does anybody give there cat a bath?

Question

my kitty pebblez is my life, i love her to death, but she is a pain in the a** when it comes to a bath. its as if she is being tortured when she is even exposed to water. so then i bought here those stupid waterless shampoo sprays, and then i thought about her licking her fur and licking that stuff and how toxic it may be. so, i know cats give themselves showers, but i want her to be washed from time to time. any suggestions??

Answer 1

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.


About restraining a cat during bathing:
http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/clientED/cat_restraint.asp

Some bathing restraints:
http://futurepet.com/cgi-bin/SEARCH.exe?CTLFIND=200.518
http://www.jefferspet.com/ssc/products.asp?CID=0&area=cat&dept_id=678
http://www.petedge.com/sdx/H16797.jsp
http://www.thefind.com/main/query.php?query=bath+restraint

I can't find a link to the "bathing cage".
Doctors Foster and Smith might carry it.

Answer 2

I show cats and they need to be bathed before every show. I've never had a cat that liked it. Since we bathe them from the time they're kittens, some will tolerate it, but most hate it. We make certain we clip their claws first and groom them well to remove loose hair. The kitchen sink is the bathtub of choice for kitty because we can use the spray to rinse and it's easier on the back. We found that we need to make sure everything is off the counter and the window shade is up.

I've also had pet cats that have never had a bath. They never stink and always look clean and well-groomed. Then again, there is always the slob cat that doesn't care how messy he gets and fat cats can't clean everywhere because they can't reach it.

You're right to not use anything that stays on the fur. Use a shampoo designed especially for cats and dilute it half with water so it will be easier to use and rinse out. When you think you have all the shampoo rinsed out, rinse again. Then afterwards you can towel the cat as dry as possible and give a couple of treats so it isn't a total loss for the cat.

While the entire bath process is taking place, be sure to talk soothingly to the cat. If you swear at the cat, it will swear back at you in it's own way, which usually includes teeth, claws and lots of yowling.

Answer 3

We had a cat while I was growing up, and we used to always bathe her. For a while there, I think we used something from the vet's office, but then my mother heard that you can use Johnson & Johnson's baby shampoo on just about any pet you own that has fur. So...that's what we used.

As for how we bathed her... as far as I can remember, she loved the water! I have a neighbor that has a cat that loves the water as well.

If I were you, I would put on rubber gloves when you are doing this. It will help with those smaller scraped and cuts that cats tend to deliver. You could also try holding her by the scruff of her neck. Not too hard...don't want to her hurt. And there's nothing wrong with what you named her. Don't listen to what other people say about the choice of name. It's cute.

Answer 4

I bath two of my indoor cats who DO need it, they are long haired cats and they can get poopy back ends. It also helps when they are shedding more at times, as it gets their molting done faster. You just don't want to get their heads wet, and watch for water in the ears. It is not dangerous or bad to bath a cat, but with some it is hardly worth the bother or scratches you get. Breeders show their cats and bath them all the time, so it can't be bad for them or they would not do it. People with allergies also find a monthly bath helpful for them.

My younger two cats are both very good in the tub. One took a while to be good, as I got her at five years old, but I went slow, first just getting her used to being in a dry tub, then only wetting her feet, ect until she was ok with it.

My oldest cat used to get bathed about twice a year, but as she is quite old now she gives me too much trouble to bother anymore. She just one day said NO MORE, so I respected her decision! She is a short haired cat, so not much point since she hates it now. If yours is not liking it and she is short haired and always indoors, I would just give up on full baths IMHO. I now just use a warm damp wash cloth to wipe her down periodically, and that seems sufficient. My oldest does not mind it at all, and I do it like I am petting her. Her fur seems more soft and shiny after I do it.

Answer 5

I lay a towel down next to the kitchen sink and put my cat on it laying down. I pet him for awhile and get him relaxed and purring. (during this time I have the water running) If your cat doesn't even like being around running water I suggest just doing this a couple times a week to get her used to being around the water without being given a bath.

Then I put whatever body part I need washed near the sink and use the spray nozzle (warm and very very soft) to soak the area. My cat often gets infections so I need to only clean small areas of his skin. Sometimes it helps to have an extra person petting the cat and talking to it while you use both hands.

If your cat freaks out then STOP! This will only make the next bathing session just as hard. Work with your cat on getting used to running water first and sitting next to the sink while its being pet. Dont force anything. It also helps to put them on the ground when you're done, and then leave them alone. By putting them down yourself, they know that that's when you're done.

BTW, you shouldn't have to bathe your cat. Only if motor oil or such things get on their fur, even then, spot clean if you can. Any soaps will be bad for them.

Answer 6

Actually you spell perfectly, but you could use an apostrophe- it should be "anybody's cat". Anyway, yes they often do things like this- mine will sit on the edge of the sink and beg for me to turn on the water for them. Cats really like fresh water, so I try to change their water bowls twice a day,in the morning and then before bed. I use the old water for the plants. For a special treat I bring in a bowl of snow, the Siamese plays with it until it melts and then the others drink it.

Answer 7

Well, the shampoo spray -- is it meant for cats? If it is, it is most likely non-toxic for the cat's sake. If it says toxic on the container, then, yeah, don't use it. But I'm pretty sure that it would be safe. I don't really bathe cats. My one cat smells SO good after she licks herself. She smells good all of the time actually. I don't know how.. Anyway, good luck, I hope that you find the answer that you were searching for!

Answer 8

Though cats in general do not like water, when I've bathed mine, I put a towel on the bottom of the tub so that they feel stable and can find purchase rather than slipping and sliding on porcelain. This seems to calm them a bit and they tolerate a bath much better.

If you feel you must bath her, make it an occassional one. Kitty's skin will begin to suffer otherwise.

Answer 9

Cats generally hate water. However, bathing is advisable to keep kitty clean and smelling good. Do not prolong bath time unnecessarily, be quick and use warm water (not hot - you wouldn't want to scald it), quick thorough shampoo, then rinse, towel dry and blow dry. Keeping kitty dry and warm will prevent it from catching cold. Cats are generally clean and do not require frequent bathing. Good Luck !

Answer 10

If your kitty is small enough, hold her in one hand and soap/rinse with the other. Don't let paws touch anything she might be able to push off of, kitty will use the grip to get away.
The only cat I ever had who was ok with a bath had brain damage too, so it's normal for kitty to act like you're trying to kill her. You don't need to bathe them very often, my oldest kitty knows better than to play in the toilet water, so he doesn't get baths anymore, but the baby plays wherever she wants, so she gets bathes pretty frequently.
good luck!