If you already own a Bengal cat then you know how beautiful and silky their coat is. You also more than likely know they really don’t need an excessive amount of grooming. However, this does not mean that they shouldn’t be brushed. In fact, it’s very good for their health if you set up a grooming schedule for your Bengal. In this article we will cover the following:
- Brushing Your Bengal Cat
- Other Grooming To Consider
- Our Choice for the Top Brushes for Bengal Cats
Brushing Your Bengal Cat
Before you decide to set up a grooming schedule for your Bengal cat, there are a few things you should know about caring for your Bengal. In some ways, a Bengal cat require a slightly different set of rules than that of other domestics.
It seems that the main consensus about Bengals is that they shed far less than other breeds; some people will even claim that they don’t shed at all. However, there really is no true evidence to support that type of claim. Regardless of this belief, there’s no question that the fact is your Bengal will groom itself just as frequently as any other cat, and they do shed some.
Grooming includes brushing, washing, oral care, and claws are all important to the health of your cat. Brushing is probably the easiest of all of these. When you go to brush your Bengal, you can use a brush or even your hand. If you decide to groom with your hands, make sure that your hands are wet. Start by gently massaging from their head and working down to their tail. This is a good way to see if they have any rashes, other skin problems, or loss of hair. When using a brush, you’ll want to work down from the head.
During fall and winter months brushing can be done much less but, during the spring when they actually do shed much more, is when you should increase how often they are brushed.
When brushing, you should never rush because you could actually hurt their coat or even their skin. Always make sure that it’s done in a calm and gentle manner. This should be not only a time for grooming but a time of bonding with your Bengal.
When choosing a brush, make sure that you always use one that has metal teeth and is specifically made for cat grooming.
Here’s a video of a Bengal cat being brushed:
Other Grooming to Consider
As important as brushing is for your Bengal, there are other grooming procedures that you should consider. Even though Bengals groom themselves often, there still is a need for bathing. For most cats giving them a bath can be a nightmare. Bengals on the other hand love water so it really shouldn’t be all that difficult to give your Bengal a bath. Since Bengals are always so active and can get bored quite easily, it’s important that you don’t let them get bored during bath time or they might insist on ending the bath before you are done bathing them.
If you let your cat go outdoors, you will want to give them a bath once a week, but, if you keep them indoors, once a month will probably be just fine. When you do give them a bath, it’s important that you use a high-quality shampoo and make sure to be careful when cleaning near their nose, ears and eyes because shampoo could harm those areas. Dry your Bengal with a hair dryer, but, if they don’t like that then towel dry them.
When grooming you should include cleaning the teeth, most cats, including Bengals will not like this but good oral health is important. You should use a very soft toothbrush with a medicated toothpaste. Take the brush and move it gently over their teach for about four minutes. You can get toothbrushes and special toothpaste from any pet store.
While grooming, it’s important that you also check their ears regularly for mites. The first sign that they might have mites is if you notice excessive scratching around the ears. Should you discover this problem make sure that you see your vet. Clean out their ears either with a cotton bud or a wet wipe and then roll it very gently inside their ears. Repeat this process for about five minutes.
If your Bengal doesn’t get enough opportunities to scratch and naturally take care of their claws, you may have to include cutting them in your grooming routine. This can be a very delicate thing to do and if you are not confident in doing this it’s advisable that you have the vet do it. If you do attempt to do it on your own, try push their claws with your thumb so you see all of it and then cut only the part of the claw that has turned a yellow color.
Our Choice for the Top Brushes for Bengal Cats
Since there are a lot of different brushes out there on the market we decided to take a look at some of them and come up with a few suggestions we hope that you will find helpful.
Here is a list of the top five brushes we believe could be good ones for both you and your Bengal cat.
Cat Slicker Brush – Quick Self-Cleaning Pro Quality Grooming Comb
ABOUT: This is a brush that is designed for both the comfort of the user and the cat. The bristles of this brush is one that is specifically designed to help stimulate the skin and also promote their circulation.
