Cats don’t usually need to be bathed on a routine basis, and for anyone who has ever owned a cat you probably already know that bathing a cat can be quite difficult depending on the cat’s personality. Most cats hate getting baths. Cats take care of their grooming mostly all on their own and need little assistance when it comes to keeping clean. In fact a healthy cat will normally spend more than 10% of its time grooming itself. Usually by the end of the day it has cleaned whatever dirt, debris, etc. it had on itself off.
For the most part kitty does a good job keeping itself clean, and owners can help by regularly combing them or wiping them down with moist towlettes if they are dirty or have loose stool hanging on their fur. There may be times however when a simple wet wipe just won’t do the trick. In this case it can often be quite difficult in knowing how to bathe a cat properly/safely, and the trickiest part often lies in the cat’s behavior. Many have been known to bite, claw or fight their way out of the bathtub ending bathtime in complete chaos.
If your cat is aggressive you may want to consider taking them to a groomer rather than try and bathe them on your own. Another good thing to keep in mind is making sure that they are up to date on their rabies vaccinations. Most groomers will not let you make an appointment if they know your cat isn’t up to date on its shots.
However for those pet owners who decide they are brave enough to try and bathe the cat on their own should prepare themselves and the bathtub before rounding kitty up for a cleaning. Choosing a small area to bathe the cat in is usually best, this makes it easier to keep things under control. To bathe kitty a few supplies you may want to consider using include: a bathtub or sink, mild soap or cat shampoo, A few warm, dry towels, a rubber bath mat or small towel for kitty to claw or grasp while being bathed, a cup or something along those lines to pour water, A washcloth for washing kitty’s face, A cat brush or comb (flea combs will work fine), A blow dryer if applicable (most cat’s are frightened of the loud noise they make), and having someone help you bathe the cat is always a helpful thing to try as well as it can be difficult to do alone.
Once you have assembled all of the items you will need to bathe the cat, you will need to find your cat and bring them into the area you plan to bathe them in. Making sure everything is ready to go before getting the cat and bringing it into the room is most helpful, because it will make kitty less anxious. (the loud sound of water running or the commotion of moving everything/getting everything ready can frighten kitty).
If your cat is a fighter, the bathing process will not be easy nor will it be very fun for either of you. But in some cases, it is something that must be done. Most cats are not going to enjoy getting a bath, but there are a few who don’t mind. Beginning to talk to your cat in a soft, soothing voice can help keep kitty calm. Try your best not to act scared or nervous, it will let your cat know that something isn’t right and will make him or her anxious. This will in turn make them act more aggressive.
Next gently set kitty down in the water, on something such as a bath mat or a wash cloth that they can grab onto. This will keep them from slipping in the tub. If you have managed to talk a friend into helping bathe the cat, have them hold onto the body and upper shoulder area of the cat. If you are bathing the cat alone you are going to want to hold onto the cat with one hand and scrub with the other. It is best to try and ignore the cat’s meowing and carrying on so that you can get the bath over with as safely and quickly as possible.
It is important when bathing your cat to keep water away from their ears and face. Use a wet wash cloth to wash this area and after wetting the cat, lather it up with shampoo. Start at the neck and work your way toward the other end. Always work from clean to dirty so you aren’t bringing any of the messiness from one area to another. Next rinse your cat by scooping some water into a cup and gently pour it over the cat. Again, it is important during this to keep water away from your cat’s face and head. If you get their head wet, it may cause them to panic.
After rinsing all of the shampoo off, drain the water and wrap the cat in a warm, dry towel. Try to calm the cat by petting it or talking soothingly to it. A blow dryer can be used on kitty, but this is usually more stressful than anything and ends up being more trouble than its worth for both parties. Dry them as thoroughly as possible and they will air dry on their own the rest of the way. Next try combing the cat.
Bathing a cat is a lot of stressful and hard work so many pet owners choose not to do it unless absolutely necessary. As mentioned before, bathing cats on a regular basis is not something that is necessary unless they have something like loose stool, dirt or a poisonous substance such as motor oil on their fur. So try not to worry too much about keeping kitty clean, they do a fine job by themselves. If it is absolutely necessary then try the above tips or opt for a groomer or moist towelettes instead. They even sell self drying cat shampoo at pet stores that you rub into the cat’s fur and then it dries later on its own. Any of these are good options when bathing trying to keep your pesky feline friend clean.
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