Can I bathe my cat?

Question

I have a very long haired cat, and she seems to have "dandruff" in her fur...there's alot of it and no, its not moving. So how would I go about doing this? I bathed her a couple of times when she was a baby but she's almost 1 now and I don't know how to do it!

Answer 1

You can most certainly bathe a cat, but the cat is not going to be happy. As it's a long fur cat my first suggestion is to have it done professionally. It saves wear and tear on your hands and your nerves and keeps the cat from hating you. Well, the cat won't hate you forever, but will be a bit annoyed for awhile. The dandruff is normal, it's what a lot of people believe causes the allergies to cats, but I'm not totally sure of that.
Ok, if you are going to do this, the best thing to do is to get strong rubber gloves and get a good cat shampoo. I would use the kitchen sink as it is probably bigger. Get the cat wet, put on a little shampoo, get it rubbed in, and quickly wash it out. If it is a really long fur cat you might want to try a conditioner to get the tangles out. If you can, try and find a shampoo with lavender in it, it will calm the cat down. I owned a company for awhile, Take one, but don't know if you are going to find it around anymore, it had lavender in it and it was fantastic for animals. The lavender really helped. Do not ever get the other brand that is out that has lavender and I think it's mint or something like that, that is sold at Trader Joe's, it causes rashes on cats. So, try to find something in a health store for the cat.

Answer 2

Well, this could be an adventure! Depends on your particular cat, actually. I have one that just stands there, and another that puts up a fight.

Make sure the water is warm (not hot!). get kitty's fur wet, shampoo just like you do your hair, and then rinse very thoroughly (any shampoo left with make kitty itch). You can run them under the faucet, just don't get anything in their eyes or ears.

If your cat is a little difficult, you just have to be persistent. I find if you push down a little bit, they are too concerned about staying above water to try and escape. Good luck! Oh, and it's easier with a partner, if you can enlist some help.

Almost forgot: only use pet shampoo, not people shampoo! People shampoo will strip the natural oils out of the coat and make it all dry and matted, and make dandruff worse.

Answer 3

I have lots of cats. Sometimes they come home covered in stink like they have been sprayed by skunk! When I wash them they will claw me to try and climb out of the bath. To remedy this I use duct tape.. now before you flame me with thumbs down, read on... I take just a piece of tape large enough to wrap around the top of the paw once. I split the tape along the longest length so its a very small piece. I wrap each paw just so the claws don't get me! It is so delicately placed that the tape won't stay on through the whole bath but it does last long enough for me to was kitty without getting my arms shredded into a bloody mess. The cat is no more disturbed than he is already from the bath. I hope it is a good suggestion for you to try. I just believe a little tape on the paws for a bath is much more humane than declawing!

As for the dandruff buildup-- Kitty is needing some help getting herself clean. Cats don't really need baths and if your kitty is having dandruff issues I wouldn't wash with soap and water as it would dry the area more. Try a really fine hair comb like the ones that come in hair-lice remedy kits or a flea come designed for (you guessed it) combing out fleas and flea eggs.

If the problem persists, set aside $50-65 for a vet visit.

Answer 4

What kind of diet is your cat on? Dandruff is often a sign of poor diet or hygiene on behalf of the cat (i.e. unable or not willing to groom herself).
You can bathe your cat but it is important to use a cat safe shampoo and to rinse her really well so there is not shampoo residue. Also, regular brushing will help keep her coat in good condition. I have short haired cats and they get brushed 2-3 times a week. One loves it and comes running when he sees the brush, the other cat tolerates quick grooming sessions
I always recommend trimming the cats nails first of all. Sometimes it will help to have a the sink already filled with warm water. Firmly scruff her and place her in the water (you may need help because most cats are not fond of forced baths).
Once she's been bathed, it's important to make sure she is dry and brushed out so she won't mat.

Answer 5

I bathe my adult cat but not very often,I put a towel on the bottom of the sink as the bare porcelain freaks him out . then run water into the other sink for dipping rinse water. prepare your shampoo in a container with water to dilute it.set it aside. do the same with conditioner if you want to use it. now set the cat in the sink with the towel, hold him firmly with one hand and wet his fur with the other.pour on the shampoo and lather being carfulle of his eyes ( I use the washcloth for his face.)rinse by dipping the clean water from the other sink.repeat with conditioner.As i said before I dont do this often.but i do use baby wipes on him 1 or 2 times a week. this helps keep the loose hair under control. i,ve never had a problem with dandruff but i,ve heard that can be cured by changing the diet .consult your vet.

