The all-encompassing term of grooming applies to many aspects of proper feline care such as: brushing, nail trimming, bathing, as well as ear and face cleaning. All core principles to a well-groomed animal give them a stark advantage for overall health and well-being. While it is true that cats will groom themselves, that should not be an excuse to neglect the further grooming needed for your feline. Frequently brushing your Exotic Shorthair helps to remove loose or matted hair and dead skin cells, keep their coat free of dirt, debris, and parasites, as well as to distribute natural skin oils along their hair shafts. Key areas to monitor for mats while brushing include behind their ears, underneath their armpits, and in the groin areas. *Do not brush your Devon Rex! Devons lack guard hairs and have a very delicate coat. Brushing can and will break and damage their coat.* Different coat types will require different brushes to be used in this process. Generally, a great type of brush to use for a cat with a shorter coat would be anything that consists of stiff bristles to remove loose hair. Cats with a long coat will benefit more from a brush or comb with long off-set teeth that are made out of metal. Ideally, a cat’s coat should be brushed out on a daily basis for health and cleanliness, reducing hairballs, as well as cutting down hair and dander floating around your home. In continuation with coat care, consistent bathing and blow drying will dramatically improve your cats coat quality, reduce allergens, and keep them as clean as possible. * Do not blow dry a Devon Rex! Again, their coat is far too delicate to be blow dried. Instead, wrap them in a towel and pat them dry. Do not rub them with the towel as that will also damage the coat.* The brushing should always be done prior to a bath, as tangles can be much harder if not impossible to remove after they become wet. Whilst bathing, it is key to remember to always use warm water paired with a quality shampoo. The warm water will be beneficial in the aspect of keeping your cat calm and comfortable while simultaneously allowing the shampoo to do its job properly in cleaning their coat. It is concurrently important to remember the importance of a medicated shampoo, such as one containing chlorhexidine for its antimicrobial properties. Antimicrobial shampoos help to fight bacteria and fungus, relieve dry itchy skin, rashes and hot spots, and to heal skin infections and wounds. The mild scent from such shampoos should also help to eliminate odors caused by bacteria and fungus on your cat's skin. Though bathing should be frequent, bathing twice a week or more would facilitate the necessity of a quality conditioner. The quality shampoo used in bathing will do exactly what it is designed for by removing contaminants in their coat, while simultaneously stripping some of their natural oils or moisture. The conditioner comes in to help replace moisture lost in this process and aid in the continuation of a healthy and shiny coat full of luster. A key point to remember when carrying out a bath, is to always ensure that all shampoo is removed from the coat as not doing so can lead to matting, skin irritation, and infection in extreme cases. Attention to detail should also be paid to your cat's face, ears, and nails. The ears and face of a feline, especially that of a Brachycephalic Cat breed such as the Exotic Shorthair, are common places to become unruly and require special attention for cleaning. Products such as tear stain wipes are a great product to help clean a cat's face without having to worry about irritation. Another integral part of the head is that of their ears. Products like Zymox allow the pet owner to apply ointment inside of the ear while concurrently balancing the pH of the ear, reducing the risk of ear infections, and even treating mild ear infections before they accelerate. With no need to pre-clean the ear, Zymox is a very convenient, effective, and consistent product to support proper hygiene. Lastly, trimming cats nails are equally important as every other aspect of responsible pet ownership. Overgrown nails can eventually curve underneath the cat's paw and into the pad, leading to excruciating pain and even risk of infection. Keeping nails the proper length with frequent trimming every couple of weeks will completely negate this issue and let you and your pet live worry free.  The trimming of your cat's nails to proper length will additionally lead to a less destructive member of your family by reducing the urge to scratch. The nails themselves will be less destructive by being less sharp as opposed to an untrimmed nail. Scratching is, however, a natural behavior for your cat, so adequate arrangements for them should be made by providing them with a quality scratching post. Be sure to use scissor-like trimmers as cats are typically most comfortable with that style of trimmer. Never trim into the pink part of the nail, also known as the quick, as that can be very painful. In the incident that you accidentally hit their quick, be sure to have Styptic Powder on hand to stop the nail from bleeding as swift as possible. Taking the time to learn the appropriate animal care principles, products, and procedures, will without a doubt be the determining factor of your animal's long term success.