How do I make grooming part of a routine?

I started pairing grooming with something my cat already loved-treat time. Every evening after dinner, I’d grab the brush and a few kibbles, and now she comes running when she sees me head for the drawer. It took maybe a week for her to connect the dots, and now it’s just part of our wind-down ritual, like a little spa session before we both crash on the couch.

Keep the brush out where you both can see it - next to the couch or near your bed. I just grab it while watching TV and casually run it over my cat while she's already relaxed on my lap. No need to announce it or make it a big production, she barely notices now and sometimes even leans into it. That's the trick, really - weave it into something you're already doing daily, like your evening Netflix session or morning coffee.

Anchor it to a specific time slot that already exists in your day. I use the 10 minutes right after my morning coffee-my cat knows that once I'm done sipping, the brush comes out and she gets a quick full-body session before breakfast. Pick a consistent trigger like "after I brush my teeth" or "before the evening news," and do it in the same spot every day. Within two weeks, your cat will start waiting for you there, and you won't have to think about it anymore.