Cats love to be stroked, so it is easy to teach your cat to accept brushing. Brushing your cat will help to remove loose hair and prevent kitty getting a fur ball stuck in his throat. It also helps to remove irritating prickles he may have picked up on his walks outside. You will be able to keep tabs on his general health if you brush him regularly, too.

Before beginning to brush your cat, make sure it's feeling calm and relaxed. Always have the grooming utensils close by so as not to upset your cat. Make sure you let your cat play with the brush and smell if he hasn't seen one before. If he understands, he won't be scared. Try to touch the brush handle a lot so he can smell your scent, which he knows is safe.

Once your cat has gotten comfortable with the brush, use gentle movements to brush your cat slowly. Make sure you brush in the direction of where the hair falls. If your feline grabs the fur brush, stop brushing him. This encourages your cat to stay still for future grooming sessions.

When your cat has settled, begin to brush him again. Using long strokes, begin brushing at his ear and draw the fur backward. Never brush near his eyes or whiskers since they are delicate and can be injured easily. Also take care not to pull hard on the knotted parts of the fur since this hurts them. If every time he sees the brush he panics because he remembers it being painful, your next session won't go as smoothly.

It sometimes useful to have a few different brushes for your kitty. Bigger, stiffer brushes are good for their back and sides, while for their more delicate areas, such as the stomach and tail, a softer and smaller brush can make things easier. It often helps to have a brush with slightly stiffer bristles for cats with long hare, and a comb can also be a useful in your grooming kit.