How Can I give my cat a BATH with Water and Shampoo without getting scratched all over my arms & chest?!!?

Question

I could only give him a bath once in a long while because my cat HATES, absolutely HATES the water and the shampoo. He will scratch my arms like I am his worst enemy. I have scars on my arms, my chest, MY FACE because I tried to wash him with water and soap. WHAT could I do to avoid these dreadful scratches? How can I get him to be calm during a bath?

i know BUT SOME cats tolerate it more than the others..

Answer 1

Why are you giving him a bath? Cats are self cleaning..they do not need to be bathed unless they get into something sticky or oily that they cannot handle themselves. Save yourself and your cat a lot of stress and time..by letting your cat clean itself like nature intended.

Answer 2

We have had our cat for 3 yrs and I have used cat shampoo to bathe him twice. You should not bathe then like every week but once a month or even longer is fine. Yes, trim the nails before bath. I put a towel in the tub then ad luke warm water. Just an inch or so. Rub the cats head like you do to calm them during shots etc. with one hand and with the other bathe him quickly then rinse. THe shampoo bottle gives you advice. I have seen wipes at Pet smart also.

Answer 3

This method worked really well for most cats. Fill a bucket with warm water - a bucket big enough for the cat to fit in. Hold the cat by the scruff of the neck and gently place the cat in the bucket rear feet first. Hold the scruff the entire time you are bathing the cat. Have another bucket for rinsing and use the same method. Using the same method in a sink should work too, but the bucket method I have used and works very well. Not all cats will tolerate it, but I found that most do. Good luck.

Answer 4

Bathing a cat dries out their skin. Unless they got into something sticky or smelly, I don't see a reason to bathe any cat.

We have five cats here, one had to get a bath when she was given an enema to unblock her and the stuff got everywhere, so she had to have one just to get cleaned up. I bathed two of our others on their first day home as young cats--they'd been sleeping in the litter boxes at the humane society.

But the last two we added to our group never were bathed--one was so badly injured by a car strike that we didn't want to stress his back and hips, so we just brushed him and let him clean himself up. The other was a stray, barely tame, and would definately have bitten me if I even tried, so his clean up was done by the vet when they had him knocked out cold for his neutering. It took about 3 weeks before he stopped smelling like a stinky dog (he reeked), but he cleaned himself enough to get rid of it all on his own. I still wouldn't dare bathe him, he'd still bite.

Besides, there's no need to put a cat into water unless they smell awful, got into something sticky or were skunk sprayed.

Answer 5

I've had to give my cats baths before when they got outside and got fleas. Before I would let them loose in the house again I would give them flea baths. The best way I have found to do this is to use two people. That way its easier on everyone. You wont get scratched as much and wont put the cat in so much stress. Talk to the cat and try to soothe them down. Pet them and try to keep them calm as poss.

Answer 6

you really shouldnt use human shampoo, its full of chemicals that harms us and certainly will harm a cat
the shampoo may be stinging him as this is not meant for cats
you cant use dog shampoo either as that can actually kill cats
and certainly dont use soap either as it can do the same
damage
unlike you, he licks his fur and tastes the shampoo, soap afterwards, would you like to eat shampoo or soap??

more to the point would you like to be forced by someone stronger and bigger than you to eat it?
no, i doubt youwould
thats considered bullying, and thats what you are doing to the poor cat

i used an soft gentle antibacterial hand wash for my cat when i needed to wash him but i only did this because he was peeing himself in his old age, and he did need our help with it!

but cats clean themselves, their tongue is specially adapted
to picking up dirt and things off their fur and putting it elsewhere, and you may not think this cleans them, but it does, cats are very clean and dont need your help in that area
you shouldnt do that often unless its really needed,

this is why your cat hates it, they know they dont need it, they generally dislike water and you put it in a bath full of the stuff,

its not really fair, would you like it if someone put you up to your neck ina bath of cold beans and started pouring it all over your face etc
no, this is what cats feel about water
and unless its absolutely necessary you shouldnt do it

some cats tolerate it but your cat obviously dosnt

so leave it alone and stop forcing it to because you it want to

if you want a pet to bath you should get a dog

Answer 7

absolutely agree with what Birdgirl said. I worked at a groomers before, and it always confused the crap outta me when people brought their cats in for baths. Only time it ever made sense to me what when they were too overweight to do it themselves, or if they'd gotten into something, or worse, skunked. Cat's clean themselves, and actually washing them isn't good anyway, it gets important oils out of their fur and off their skin, which can cause really bad shedding and I've even seen cats' who just don't grow back that hair very well, if at all.

All in all, letting your cat do what comes natually when it comes to cleaning is the best... saves you from a bit of pain as well :(

Answer 8

Well first of all you should cut his nails so that way he doesn't scratch you again.Have you taken him a bath since he was a kitten. See my cat loves the water and that cat I rescued him from the streets but he likes when I take him a bath he purrs very loud

Answer 9

First off, cats wash themsleves, leave it alone.
Second, if you must wash it, don't bathe it or shower it. Get a bowl of lukewarm water, with some soap in it, and put your hand in it and softly stroke your cat with the wet hand. Then repeat with soapless water to take off the soap.

Answer 10

Baths are very bad, unhealthy and cruel for cats. They dry out their furr, make them eat harsh chemicals, and will cause them to have skin conditions in old age. Only a cruel inhumane person would bathe a cat. You are very mean and deserved to be scratched. I hope he gives you a big scar in the middle of your face to get you to stop abusing him. Cats clean themselves.