Hi everyone!
First of all, thank you for checking out the site and for being subscribed to new posts.
My name is Cristina and I am a former veterinarian. I switched to another field around four years ago, but I never lost touch with my passion, which is helping pet parents keep their pets as healthy and happy as possible. I have a PhD in veterinary oncology and other areas of interest to me are animal nutrition and welfare, parasitology, infectious diseases, and a variety of other health-related topics.
You can find some of the articles that I’ve published as a vet at the Pet Friendly House.
The point of this post is quite simple. If you are a cat owner and you’ve been feeling worried about something, I’d like you to leave a comment and I’ll do my best at providing an answer (as quickly as possible). Please note that taking your pet to the vet for a consultation is far more useful than someone offering you some advice online, even though I have a veterinary background and a PhD.
However, I can at least guide you into one (or several) directions or can give you some harmless advice (such as changing your cat’s food, tips for managing or changing your cat’s behavior, or even harmless medication or products that you can give to your feline buddy).
![PetFusion Ultimate Cat Scratcher Lounge. [Superior Cardboard & Construction]. Beware 'Cheaper copycats' with 'unverified' Reviews](https://i0.wp.com/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41L47LAAWWL.jpg?fit=950%2C950&ssl=1 "PetFusion Ultimate Cat Scratcher Lounge. [Superior Cardboard & Construction]. Beware 'Cheaper copycats' with 'unverified' Reviews")
I’m not getting anything out of this. As you might have noticed, I do have ads placed on the blog, but I won’t even suggest you do anything about them. I just really want to help and start a conversation about pet health. Also, if you’re a dog parent, feel free to leave a comment, as well, as I have treated dogs in the past, too.
Finally, if you have any stories about how you got your cat or how you saved him/her from the streets, I would LOVE to hear everything about it. I’m considering creating a huge post with some of the most heart-warming stories about pets being rescued, and if you’d like to be showcased in it, please get in touch with me.
I know I haven’t been amazingly active on the site for the past several months, but I’ve gone through some changes in my personal life. Now that I feel a lot better, I would really like to help people and their pets. So please leave your questions in the comments!
P.S.: If there’s anything specific about cats you’d like to read about, feel free to drop a suggestion in the comments section and I’ll create an article about it very soon.
This post contains affiliate links on some of the images. You can support this blog by trying out the products recommended in this article.
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Hi Cristina,
Thank you for the wonderful idea of having this blog. I was wondering if it is healthy to trim the hair of our cats, if they need this, and if so, how often? My cat is named Baghera, and she is a wonderful European.
Have a great day ahead!
Hi Teodora!
Thanks for the comment. Say hello to Baghera for me! 😀
First of all, the answer to your question is a bit more… complicated. With most cats, trimming their fur is quite safe as they basically have a double-layered coat. Therefore, when you trim your cat’s hair, you’re only removing the first layer. They have a much thicker and finer layer right on the surface of the skin.
The only exception to the rule is the Van cat, which is a widespread breed in Eastern Turkey. This cat is known for having just one layer of hair, and that’s why removing it is not recommended. After all, the fur does have its purpose and it protects the cat’s coat against a variety of skin conditions and other mishaps.
As for your other question, it depends on your cat’s patience. If Baghera has nothing against being calm while someone trims her hair, you can do it 3-4 times a year or maybe even more often (so long as you don’t remove too much, obviously). On the other hand, if your cat needs to be sedated to have the procedure done (mine does, for example), it is not recommended to do it more than twice a year. I actually take my cat in for a haircut just once a year because it’s better to be safe than sorry. If at one point, my cat requires surgery and naturally, anesthesia, I wouldn’t want to subject her to two sedations in a year.
Hope this answers your question!
Thanks and hope you and Baghera have a lovely rest of the week!
Cristina