Devons really are low maintenance cats,
especially if they live indoors only, or they are
only taken outside to play on nice sunny days.
A Devon will instantly find that slushy mud pile if
allowed - it is so good to dance and play in!
Many owners and breeders have different
methods of grooming their Devons, the following
suggestions are what I find works best.
Daily
* The easiest way and most enjoyable grooming
is a good pat, this will remove any loose hair and
dander - the cats enjoy it and so will you.
* Whilst patting your Devon, quickly check
inside ears, around eyes, mouth and bottom (and
wipe, with baby wipe, if necessary).
* If you suffer from cat allergies you may like to
wipe your Devon daily with either a damp cloth or
baby wipe - this removes dander and hair and
may assist you in managing your allergies.
Weekly
* Brush your Devon with a soft baby brush or
other soft bristled brush to remove any dander
and hair - if your Devon's coat is thin or patchy be
careful not to brush to hard. If your Devon has a
thick woolly coat you may need to brush a little
deeper and/or run a metal comb lightly over them.
* Wipe your Devon all over their body with a
damp cloth or baby wipe. Pay particular
attention to washing in between toes, under chin,
under legs and other places where your Devon
builds up grease or dirt.
* Clean ears with ear cleaning solution or with
your baby wipes. Be careful not to poke around
in the ear as this can cause damage. If your
Devons gets very dirty ears you may need to
clean more regularly.
* Clip front and rear nails. Only the tip is
required to be trimmed. Rear nails don't seem to
sharpen up as much as the front so you may
wish to trim the rear nails every second week.
Periodically
* You may need (or wish to) periodically
completely wash your Devon. Some Devons can
have a greasy coat and these coats benefit with
a complete bath every couple of months. Others,
particularly light colours, can get a bit grubby and
stained and a full bath is required to bring them
back to looking lovely. You may want to enter
your Devon in a show and bathing is
recommended before you enter him/her on the
show bench.
I make sure I have everything ready and within
reach to make the bathing procedure as stress
free as possible. It is much easier to bath your
Devon with two people if possible.
Remember if you are planning on showing your
Devon you should wash him/her approximately 1
week before the show, to give time for the coat to
settle - nobody wants a Devon with an "afro" on
the show bench. If you have left the bathing a bit
late and your Devon has the "fuzzies" you can
apply the tiniest amount of body moisturiser to
your hand and wipe down your Devon's coat.
You may never have to wash your Devon, as like
with all cats, they are fastidious about self
grooming and generally keep themselves clean.
|
|
|
