Grooming Your Ragdoll
Purebred Ragdoll kittens and cats are famous for their ultra soft and bunny-like coats. While the Ragdoll cat lacks an undercoat and does not require as much maintenance as other cat breeds, it is still important to keep their coats clean and groomed.
If you are looking to Adopt a Ragdoll Kitten, it is essential to understand the basics of grooming your Ragdoll. In this blog post, we have answered some of our most commonly asked questions regarding grooming.
How often should I brush my Ragdoll?
Ragdolls should be brushed at least once weekly. While some Ragdoll coats do not mat at all, others may mat occasionally. Be sure to check for mats underneath your Ragdoll’s armpits and on their hind-legs as they can sometimes be hidden in these places. Our favorite tool for brushing out our Ragdolls’ coats is a simple butter comb, as it does not pull on the hair harshly.
Do I need to bathe my Ragdoll?
Ragdolls only need to be bathed when they are visibly dirty or greasy. A few of our Ragdolls here at Pastel Ragdolls have never been bathed because their coats stay effortlessly clean, beautiful and oil-free on their own.
However, other Ragdoll coats can occasionally get greasy, especially on the base of the tail. If the oil builds up too much on the tail, it can cause infection of the hair follicles and hair loss. So if your Ragdoll ever does develop an oily tail, it is very important to degrease it as soon as possible to prevent these issues from occurring.
To degrease a Ragdoll coat, we apply Groomer’s Goop onto the oily area before bathing the Ragdoll (focusing the product on the base of the hair) and leave it on for 5 minutes. We then bathe the Ragdoll as usual, using a pet shampoo. Our favorite pet shampoo is from the brand Puracy.
How do I bathe my Ragdoll safely?
We bathe all of our Ragdoll kittens a few times before they move to their forever homes, to get them used to water. However, even with water exposure at a young age, most cats still do not naturally love water. Bath-time can be stressful for your Ragdoll cat, especially if he or she is only bathed on occasion and not exposed to water regularly.
If you have a Ragdoll that is especially terrified of water, we recommend bathing him or her in a cat bathing bag. The mesh bag will allow you to still wash your Ragdoll, but will keep both of you safe from accidental injury during bath-time!