How to give a cat a bath without ending like a human version of a shredded piece of paper?

Question

my cat is starting smell and i want to give him a bath without getting hurt and also its a siamese cat

Answer 1

Hi Andreu...consider using baby wipes to help give your cat a stress-free bath. This is not only safe for your cat, but also kinder to him as well.

Answer 2

I gave my six month old kitty a bath this past weekend and she was ok for the most part. I looked up some tips online and followed them. I talked to her a lot during the whole process and used cat specific shampoo. I had a harder time trying to dry her off! I want to get her in the habit of bathing because even though cats clean themselves they do so with their own saliva and I had read that bathing a cat can lessen the potential for human allergies.

Answer 3

1st ONLY USE shampoo made for CATS (human or other pet shampoos can contain irratants or can be toxic) I have had to bathe way too many cats in my days working in pet shops here is the secret. WINDOW SCREENS! Put a window screen (an old or used on not on you are gonna put back in the window) in the bottom of the tub BEFORE you turn on the water, put said cat ON the screen, then turn on the water (use the shower head not the tub faucet) the shock of the sudden blast of water should startle him that should make his claws automatically come out at wich point they "should" get caught on the screen (hence making ripping up you and your flesh less possible as he is kinda stuck to the screen) It worked about 80% of the time The only other method that works is to use 2 people one holds one washes. The trick here is the person holding the cat should hold him by the scruff of the neck as to avoid the razor sharp claws. Other tips: wrap yor hands in a towel or large washcloth let that take the brunt of the attack not your flesh Wash Quickly! don't delay get him wet, lather (this is the dangerous part), rinse, towel dry. then run and hide as he should be pissed at you for awhile (lol) Test your water temp before you even bring kitty in the bathroom (too hot or too cold may make his reaction worse) and turning on the water while he is there but before he is ready to get wet may incite an escape response making the washing all the more difficult Once they are wet and being scrubbed they tend to either fight 100% to escape or relent and let you do your thing BUT they look at you like "oh you wait You got me now but I know where you sleep"

Answer 4

Having *tried* to bathe kitties when the poor things were infested with fleas, I'm not so sure you can- unless you have some kind of harness you can use to hold them while you wash them.

I do agree that an infection is likely, or maybe even dental problems. Take your cat to the vet and get those ruled out.

Good luck!

Answer 5

WHY put yourself through any aggravation?? To bathe a cat like that would be like trying to wash a wild animal

Cats do not normally need to be bathed- at least in my experience.

My guess is that the smell is coming from an infection in his ear(s) and he probably needs some drops from a vet

The vet would be your best bet Good luck.

Answer 6

You really have to start when they're kittens or they won't adapt properly.

They make wipes for cats that are like giving them a bath.

They also make gloves you can wear to keep from getting scratched if you still want to try to give it a bath.

Depending on how strong and big they are you might need 2 people.

I used to be able to bathe our oldest all on my own. She hasn't gotten too big but she's so strong that's it's impossible now.

One of us can bathe the younger of the two and he's rapidly growing larger than the first, but doesn't put up much of a fight [he actually likes water, but doesn't like baths].

http://www.petco.com/product/13356/Petkin-Pet-Wipes.aspx
http://www.entirelypets.com/catwipes.html

Answer 7

lol my mom filled up the bath tub and we had a glass shower door so she shut it all the way. she put on her bathing suit and climbed in with the cat and bathed all four of them one by one. lol. They were so scared that they did not move barely at all.. Just watch their eyes and ears. I would not put any soap close to their face. make sur you have cat soap and not regular human soap. As soon as they are done ( they look like drowned rats.. it was cute. lol ) wrap them up in a warm towel and dry them asap.

Answer 8

Read this web page. You'll be a cat bathing guru in no time! Good luck.

Answer 9

That's funny. When you figure it out, please let the rest of us know. Otherwise, throw some vinegar on the cat--will take away some of the smell. Maybe the vet as well? Never heard of a stinky cat except on Friends.

Answer 10

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/3456/hp_cat.html

Go to this site. It is a humourous look on the way to bathe a cat.

I only had to bathe my cat when she really needed it.. She cleaned herself really well and didn't smell. But when she did which was rare, we cleaned her.