OUR RATING:
PRICE:
$$$
FEATURES: This brush has a nice soft grip handle that’s ergonomic making it quite comfortable for the person who is doing the grooming. It is designed to prevent any hand and wrist strain. It helps to remove any loose undercoat and eliminates any tangles. It also has a unique button feature that when pushed extends the stainless-steel bristles of the brush. When you push the button again, it will release any hair that was on it for easy cleaning.
PROS: It has an easy to grip handle that cuts down on hand and wrist strain. The bristles are made of pliable stainless steel. Helps to cut down on hairballs and helps promote a shiny coat. It is easy to clean because of the special button that retracts the bristles which in turn causes any hair on the brush to be quickly removed.
CONS: The main concern here is that some feel the bristles are too short.
Pet Neat Pet Grooming Brush
ABOUT: This brush is actually more like a comb that has a very strong handle that is guaranteed not to break. It is designed to be gentle on the skin and is good for all pets that have single or double coats. It was specifically designed to cut down on pet dander which is the main cause for allergies in humans.
OUR RATING:
PRICE:
$$$
FEATURES: It has a comfortable and sturdy handle with stainless steel bristles and comes with a cover for the bristles so that they are protected when not in use. Helps to cut down on the dander which in turn cuts down on allergic reactions. Even though dogs can use it as well, tends to be a great comb/brush for cats.
PROS: Is easy to use and has a comfortable grip on it. It’s very sturdy and works well on most coats especially with medium to longer hair. Seems to reduce the dander that’s produced and promotes healthy skin and a shiny coat. The cover for the stainless-steel bristles is an added plus.
CONS: There didn’t seem to be any special concerns about this particular grooming tool.
Safari Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush
ABOUT: This brush is designed mainly for cats and other small animals with coats that need grooming. Was designed to help with preventing hairballs and to enhance the coat. It is meant to be easy to use and easy to clean with its special button for removing hair from the bristles.
OUR RATING:
PRICE:
$
FEATURES: Brush bristles are stainless steel that will gently remove dead hair and has a special button when pushed will remove the dead hair from the brush quickly. The handle of this brush has a comfort grip which is designed to make it easier on the groomer.
PROS: Has stainless steel bristles that are easily cleaned by the push of a button. This retracts the bristles removing the hair. It easily fits into most any hand size and has a comfort soft grip handle. It also is very reasonably priced.
CONS: The main concern about this particular brush is that the steel bristles seem to be a little too sharp.
JW Pet Company GripSoft Cat Slicker Brush
ABOUT: This brush was specifically designed for those who prefer to brush their cats often, even on a daily basis. It also is said to help with reduction of hairballs and promotes healthy coats. The design is also meant to be good for cats with sensitive skin.
OUR RATING:
PRICE:
$
FEATURES: It comes with a handle that is ergonomically designed making a comfortable fit in the groomers hand and has a non-slip grip. The brush consists of gentle brush pins that are angled and works well with those cats that may have sensitive skin.
PROS: Has a non-slip grip handle that ergonomically designed for comfort. Is easy to use for the pet owner. It cuts down on hairballs and excessive shedding. Is gentle enough for daily grooming. Very inexpensive.
CONS: The main complaint about this brush has been the lack of protective caps at the ends of the bristles.
Hartz Slicker Brush for Cats
ABOUT: This brush is specifically recommended for use on adult cats and kittens. It is designed to use on any type of coat and is meant to be used even for daily maintenance.
OUR RATING:
PRICE:
$
FEATURES: The bristles of this brush are made of a durable nylon and not stainless steel. It has a handle that is ergonomically designed for extra comfort. It has a smaller head that is meant to make for easier brushing.
PROS: Very reasonably priced. The handle fits nicely in the groomers hand making it comfortable to use. Is gentle to any cat’s skin and works well on any type of coat.
CONS: The main complaint has been the bristles, they don’t seem to be as sturdy or durable as stainless steel bristles.
After reviewing the various different brushes here, all of which tend to have great qualities, we believe the one that makes the top of our list is the Cat Slicker Brush – Quick Self-Cleaning Pro Quality Grooming Comb. The reason for this decision is that in our opinion it tends to truly meet the criteria that most Bengal cat owners are looking for.
Every brush listed here has important qualities that helped make them on our top five favorite list and in the end, the choice is yours and your cats. Often, it will simply depend upon what brush your cat tends to like more.