What's the best way to bathe a nervous cat?

Question

Currently we wear lots of protective gear, lather him up while he's dry then rinse him. Rinsing is the toughest since he goes nuts. I hear that there's a special bathing 'cage' for cats?

Answer 1

Unless the cat has been rolling in dirt, he doesn't need a bath.

Answer 2

Don't do it. Unless the cat stinks and rolled in s**t, most cats don't need or want a bath. they do that themselves. Why do you think the cat needs a bath? If he goes nuts and is nervous leave him alone. They sell cat wipes or dry shampoo, why not try that or any alternative. Once only did I try giving my cat a bath, He tore me up one side and down the other! Well actually there was another time but he was sedated, and I did that only because it was so necessary. I took him with me on a 7 hour trip on a commercial airline. My vet gave me a pill to calm him for the trip. After we landed and got in the car. I took him out of his carrier and hugged him for being so good. OMG did he ever stink and so did I. He had peed all over himself. I kept wondering what that horrible smell was on the plane, thought it was the man sitting next to me! It wasn't too bad cleaning him up. Did it right at the airport in the restroom.

Answer 3

It isn't necessary to bathe cats unless they get unusually filthy or you need to treat or control fleas, treat a skin condition, or remove a dangerous mess from your cat's fur.

If you must bathe your cat, fill the sink or tub PRIOR to bathing. Also, trim the cat's claws or use claw caps (such as "soft paws"). And have all of your supplies ready.
It always helps to put something in the sink or tub that kitty can "claw" onto, such as a coke crate.
Do NOT run the water in the presence of the cat, and try to limit the sound of dripping as much as possible.
Make sure the water isn't too hot or too cold. The water should feel "comfortable" to your hands.
Bathing a cat can be a two-person job (one person to restrain and the other to bathe). But it's possible to do it yourself.
However, it's a good idea to practice restraining the cat BEFORE bathing. Grasp your cat firmly (but gently) at the base of the neck or on the scruff. Press down slightly, and see how well you can reach the various parts of your cat's body with the other hand. Try to figure out when/how you'll have to change grips during the bath. Get your bathing routine down before putting kitty in the tub or sink, or else he will probably make a run for it when you least expect it.
If your cat is particularly troublesome, you may need to muzzle him to avoid being bitten.
Wet down your cat, starting with the head and moving down to the tail. Apply the shampoo the same way, and lather then rince thoroughly. Remember, some medicated shampoos require 5 to 15 minutes before rinsing in order to be effective... So be sure to read the instructions. Thorough rinsing is extremely important, as leftover soap residue can irritate kitty's skin or be swallowed when he licks his fur. Rinsing also gets rid of fleas and other parasites that aren't killed by the bath.
Gently squeeze excess water out of kitty's fur and then dry him with a big fluffy towel.
Some cats are impossible to bathe while they're conscious. In that case you would need to take kitty to the vet to be sedated by the vet and bathed by a professional groomer or one of the vet techs.
If you are squeamish, inexperienced, or uncertain, it would be a good idea to let a vet or professional groomer do it regardless.

Yes, there is a "bathing cage" for cats. There are also other types of bathing restraints.

Answer 4

I think a blanket bath might be better for him. Otherwise the more you stress him the more nervous he'll get and he'll start to really distrust you.

Cats don't need regular bathing anyway, unless they get themselves in a real mess with mud or something. They're naturally very clean and fastidious animals. Don't put him under undue stress unless it's absolutely necessary.

Answer 5

Understand that this is a very unpleasant experience for your cat- and restraining him with a cage is only going to frighten him and make him even more crazy. I suggest an alternative way to bathe him- instead of putting him in water and washing with your hands, you can use a washcloth. My cat actually enjoys it because the warm, damp washcloth feels like a rough cat's tongue- like being groomed by a friend. Here's how it works:

1. wet a washcloth (not soaking, but wet) with warm water
2. rub his body with the washcloth in the way cats groom each other until he is damp- this may take some getting used to.
3. Use a cat bathing foam that is available at some pet stores- its foamy and doesnt get all goopy, and it's light.
4. Finish by using the wet, warm washcloth again until he is clean. After you get most of the excess water out of his coat, let him lick himself dry by a sunny window.

Answer 6

I would not do this to the poor cat. You are only making this cat more nervous!
There are dry shampoos that you can buy. That would be much easier for the cat and You.
Plus cats do not need baths that often. Cats will give themselves baths. You will dry your cats skin out!!!
I only gave my 18 year old cat a bath no more than 2 times its whole life !! It did not smell either. He was a house cat.

Answer 7

Why in the world are you bathing a cat? That's why it is nervous. You can harm a cat by bathing it, by stripping it of its oil and making it have skin issues, and also by introducing all those chemicals. Cats do well when groomed with a brush, but please don't torture it so you can bathe the poor thing.

Answer 8

The rinsing part is probably scary. My cat is afraid of the faucet and the spray shower head. I usually just put an inch or so of warm water in the tub and let her stand in it. I use a cup to scoop the water on to her back until her fur is wet and then put a bit of cat shampoo on my hand and lather her up. Then rinse her off with the cup. It has to be very quiet and I have to be very gentle so she doesn't get scared. We have to keep the water away from her head. Sometimes I put my arm behind her front legs and lift up a little so she can't get enough leverage to jump out. I try to get the whole process over with as soon as possible.

Usually we have no problems and she runs around like a maniac after she dries off a bit. This method even worked on our old cat who was afraid of everything and had a tendency to bite me whenever he felt like it. We don't do the bath unless she gets into something or has a lot of loose fur getting on things. Brushing her fur usually works well and she likes it.

Answer 9

Whenever 1 of our rats get funky, I give him or her a kind of shower. Get everything together before starting, then test the water for the right temperature & pressure. We use organic baby shampoo but you can use non-medicated kitten shampoo or even plain water. When everything is ready, I take the dirty rodent firmly in my left hand so he's kinda standing on it. Speaking cheerfully the entire time, I work quickly & don't go any higher than the shoulders (usually lower than that, depending on how dirty the little guy is). Rinse really, really well, then when you're positive there's no soap left, rinse 1 more time for luck. Now it's towel & treat time. Be warned that most rats will shake the excess water off like a tiny dog & you *will* get wet.

Answer 10

Do you really need to bathe him at all? Unless you're allergic or the cat has gotten into something very dirty, bathing really isn't necessary.

If you must bathe him because he's dirty or you're allergic:
Are you using running water to rinse him, or trying to stand him in water to rinse him? The noise of running water is often more scary to cats than the water itself, and cats don't like to have to stand in water or be dipped in water either. Fill a large pan or one side of the sink with warm water before beginning the cat's bath. Put a rubber dish mat in the empty side of the sink where you'll be bathing the cat, to give him a secure footing to stand on. Have plenty of clean towels close by. Use a cup to dip water from the full side of the sink, and pour it gently over the cat as you reassure him quietly. Don't get water in his ears or eyes. Lather him up using only a shampoo designed for cats (dog shampoos sometimes contain ingredients that can make a cat sick), and use as little shampoo as possible. Avoid getting shampoo near his face & ears. You can clean his face & ears later with a damp washcloth & plain water. If you must use a medicated shampoo from the vet on his ears or face, you can protect his eyes beforehand by putting a bit of plain vaseline or cat eye ointment from the vet over his closed eyes before the bath. You can put a cotton ball in each ear to prevent soap from getting inside his ears. But generally it's best to avoid bathing the face/ears. Rinse thoroughly with the cup, trying to minimize the sound of splashing water. Wrap in warm clean towels and rub dry, then give him a nice dry towel to lay on in a warm spot to finish drying off.