A sanitary trim refers to trimming or shaving the coat so it's shorter in the areas that often become dirty when toileting. The most common areas are around the bottom, genitals and abdomen. This helps keeps your dog or cat clean without having to clip the entire coat, and avoids urine or feces clinging to the coat, avoiding unpleasant odours, staining and reducing the risk of infection. Clipping the abdomen also helps avoid longer hair from touching carpet, bedding or furniture, avoiding smells and stains around the house. A sanitary trim can be done using the same full size clipper used for the rest of the coat, usually using a size 10 blade, or using a midi or 5in1 trimmer. Most owners choose to have the sanitary areas clipped short for ease of maintenance, and better overall hygiene. Sanitary trims are recommended for longer-coat pets with incontinence to avoid infection and make clean-up easier for owners. Long-haired cats or kittens who use litter trays can be trimmed to avoid litter or feces sticking to the coat. Pregnant dogs and cats often have their abdomen area trimmed to give kittens and puppies easier access to nipples for feeding.