.

If you're buying food online, look for bulk buys, I get multi packs and buy about 2-3 months worth at a time, I feed much less of the expensive food than I would a cheaper food, it works out pretty cheap.

AmberAmber

Thanks Mymo , yea starting to understand and accept its a little feeding a little breading so ... different lengths and types of coat on different cats. Much as people have different hair yet eat well.
I have been doing a little more brushing the last few days and it has made a difference already. So I am happy about that.
I was at the pet shop yesterday and seen a very interesting brush looked like it had 100's of very fine lace pins. Now its €20 so bit pricy when I have a brush already and I can see a little difference with it and he loves it too. two taps on the foot stool and he is up and stands ready for his brushing !!!
Show cat in the making !!! in the shabby chiq class !!!

boomerang

Is it a Furminator for cats?

gipi

I've got a furminator for my mog and it's brilliant! Takes out the undercoat while leaving the top coat which is the shiny bit!

A vet once recommended evening primrose oil to improve the coat - break a capsule and pour the oil over the cat's regular food. Not needed every day, one capsule a few times a week may help.

AmberAmber

Is it a Furminator for cats?

I think it was called a slicker brush, it felt soft for a metal brush , very find metal bressles , a bit like a copper brush for cleaning newbuck shoes.

mymo

I have slicker brushes here too, mainly used on the dogs, but if you get one with a smaller head they are good for cats, although it depends on the coat.

€20 is a rip off for one, I think my most expensive one cost €4.99!

rannerap

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

Our 4 love the tins of Bozita cat food. 6 cans is about 8.99 on Zooplus and between them they'd only go through about 1.5 cans a day max. They also have dry food that we leave down all the time. Their coats are gleaming and it's a high protein food. They all love the consistency and it's nice to have a food that they all like.

I would highly recommend bozita too. I have my three on it and people always mention how healthy and glossy their coats are!