Many clients arrive saying they do not know how they feel. We ask a simple question: when did you last wash? In our experience, a clean cat is a clear cat, and a cat mid wash is a cat in no condition to be asked anything.

Why grooming matters

Grooming is the original self care. Nobody gave us a book on it. We were simply handed a tongue, and it has worked for centuries. The practice calms the nervous system, reduces tension, and gives you a reason to stare into the middle distance with one leg in the air.

The five stage check in

Begin each day with a brief inventory.

• Paws: Are they clean? If not, whose fault is it?
• Face: Has it been recently addressed? Do not forget behind the ears.
• Chest: Is there anything that should not be there? Most often there is.
• Back: Can you reach it? If not, accept that some things are out of reach and move on
• Tail: Is it pointing at someone? Consider why.

When grooming becomes avoidance

A word of caution from Dr. Biscuit Halloran. Some clients wash whenever a difficult topic is raised. If a counsellor asks “How did that make you feel?” and the client responds by lifting a back leg and washing with great intensity, we call this Strategic Grooming.

It is not a failure. It is a defence, and a magnificent one. We simply ask that you complete the wash before you tell us you have nothing to say.

Groomer’s block

Occasionally a client reports being unable to wash. This can be caused by a full stomach, a warm lap, or a deep conviction that someone else should do it. We suggest a patient friend with a rough tongue, and a willingness to be told off.

Homework

This week, wash once in the morning and once in the evening. Note what you feel in between. If the answer is “wet”, you are making progress.

Reminder: Pawsitive is a fictional parody and cannot replace real support. Tongues are for washing, not diagnosing.