Welcome To Meadowvale Persians
COLORS: Solids (including white) and bicolor.
Tips for grooming and teaching your feline to use scraching post .
A long-haired kitten such as a Persian should be groomed from an early age so that it becomes used to the routine and will actually learn to enjoy it. Place the kitten firmly but gently on a non-slippery table surface facing away from you. Starting at the head, comb gently with a wide-toothed metal comb (no more than 10 teeth to the inch) 'against the grain'. For the sides of the body, lift the fur and comb downwards a small portion at a time. Brush from tail to head and upwards on the sides with a natural bristle brush, separating each hair. Do not use a nylon brush, as it can build up static electricity in the fur and actually encourage tangling. Pay special attention to the areas behind the ears and elbows, on the flanks and abdomen and under the tail. When you encounter any mats or knots, gently work them out carefully or you may leave bald or patchy areas behind. Once a week, it is recommended that you part the coat and sprinkle lightly with baby powder, then brush out the powder. The powder acts as a dry shampoo and helps to remove any remaining dirt or grease from the fur.
Daily grooming of a long-haired cat is important, and when kept up regularly, should take no more than five minutes. In addition to removing dead hair and tangles, and keeping the skin healthy; daily brushing and combing also helps prevent the cat from ingesting loose hairs (which leads to the formation of hair-balls in the stomach). If your kitty's coat does get extremely matted this will cause the cat discomfort and often the only remedy is to use of scissors. For safety, use scissors with curved blades and ensure that the points are facing away from the cat. Be extremely careful so that you do not cut into your cat's skin, which is very flexible. Do not attempt to groom your long-haired cat unless and until his/her coat is completely dry.
On the day before a show, the long-haired cat should be given a powdering and a final grooming. Be sure that all powder is brushed out completely. Most long-haired show cat owners ask for (and may have to pay for) additional space next to their exhibition cage in the show hall - this extra space is called "grooming space", and allows you to be able to completely comb, brush and powder your cat just before each show ring. Most show cat owners bathe their cats about a week prior to a show - if the bath is given too close to the date of the show, the coat may still be too soft and floppy. A very mild baby shampoo is most often recommended for this, and be sure to rinse it all out thoroughly before drying. After rinsing, rub the cat soothingly in warm, soft towels and, using a hairdryer or fan heater, dry the cat thoroughly, combing the coat all the time. (The whole bath and drying routine needs to be started when the kittens are young also, or your cat may be terrified by the strange noises and the rush of warm air from the fan.) Once this last bath has been finished, be certain to keep your cat safely indoors in a clean area until the day of the show. Another trick is to put on a little "bib" if your kitty has the tendency to drool.
Gently clean your cat's ears with sterile cotton or Q-tips, being careful not to probe deeply. You just want to remove any unsightly dust or wax. If you notice a lot of wax build up or debris, it is quite possible that your cat has ear mites. These need to be treated by your veterinarian with medication. Gently cleanse the eyes from inner side to outer side with a clean cotton pad or Baby wipe.
It is mandatory before a show that each cat have all their nails trimmed (all four paws). Be sure you have a high quality nail trimming scissors - it does make a big difference in the accuracy and speed with which you can trim your cat's nails. Press gently on the top of each toe to push the nail forward out of its sheath. Clip just the sharp tip of the nail, and be sure to avoid the "quick" area which contains the nerves and blood vessels (it's easy to see as it is pink, while the tip of the nail is clear). Try to cut all the nails in one session, but if the cat struggles it is better to give it a little treat, and try again later in the day. Eventually you will have all nails trimmed, and if you still just can't do it, your vet or vet tech can do this for you before an important show.
"There are those cats who don't need any education in what the scratching post is for, but to avoid any confusion, I prefer proper training. The first lesson is for the cat owner: Get a scratching post when you first bring your cat home. That's the best way to reduce any chance of behavioral problems. The scratching post should be considered STANDARD EQUIPMENT, the same way you'd consider the litter box or food bowl. And naturally, training from kittenhood will ensure your cat has the lesson firmly planted in her head.
"Now that you've bought the perfect scratching post, you want to make sure your cat will use it. I've found the best way to introduce the post is to use the post yourself. Yes, you read correctly. I don't know about your cat, but my cats never fail to get into the act whenever they see me doing anything new. Just run your fingernails down the post and pretend you're having a grand old time. Usually, the scratching sound alone will bring your cat running over to investigate. In most cases, she'll begin to scratch on it right along with you. Praise and pet her when she uses it successfully.
"For cats who need a little extra guidance, turn the post on its side. Stand your cat on it and with a string or other extremely appealing object, create a game by running it all around the post. As your cat digs her claws in to play, she'll realize she just discovered something great. Don't feel bad if your cat then ignores your game and begins to scratch on the post. When she's gotten the idea, you can turn the post right-side up again. Scratch the post with your own fingernails again or use the string to entice your cats to use the post in its upright position. If she stretches up on the post but doesn't scratch, gently stroke her back which will stimulate the scratching reflex.
"Never push her paws on the post because cats hate forceful action and you won't get the results you want. Let her think everything she does is her own idea.
"CATNIP can be a great aid to entice your cat to use the scratching post. (If she's a kitten though, do keep in mind that most kittens don't react to catnip until they are about 5-6 months of age.) Rub a little FRESH catnip (like the kind from there is a huge difference in the quality of this type of freshly grown and harvested catnip vs. the type of catnip found in supermarket packaged products) on the post, which should have her ecstatically digging her claws into the sisal- or carpet- backing in no time.
"THE PROPER PLACE. Cats generally like to have a good scratch after sleeping or eating. Make sure the scratching post is convenient for your cat to use. Don't hide it in some corner or in a rarely used room. My cats' post is right in the middle of things and I encourage my cats to use the post whenever we play together right before meals, which helps their appetites. Also, after grooming (when I trim their nails), we all go over to the post to stretch and scratch.
"If your cat has been scratching on a piece of furniture, like a sofa or chair, put the post near it. Whenever your cat begins to scratch the sofa, tell her "NO" and bring her to the post. Don't put her paws on it and force her to scratch though; just scratch it with your nails. When she uses the post successfully, praise and pet her. If you're consistent with this training, she'll get the message that the sofa is a "NO". but the post is a "YES,YES,YES."
"Chances are that once she's dug her claws into the post, she'll prefer the feeling of it over the sofa.
"If she still scratches on the furniture, put a smooth material over the furniture, such as a sheet or a tablecloth. Make sure you tuck it in all around so she can't sneak under and get at the original material. The smooth sheet will be much less appealing and she'll turn to the post. When the training has become cemented into her head, you can remove the sheet.
"While you're training your cat to use the post instead of the furniture, keeping her nails trimmed will lessen the severity of any damage done to the fabric.
"If you have more than one cat, it might be wise to have more than one post in your home. Cats also use scratching as a way of territorial marking, so this way each cat can have her own post. However, my cats love using the one scratching post at the same time.
"Remember, the most effective way to train a cat not to scratch where you don't want her to is by PROVIDING HER WITH SOMETHING SHE'LL LIKE BETTER."