Answer 6

Yes, you can bathe her. Some cats do have dandruff problems (we used to have one!) You should use a special cat shampoo, since it needs to be a shampoo that it's OK for cats to lick out of their fur. Your vet may be able to recommend one that would help with dandruff. You can also try adding some supplements to her food to help with the dandruff -- again, your vet can recommend something for that. Or switch her to a different food -- often, cats' allergies can show up as skin problems.

As for how to do it, I've found that it helps to have two people! One person can keep the cat steady, and the other can lather her up and rinse her off. We used to use the kitchen sink, since it had a sprayer-hose to help rinse off. Have a towel ready to wrap her up in afterwards, and dry her off as much as you can. Make sure there's a warm place for her to go to afterwards, since she'll be cold!

Answer 7

Steps on How to Bathe a Cat ....

1. Evaluate if your cat really needs a bath. There may be other ways, such as brushing, combing or even just rubbing down with a cloth.
2. Trim all nails before even attempting to wash a cat. It will reduce scratching.
3. Put a rubber mat in the tub or use a towel. Fill the tub no more than 4-5 inches high (depends on the size of the cat or kitten you are washing) with warm water.
4. Have shampoo and a small wash cloth ready. You also might want to have a helper - one to hold the cat, one to wash. Have two towels that you will dry your cat with ready as well.
5. Comb the fur thoroughly before you put the cat in the water, especially if the cat's a long-haired breed. Once long hair is wet and you have any knots in the fur, it will be next to impossible to get them out after washing.
6. Talk quietly to your cat and keep a good grip on the neck or shoulders. Sometimes the cats will try to get out of the tub. If they prefer to only have two of their feet in the water, face them towards the back of the tub and let them stand on two feet.
7. Choose an appropriate shampoo for the job. Check with your veterinarian to select the shampoo best suited to your cat's condition. Human shampoos are not pH adjusted to cat's skin and medicated shampoos may be too harsh or toxic.
8. Soak kitty from the neck down, using the wash cloth. You want to get the water down to the skin. Use a little bit of shampoo and with the water, wash your cat from the neck, body, legs, belly and tail.
9. Rinse thoroughly after shampooing, and then rinse two more times - you want all the soap out of the coat. You can put a little conditioner on the coat and let it stand for about 20-30 seconds (longer if cat can withstand it; it will make its coat softer) and then rinse out.
10. Have two towels for drying ready. Drain the water from around the cat and press as much water out of the coat before you wrap in the towel. Rub gently with one towel. The first one will be pretty soaked. That's why you should switch to the drier one and finish drying until the cat is just damp. It helps if you warm the towels in the dryer first.
11. Finish the drying:

* Short-haired cats can finish drying themselves in the bathroom as long as they're away from drafts.
* For long-haired cats, you will have to use a comb and the hair dryer to finish drying, provided your cat is not scared by the hair dryer's noise. Long hairs will matt more easily in wet fur and it can help to comb them as they dry. Keep the hairdryer at a distance and move it frequently so that it doesn't burn or overheat the skin.

Answer 8

Cats generally do not like to be bathed. They keep themselves pretty clean with their rough tongues.

Have you tried brushing or combing your cat to see if you can remove the dandruff-like flakes?

If's it a skin condition that is causing the flakes, she may need to see the vet. It may be an allergy, or something as simple as the need for more oil in her diet.

I'd start with a check up by the vet. Good luck.

Answer 9

You can, but it's hard. Most cats hate water. Try using hte kitchen sink so you can have a better grasp on her and if you can get someone else to actually bathe her and rinse her while you hold her and tell her it's okay it might work out better. Just make sure you rinse her really well so the soap doesn't dry on her and make her itch.

Just be prepared to get wet and possibly scratched.

Answer 10

Hold her by the back of her neck, wear long rubber gloves, and use a feline dander/dandruff shampoo, using a wire brush while the shampoo is in her hair. Rinse her well, then follow with dander/dandruff conditioner, and brush it thru as well.Rinse her, then dry her as well as you can with towel; by that time the kitty will be very pissed off at you, and run and hide under the bed. Good Luck! My cats have never liked being bathed. They have actually scratched the F outta me, and I have permanent scars.