Should I Bath my cat?

Question

I never had a cat before should I and how?

Answer 1

NO cats hate water....they bath themselves

Answer 2

It isn't usually necessary to bathe a cat - they do a pretty good job all by themselves. It is important to brush them regularly. The brushing will help keep the fur clean, will remove the lose fur and prevent mats. (My cats love to be brushed - all that extra attention!)

If the cat gets into something that has to be washed out, it is best to take the cat to a professional groomer. If that is not possible, I have bathed cats in my kitchen sink. It is deep and large. I put an old towel on the bottom of the sink so that the cat doesn't slide around and has something to "dig into". I use warm water and soap made for cats. I don't put water in the sink, I pour water over the fur to wet it, work the soap through the areas that need to be cleaned, and rinse again by pouring water over the fur. Unless the area that must be washed is on the head, I try not to wet the head at all. When done, dry the cat with a towel. Don't be surprised if the cat washes herself immediately. She may also want to hide for a while.

Answer 3

If you keep the litter clean each day, he shouldn't smell.

If he does need freshening a bit, use one of those damp "wipes" made just for cats and wipe him down.

Bathing a cat is very tricky and risky - he might bite, scratch or panic. No reason to stress him if it's not really needed. IF you would need to, place an old small window screen in the tub for him to claw into and hold onto. Never run the water out of the faucet when he's in there, have it "ready." Noise really freaks them out.

Get a little Shed N Blade comb thingie for him, it pulls out the dead hair very well. Also feed a hairball treat a couple of times a week so he won't get hairballs.

Get some good cat info books to read up on all the details about cat care & enjoy your kitty! :)

Answer 4

yes you should bath a cat. People say no because the cat cleans themselves. But they need to be bath. Is it a kitten or is it full grown. You should have some water in the bath or somewhere else. You should get the cat around the back of his or her neck this is safe as when the cat was a kitten the mother cat did this all the time. She moves them around. Hold the cat with one hand as you put some water over the cats body with the other hand. Talk to it in a carm voice. gently put some soap on the cats body working from the back of the tail to the neck. dont put any soap or water near the face. gentle put some more water to rince the cat over. then you can dry the cat with a towel or blow dryer. If you have a kittle it is best to start them early. repeat it weekly to get the cat use of the bath. PS Close all the doors so the cat cannot get out. I hope this helps you.

Answer 5

Bathe your cat? What... you lose a bet? Sorry, just kidding. No you don't need to bathe your cat. For the most part cats are very hygienic animals and take care of their own grooming needs. Once in awhile they get into something they shouldn't and a bath is required, but you can mostly leave them "tub free" and not have to worry.
If you do need to get kitty into the tub for some reason -- come prepared. Lock yourself in the bathroom with the cat and fill the tub to about belly level of the cat, with warm water. Put the cat in and soak with cups of water by pouring this over the cat repeatedly (I suggest using a BIG plastic cup to get this started). Mix shampoo 50-50 with warm water and clean the cat with this mixture. Be sure to rinse the cat completely when you are done. Keep the cat warm and dry with towles until kitty is just damp -- this is the best you can do with fur.
Last...after the experience is over... I suggest several stiff drinks and bandaids as needed. Good luck. --Andy

Answer 6

I do cat rescue and have bathed plenty of cats. If it is an adult give it an escape route, if it is a kitten just start out with a wet paper towel because if the kitten inhales water you could kill it. As for the cats bathing themselves cats who are large/ overweight or have lots of long hair can have alot of trouble keeping themselves clean. If you teach it water is OK you should have no problem!

Answer 7

when cats lick themselves, that takes place of a "bath". Unless your cat gets sprayed by a skunk or has oil all over them, clean them off with a wet towel. If you have to do this, be prepared, cats hate getting wet, so hold the cat still and watch out for its claws and teeth. Have fun!

Answer 8

well im not sure how you bathe your cats..i have a cat and sometimes shes really scared of water...she scratches me becuase shes frightened and she sometimes leave scars...but luckily they disapear...it depends on what type of cats you have...some likes water and some dont....i think most cats dont like water.....all i do is fill up the bath tub with water and put my cat in it and soak her whole entire body (not head though)and put some soap on her and wash it off....if its your first time, you better be careful. try to hold it as hard as possible in case it jumps on you or runs away..you can also use those containers (the rectangle shaped ones...the ones where most teacher uses to put childrens work or they call them "bins") and fill it up with water.....so you can wash her...
some cats (like mine) are REALLY scared of the blow dryer. so make sure you dont scare your cat....or find someone who has experienced to help you as you bathe ur cat....then you will know how after a couple times =) another trick is to cut your cats nails before bathing it...or just birng it to some pet care thingies so they can help you wash it...because it really is a pain if your cat doesnt like water.....
and just to let you know, you should bathe your cat once in a month and a half i think....thats enough for it =)
-id be more careful if i were you coz its ur first time! Good luck =)

Answer 9

You don't have to per say, unless they are filthy. Generally cats do not like water. Cats keep themselves pretty clean on their own. If you're going to start, it's probably best to start when they are young.

My cats are bathed once a year when the weather starts to warm up so I can help them remove their extra fur when they are shedding. It's not easy, but mine are used to it. I grip them firmly, but carefully by their front paws with one hand and have them in a standing position. That gives me a free hand to wash and rinse them with. I was an Animal Care tech, so you may want to discuss proper restraining with your Veterinarian to make sure you don't hurt them.

Be prepared to hear some yowling! Sometimes they will start off quiet but then let you verbally have it. I use my shampoo, but others recommend pet shampoos. It's your decision and you should probably discuss with your Veterinarian. Be sure to towel dry it well and I wouldn't recommend doing it when the weather is cold.

Good luck!

Answer 10

I have three cats and I bath them every few months (unless needed before then). Especially if your cat is an outside cat. They clean themselves, but sometimes that doesn't help if they roll in dirt or have fleas. If you bathe your cat every few months that will reduce the amount of fleas dramatically!! even if your cat is an indoor cat, you can bring fleas in your home when you come in from the outside. Cats are known to hate water, however from bathing mine, they are so used to it that it doesn't bother them at all. Just make sure you use warm water, use pet shampoo (if you have a kitten read bottle to make sure it is safe to use) and don't use shampoo near their eyes.

Answer 11

Only if he is either dirty, or a kitten. I say kitten because the younger you start, the easier it will be when they HAVE to have a bath. My cat once got covered in oil from our car and thus, needed a bath. He just whines and paws at my arm. Now, if you just randomly stuck a cat in the tub, prepare to have your arms clawed off. Oh, and they also have water-less cat shampoo.