Micro-coated cat breeds: skin care matters

Skin care for cats! Did you ever think you’d hear that?

You may own, or have been lucky enough to come across a “micro-coated” or “naked” cat. These breeds include the Devon Rex {our fav at HERDD HQ, we have two!}, Syphnx, Peterbald, Bambino, Minskin, Selkirk Rex, Cornish Rex, & to an extent in lighter/shorter coated varieties of LaPerm, Singapura, Abyssinian & Siamese.

These breeds require special attention when it comes to grooming, coat & skin care.

HERDD’s founder has a long history with Devon’s & Siamese breeds, being particularly fond of the Devon Rex’s unique ultra short coat that barely sheds, yet still feels like velveteen to pat. But there is a downside—the brown grime that builds up on the skin weekly. It’s simply a function of the skin’s natural sebum that is in closer contact with the environment & all the day-to-day dirt/dust/grime that comes with living their best life.

Like us, whom cleanse our skin daily, applying additional special care to the face—a sensitive area that is exposed to the elements & has the highest concentration of sebaceous glands, which excrete sebum {oils} constantly. Sebum moisturises, prevents water loss & acts as a barrier against friction, environmental damage & infection.

So while it may sound ‘gross’ to have an oily cat, it’s really not that bad. You just have to know how to care for their skin & coats.

If you haven’t read our post “Quality & purpose of ingredients“, make sure you do, as we’ll try not to repeat ourselves here. But essentially, those quality, purposeful ingredients in our pet Shampoo bars are critical to caring for these short-to-zero coated breeds.

Cats are delicate, inside & out. So there are a few key points to keep in mind when choosing products:

A shampoo needs to cleanse effectively, but very gently

Our ‘Maple & milk’ & ‘Rose & wagnolia’ Shampoo bars for pets are pH balanced to suit the higher pH level of cats {vs. humans}. pH is key to provide antimicrobial protection that inhibits ‘bad’ bacteria.

Our formula includes a coconut-derived, super-mild cleanser that creates a creamy, gentle lather, & another that is a coconut-based surfactant that gently lifts dirt & oils off the skin, without stripping it. You will see the action while bathing these cat breeds, as oily residue will float like ribbons into the warm bath water as you massage the bar over the cat.

Bar format, purrfect for cat bathing

If you’ve ever bathed a cat, you may know that it is not that easy! Most cats HATE* water, some don’t {we are lucky at HERDD to have one of our Devons who likes water, whereas the other does not!}.

Water temperature is crucial. A cat’s body temperature is HIGHER than a humans; 37.7°C–39.2°C vs. 36.5°C to 37.3°C for a human. So when running the cat’s bath in the laundry tub, bath or shower, ensure the water is warmer than what you’d expect, but obviously not too hot. It should be around 37.9°C to 39.4°C, a touch above the cat’s own body range. Reminder: when you are showering, the water feels most comfortable when water temperature is higher than your own body temperature.

Once the water is right, the HERDD shampoo bar format gives you a type of “massage” tool to roll over the cat, distributing just enough shampoo to break the oils down & rinse them into the bath water. There is no need to keep reaching for a pump of that liquid shampoo, you have what you need in the moment. Which may be fleeting when bathing a cat! IYKYK.

You can use the bar in a bar tote, but for small, petite cats where you need to bath very quickly, you may find just the bar in your bare hand is compact for small places.

Once done, put the bar in a ‘HERDD bar tote’ & hang up to dry. Once dry, put away in the cupboard.

Hydrating delicate skin while cleansing

The HERDD shampoo bars include conditioners & hydrators. Without these during the cleansing process, we risk stripping the delicate skin of too much oil. Natural oil {sebum} over the skin is important as it protects it from dehydration & environmental radicals. Sebum’s components include triglycerides, fatty acids & squalene {hydrator / antioxidant}.

In our HERDD shampoo bar formula we have replicated these components to restore while cleansing:

• Fatty acids: In the form on naturally derived plant-based Stearic acid

• Triglycerides: In coconut-oil derived Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

• Antioxidants / hydrators: In the combination of Glycerin, natural Betaine, coconut oils, shea & cocao butters

With our unique shampoo bars, you are guaranteed to “cuddlify” your cat’s coat—leaving them soft, plush & healthy.

Our routine at HERDD HQ, with our Devon’s, is to bathe them at least every two weeks. A 2 minute bath, followed by a dry warm towel dry.

Hope you found that interesting, & yes, you can bath your cat!

*A top tip we learnt from our Devon’s breeder: If you have a kitten that shows signs of really hating contact with water, start with a warm damp face cloth {like the refreshment towels you get on a good airliner!}. Gently wipe over the body, giving the cat a good experience. Keep the cloth warm, & dunk your HERDD shampoo bar into the warm water, & wipe over one of the cats tummy/legs/back/under chin. Return with a clean warm cloth to wipe away the shampoo. Eventually, graduate to using more water, until you can hold them in a tub for a quick bath. We also find encouraging the cat into the shower after you’ve got out is a good way to introduce play with a few wet paws!