Persian cats are widely known for their long silky fur and their cute “doll” face. But with this notoriety for long hairs, they need to be groomed regularly to prevent matting. One of the more popular ways Persian cats are groomed is called the Persian Cat Lion Cut.
What is the Persian Cat Lion Cut
Persian cats have long and silky hairs, one of their most distinctive physical traits. They are not the only breed with long furs. What is unique about the Persian cat’s fur is that the Persian cat’s body hair is in two layers. There is a soft woolly short hair beneath a longer silkier hair.
A Persian cat’s need for daily grooming stems from the high possibility of their body hair matting. Matting simply means when the cat hairs get entangled. There are different reasons cat hair can matte, but the important thing to note is that it is painful for cats. Good cat owners will try and prevent hair matting of their cats by brushing the hairs daily.
Some owners find brushing the hair on their cat every day somewhat stressful. This may be because of a tight schedule, or they know they will not be around for some time. One way of solving this problem is by cutting the hairs on the body of your cat.
While cutting your cats’ body hair has its advantages and disadvantages, it proves as a lovely view or aesthetics.
The Persian cat lion cut involves removing the hair on your cat’s body, save for some places to make him appear a lion. We all know what a lion looks like, which means hair will be left on the head, the lower half of the legs, and the tip of the tail.
This cat hair cut can be challenging to execute because you need particular kinds of razors and do not want to inflict pain on your pets. Although Persian cats have a mild temperament, they do not respond the same way to a lion cut. It is highly advisable to get a professional’s help when you desire a lion cut for your Persian.
The age of your cat and the time of the year can go a long way in determining if your Persian cat is due for a lion cut or not. While Lion cuts can also be aesthetically pleasing to the owner, it is not an absolute way to groom cats.
Variations of the Persian Cat Lion Cut
There are different variations to the lion cut for Persian cats. One thing everyone agrees on is that the head and the neck are not shaved. These variations depend on what the cat owner wants or what the groomer advises. The bone of contention is usually around how much hair should be left on the chest, the tail, and legs.
Types of Cat Hair Cuts
As funny as this sounds, hair cuts are necessary, especially for cats with long hair like the Persian breed. There are a different number of types of cat hair cuts. I will be talking about four ways you can cut your feline pet’s hair.
The Lion Cut: As we have mentioned earlier, this involves removing hairs on the body of a cat (long-haired cats especially) except for some parts of the body like the head, the lower parts of his legs, and the tip of the tail and giving it the appearance of a lion. A significant advantage to the lion cut is reducing hair matting your cat may experience from entangled long hairs.
The Belly Shave: As the name sounds, this kind of cut involves shaving a cat’s belly area. From beneath the front paw areas to the space between the hind legs and their anus. Knowing your cats, you should know that the cat’s belly is one of the most sensitive and protected areas for a cat. This simply means you should not try this without a professional guide.
The Hygiene Cut: Also known as the “sanitary cut/clip.” It is essentially shaving off the hairs around the cat’s anus area. This is aimed at releasing clumps of feces that may have stuck on inches in this area. This cut is usually adopted for breeds of cats with long hairs or cats that cannot effectively groom themselves due to one reason or the other.
The Comb Cut: This is more average and popular. It can be adopted for a wide range of breeds of cats. It is essentially trimming your cat hair to about an inch or less. It is the perfect cut for all-weather and reduces matting by a large degree. The comb cut helps in the practical inspection of your cat’s skin in case of injuries.
One crucial thing to note is that cats do not react nicely to cutting their furs. Hair matting even makes it more challenging. It is expedient to employ a professional cat groomer’s services when opting for any of these haircuts.
Apart from them being more careful so that neither you nor your cat is injured in the process of grooming, they can give the best advice as regards grooming your cats. Aesthetically pleasing looks are not always the best, and some old cats are even susceptible to cuts. So, it is advisable to get the services of an expert.
Advantages and Disadvantages of the Persian Cat Lion Cut
There are advantages and disadvantages to adopting the lion cut for your Persian cat. While they may look different and intriguing, it is not always rosy with this kind of cut. I will first be sharing the advantages followed by the disadvantages.
Advantages
The foremost advantage of the Persian cat lion cut is the reduction in matting. This is excellent news for cat owners finding it difficult to keep up with the daily brushing long-haired breeds of cats like Persians need. The lion cut will reduce hair balling, matting, and other things that result from their hair being entangled. It is important to note that matting is not suitable for your cat. It makes them uncomfortable, they become unhygienic, and it can even affect their skins.
Some individuals love cats so much but are allergic to them. Or in any case, your best friend or a close relative is allergic to your cat. A way to keep both your pet and your friend is getting a lion cut. A lion cut reduces the effect of allergies on your beloved, and they can even get to become friends.
Like humans, when cats grow old, they can not effectively practice what is natural to them. Cats are naturally self-groomers. They spend most of their day cleaning themselves. When they get old, though, they may not be able to do this effectively. This is where a lion cut comes in. It is a way of helping the older cats keep clean. It gets tricky, though, as the older cats have softer skin now, and a mistake can cut them. And because they are old, they may take a longer time to heal. Depressed or sick cats also exhibit this behavior.
Persian cats are known to shed a lot of furs. Thank goodness for vacuum cleaners. Even at that, it can still be exhausting picking hairs everywhere every time. A simple solution to this is the Lion cut. You can save a lot of time vacuuming the house by just getting a lion cut for your Persian.
Relief from the heat in the summer is also an advantage of getting a lion cut for your Persian cat. In the warm months, Persians, who are characteristically long-haired, become uncomfortable because their hair will be trapping the heat. Getting a lion cut can go a long way in providing relief.
Disadvantages
Lion cuts are most times uncomfortable for the cat. Some cats do not react to being cut, but most do. It creates a stressful situation for them, and they may become aggressive afterward for a while.
One of the significant importance of the cat’s hair is the regulation of body temperature. A shaved cat will lose or gain body heat faster than an unshaved one, which can harm their health. That is why it is vital to get advice from a professional groomer.
For Persian cats used to going outdoors, a lion cut can be harmful to them by exposing their skin to direct sunlight rays. They can also suffer from sunburn or some skin disease as a result of this.
Keeping your Persian cat on a lion cut can be costly. This means regularly visiting the groomer because of the rate at which Persians grow their body hair.
Conclusion
Lion cuts for your Persians can make them stand out and even give them certain health benefits. You may even benefit from this too. It is essential not to forget that we can not administer the cut on our own, and it is best to take the advice of a groomer for when and what type of grooming is necessary for your Persian.