Should i give my kitten a bath?

Question

shes a bit smelly and i bought some baby shampoo for her. its for sensitive skin and for babies. is it safe??

actually shes not retarded. cats do clean themselves, thats true but it doesnt get odor out of their fur. maybe youre just retarded? in that case, you shouldnt be on here.

Answer 1

NO HUMAN SHAMPOO!!!!!

You need to go to the pet store like Petco or Petsmart and get shampoo just for cats. They have a lot of other grooming aids there, as well. Some stores even have grooming services in them that you can either use or ask questions of.

Some people mentioned fleas. Look on the labels of flea shampoos for cats to make sure they are safe for the age of your kitten.

And someone else suggested you clip you cat's claws. Do this ONLY if you've been shown by a PROFESSIONAL how to do it PROPERLY or you could injure your kitty just like if you cut your nails into the quick.

I sincerely, hope that you will get your kitten all it's shots and have her spayed at six months of age. The shots should start soon. Your vet can advise you on what she needs and when.

AND do *NOT* have her declawed!!!!! To do that, they cut off the toes at the first knuckle. It's just like you having your fingers cut off at the knuckle just behind your fingernail!!! I consider this practice to be obsolete, extremely inhumane and a tool for people who are too ignorant and/or lazy to [learn to] properly train their cats. It's BEST to keep domestic cats indoors, though, to keep them safe and healthy so they can live a long happy life. Cats can live into their twenties if cared for properly.

And PLEASE give this baby the "forever" home she DESERVES. There are too many pets being killed simply because they have no homes. If sometime in the future you find you MUST give her up PLEASE find local cat rescue groups who will help you find another GOOD home for her instead of sending her to the pound to be put down.

GOOD LUCK!!!

Answer 2

Wear gloves! Wear gloves that reach to your arms, the ones you use to wash dishes with. I wore only one glove, the hand that I'll be holding the kitten with. The thicker the better because your kitten will scratch and dig into your skin. Make sure the water is luke-warm. I used hand-soap on my kitten the first time I found him at 4 weeks (it's cuz I found in mid of freeway and had nothing to care for him. He was really dirty with fleas so I had to give him a bath). I don't know if Dawn is safe; I'd use kitten shampoo, which is what I'm using now. Oh, after I gave him that bath, I did take it to the vet who gave him Revolution flea repellant. I had to give him another bath a day later to wash away all the dead fleas.

Answer 3

Baby shampoo is safe, but just use alittle,to reduce rinsing time, then dry her well, and make sure the room is warm, so she want get sick. It will help to start her young on the bathing, but don't make it a long process, you can bath, play and dry on some of the drying time. Felines usually bath themselves. They especially do this after eating. If she is covered in fleas, daily, if not not to often cause it will break down her natural oils ,and cause skin dryness. I hope the kitten is not a very young one, under 6 weeks. DO NOT BATH HEAD WITH SOAP! Just a damp washrag with no soap-no soap in eyes, ears, nose. GOD BLESS YOU! [e-mail]

Answer 4

I would personally recommend a shampoo made specifically for cats/kittens. If you don't want the task of actually bathing her (since most hate water), pet stores normally carry a waterless shampoo or a mousse.
Good Luck!

Answer 5

They have some dry shampoo in the pet store you can use on your cat if she is smelly without bathing her. I had to bathe by kitten twice because he didn't clean himself after pooping and it was all over his butt. He hated it, but in this case it had to be done. I just used warm water and afterwards it encouraged him to clean himself.

I think some kittens have to learn how to clean themselves properly and in time they won't smell so much.

Answer 6

Baby shampoo is safe for kittens. If you think you want to bathe her regularly kittenhood is the time to start. She will hate getting wet and love being rubbed down and snuggled in a nice soft bath towel.

Use just ONE drop of shampoo though. If you lather her up too much you will be rinsing forever!

Answer 7

how to give your cat a bath:
If your cat is infested with fleas, you'll probably want to give her a bath. Otherwise, wash your cat as you deem necessary ' since cats wash themselves, they do not often need bathing.
Instructions
STEP 1: Adopt a calm, positive attitude before and during the bath'it will help ease your cat's anxiety. STEP 2: Consider trimming your cat's claws beforehand to reduce your risk of getting scratched (see related eHow 'Trim Your Cat's Nails'). STEP 3: Bring your cat into the bathroom. Close the door and keep it closed until you are finished. STEP 4: Fill the bathtub with enough lukewarm water to cover your cat's paws. STEP 5: Gently set your cat in the tub. STEP 6: Give your cat free rein in the bathtub using minimal restraint, but gently hold on to the back of her neck if she tries to escape. STEP 7: Apply lubricating eye ointment (available from your veterinarian) or a drop of baby or olive oil to your cat's eyes to prevent irritation from the shampoo. STEP 8: Scoop water in a plastic cup, and pour it over the cat until her fur is wet, making sure to avoid her eyes. STEP 9: Apply a regular shampoo made for cats, or a flea shampoo if needed, and rub it into the cat's fur. Use caution around the eyes. STEP 10: Hold your cat under the faucet or scoop clean water over her to rinse. STEP 11: Quickly pat or rub your cat dry with a towel. STEP 12: Comb through your cat's fur to spend quality time together as she dries, then give her a special treat such as catnip or kibble for a job well done.
Tips & Warnings
If your cat's fur is matted or soiled from contact with hard-to-clean substances such as oil, gum or paint, it is best to have the cat bathed by a professional groomer.
Be sure to remove all soap when rinsing, since cats will groom themselves and ingest anything left on their fur.

Answer 8

If she is smelly then I see no reason why you could not bathe her. I bathed my cats when they were kittens if they were smelly. When they get older they are more able to take are of the self cleaning thing...a baby shampoo should be fine...

Answer 9

Get kitten shampoo, but be careful cause cats hate water.

Answer 10

Not baby shampoo. Buy some shampoo specifically for your pet....And yes, you should bathe her often (at least once a month for the rest of her life!)