Cat Bathing Cats naturally see to many of their hair care needs by licking themselves. Outdoor cats will require more frequent baths compared to an indoor cat. What is their coat length and type? Naturally, longer coats need more upkeep. However, a hairless cat will still need a bath every now and then. How active are they? An active cat will need more regular cleaning.
Do they have any health issues like ticks, fleas, or other cat skin problems? Your kitty may also need more baths if they suffer from cat skin allergies. Before you get them anywhere near water, you should try to bring down their energy levels with a play session. Allow your cat to tire itself out.
Brush your cat — Regularly brushing your cat is one of the most important ways you can help them with their grooming. Cats can sure be adventurous at times. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as it is instinctual! However, it may not be long before they get themselves into a sticky situation.
Some of the most common are:. A bath can wash away a more superficial visit from these pests, but if they are starting to really dig in especially if they seem engorged in your pet , a visit to the vet is best, as special shampoo, removal, or medicine may be necessary.
There are still, however, other reasons not to overlook bathing a cat when it comes to more specialized areas of caring for pets — sometimes it depends on the cat more than the obvious situational or event-based needs. Here are some cases where bathing becomes necessary:. When your cat is a special case and needs help to effectively keep up with all the necessary grooming — due to health issues or even due to hair and skin type — we encourage you to use our guide below in your mission to keep your cat healthy and happy.
However, being prepared with all the key supplies will help to give you a leg up and make the process easier:. Now you have your supplies but you may still be wondering: how in the world does one go about facilitating the bath? Who would have thought? Just take care of your movements and make sure to get a read on how your cat is feeling so you know what he or she is comfortable with or when the cat has simply had enough. Bathing a cat is not the only grooming to consider, though, when caring for pets.
Grooming a cat can and should involve other categories, such as nail care, cleaning of the inner ears, brushing of the coat, dental hygiene, healthy paw pads, and more. We suggest looking online and comparing prices. Some veterinarians will also offer these services, but that can sometimes be a bit on the pricier end since they are also medical professionals. And, sometimes, absolutely necessary. When it comes to their overall health, cat owners will do just about anything for their pets.
If you can manage to keep them calm though, make slow, calculated movements, and pay attention to their needs and feelings, it can go surprisingly smoothly.
As always, feel free to contact us with any questions about caring for pets, as there are so many different things that can go into it! It also offers an opportunity to teach your cat that being handled even in unexpected ways won't hurt them. Cats will need to be touched by the vet, handled by vet techs, or cared for by house sitters and guests. Making the bath a pleasant experience helps cats "generalize" the event to future similar situations. Positive experiences with prior baths are especially beneficial if you ever find yourself having to give your cat medicated baths as part of a treatment plan for skin diseases like ringworm or if your cat gets into something particularly nasty.
Some fastidious shorthaired cats may rarely if ever need a bath, while cats with longer hair often need a little more help with hygiene. Bathing too often can dry the skin, so try to avoid anything more frequent than every weeks or so. Kittens accept baths most readily so start as soon as you adopt one, as long as it's at least 4 weeks old.
Elderly cats or extremely ill cats are not as adaptable to environmental changes even when temporary. They may be stressed by bathing so follow your veterinarian's recommendation in these instances. For routine cleaning, you only need a few supplies, including:. Human shampoo including those designed for babies or dog products can be too harsh and dry the cat's skin, and in some case may be toxic. Before getting your cat wet, brush its fur thoroughly.
As for you, wear old clothes and expect to get wet. The bath area should be warm and draft free. The bathtub will do, but you may be more comfortable if you can bathe your cat in a waist-high sink. Move all breakables out of reach and push drapes or shower curtains out of the way. Avoid anything strong scents, scary objects, mirrors that potentially frighten cats, so the bath is as pleasant as possible. Assemble your shampoo, several towels, and a washcloth near the sink or tub, and run warm water before you bring in the cat.
The cat bath temperature should be around body temperature, in other words pretty warm but not so hot that it's uncomfortable. Place a towel or rubber mat in the bottom of the tub or sink. Cats hate the insecure footing of slippery surfaces and this will make it less stressful.
Or, try standing the cat on a plastic milk crate so your cat can grip it with its paws. This also allows you to more easily wash the cat from both above and below. Close the door to the bathing area, or you risk having a soapy cat escape. For small cats or kittens , use the double sink in the kitchen, two or more large roasting pans, or a couple of buckets or wastebaskets set in the bathtub.
Fill each with warm water, then gently lower your cat one hand supporting its bottom, the other beneath the chest into the first container to get it wet.
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