It’s a known fact that cats are experts at getting into all sorts of trouble. Some experiences are funny and cute, while others can be quite challenging to manage. What’s even worse is when your cat does something dangerous, like playing with lit candles. Aside from burn concerns, you might have a wax problem. When this happens, you’ll wish you knew how to get rid of wax from cat fur.
If you’ve experienced getting wax in your hair, you’ll understand how difficult it is to clean. Fortunately, in most cases, you don’t have to panic when removing wax from your cat’s hair. If the candle wax is nowhere near your cat’s face and their skin is not burned, it is easy to fix. You can use the tips below to remove candle wax from your cat’s fur.
First Things First
Before you start removing candle wax from your cat’s fur, there are things you need to check.
- First, assess the damage to your cat’s coat. A tiny bit of candle wax on your cat’s hair is much simpler to remove. However, candle wax covering your cat’s body and face is a much more serious case. You have to estimate how extensive the damage is to prepare yourself for the fix.
- Find out the type of wax that’s on your cat’s fur. It’s helpful to know if it’s paraffin, beeswax, or standard-scented candle wax. Burning beeswax can be extremely hot, while others are much cooler, making them less threatening for your feline.
- Consider your cat’s temperament and patience. Not all solutions for removing candle wax are suitable for frightened cats. The situation might have already caused stress for your furry friend.
What You’ll Need
- Pet clippers. Candle wax is very stubborn and will cling to your cat’s fur even if you try to wash it off. If that is the case, you’ll need to trim your cat’s hair. While you might believe this is a job for pet groomers, it can quickly be done at home. You can use a pair of hair clippers designed for human hair, but if you want to use a clipper specially made for cats, the Andis Detachable Blade Pet Clipper is a solid option.
Preparation
- Check underneath your cat’s fur to see if it has been burnt. If it is, head to the veterinarian for an emergency visit. You might be damaging their skin even more if you try to trim it yourself. It will also be excruciating for your cat, as the burns will sting if touched. If the damage only reaches the fur but not the skin underneath, you can easily trim the fur with no problem.
- You must hold your cat firmly so they don’t escape as you trim the waxed fur. If you need assistance, have a friend or a family member that your cat is comfortable with help you hold them as you prepare to trim their hair.
- Since your cat will probably be in panic mode because of the wax on their fur, you need to wait until your cat calms down.
- Take a few deep breaths so you are not anxious. Your cat will sense if you are scared, which will trigger their fear as well. So, be as calm as possible.
Once you have all the tools on standby and you’ve completed preparations, you are ready to start removing the candle wax.
Instructions
- Hold your cat down firmly but gently, ensuring you are not hurting them.
- Turn the trimmer on and cut over the part covered in candle wax.
- If your cat has thick, long fur, you might need to make a few runs over the affected area.
- Make sure that you cut the hair as short as possible to remove all of the hardened candle wax.
- If your cat gets scared and tries to run away, gently pet them. Singing a slow, soothing song is known to have calming effects.
Aftercare
Your cat will look a little weird after trimming off its fur. The cut is going to be uneven, and your cat will look silly. You can always go to the groomer later to style your cat’s hair to make it look more flattering.
Next, focus on preventing the situation from happening again. Find a safer place for your candles. Look for a place where your cat won’t reach it easily or somewhere your candles won’t fall off onto your cat or yourself.
Conclusion
It’s never a good day when your cat hurts themselves. It can be very scary and nerve-wracking, especially if you’ve never been in the situation before. Although it’s not a common occurrence, your cat can get covered in candle wax if they relax near a lit candle. It may take a while to remove a large amount of wax, but the process is relatively simple. Hopefully, the tips above can help you safely mitigate the incident.
Featured Image Credit: qwertqwert, Shutterstock
