Grooming

At HCCF we work hard to ensure all our special needs cats are kept clean and have healthy skin and fur to keep bacteria, infection and sores at bay. Cats with incontinence and who wear nappies or use other types of protective adaptations can be prone to urine scold, smell, fur staining, sore skin and more. Theres also the issue of diarrhoea at some stage and this is very difficult to deal with when they have Cerebellar Hypoplasia as they can wobble and fall into their own mess, and for those that wear nappies, it really can be a nightmare. Coping with the hygiene of special needs cats be one of the most challenging issues that an owner with a special needs cat can face. Ultimately when it comes to bowel movements, its imperative to get their bowel movements stable and healthy before implementing a hygiene routine. If you are looking for grooming and hygiene support and guidance for your cat please get in touch.

Ears and Eyes

For the more immobile special needs cats, sometimes spending large amounts of time on their side and not doing so much self grooming, its ideal to regularly clean their eyes and ears. We use leucillin spray soaked on a cotton pad and gently wipe around the inner ears and corners of the eyes, be sure to use a clean cotton pads for each eye and ear. We also recommend using colloidal silver eye drops if minor eye irritation occurs, which again can be common for severe CH cats as they spend alot of time with their faces close to the floor and can easily get scratched or irritated.

Flannel Washing

As most cats aren`t that keen on baths, we regularly use the flannel wash technique with Heidi, our severe CH cat who cannot walk at all. Using a bowl of hot water and a regular flannel, we then soak the flannel and wring it out, then use massaging motions all over her coat, face and feet. Not forgetting the toebeans! Cats that aren`t mobile get a build up of dead skin around their claws and toebeans so its a good idea to give these areas a really good clean with the flannel too.

Hygiene Clipping

Hygiene clipping is a regular routine at HCCF, by clipping the fur very short around the genitals and abdomen area for our nappy wearing cats and severely disabled cats, we prevent smell, mess and fur staining and it really does help to keep these areas clean. We use leucillin antiseptic skincare spray to cleanse the skin around the eyes, ears mouth and genitals, as its a safe and sting free product and keep bacteria at bay

Claw Cutting

Claw cutting should be carried out regularly for special needs cats to prevent their claws getting too curved and the cat becoming stuck causing potentially injury. The only exception is for cats with mild or moderate Cerebellar Hypoplasia that use their claws for balance and traction when moving and wobbling. For these cats, there`s a sweet spot between not too short and not too long.