Cat BathA cat bath is something that may be necessary from time to time. Nothing makes a cat more depressed than being dirty. When she gets that way, we can help her out by providing a bath for her.
Cats frighten easily. Being stuck in a confined space and having someone loom over her can create such a situation. It is best if a familiar person is giving her the cat bath. This will help to try to keep her relaxed. Be warned, kitty will still try to escape the water so a firm hand may be required to keep her in the water.
Preparing for the Cat BathTry to have everything ready before you introduce kitty to the cat bath. Use only shampoos that are specifically formulated for cats. Make sure there are no coal tar or tea tree oils in the shampoo as they are toxic to kitty. Also do not use canine flea killing shampoo on felines. Use shampoo with cat flee control if she has flees. Products with Derasect can be used safely on cats. Also have a few towels handy to help her dry off.
The ideal place to give kitty her bath is a sink or bowl that is waist high to you. A good example would be the kitchen sink. Placing a rubber mat or a towel in the bottom of the sink gives kitty something to stand on without slipping. Fill the sink with lukewarm water to a depth that would be up to her shoulders.
It's Bath TimePlace kitty into the water facing away from you. This will save you from getting clawed if she tries to get away. Put all 4 feet into the water at the same time. This will settle her down quicker. Place one hand gently but firmly on her shoulder to stop her from escaping. Don’t grasp her at the back of the neck as she will struggle to escape if held there. Try to move slowly and to talk softly to try to keep her calm while bathing.With the other hand, wet her down and apply shampoo. Wash her ears and face later. Rinse the shampoo with a rubber spray hose or glasses of lukewarm water. Make sure that all the shampoo is rinsed out as even a small amount will cause her to froth from the mouth when she cleans herself later.
Wrap her up securely in a towel and move her to a draft free room. Let the towel absorb as much of the excess water as possible. Remember to keep talking gently to her to try to keep her calm.
Drying KittyIf it is a warm day, let her dry normally. Make sure that all the windows are closed until she is completely dried. This way you avoid drafts as drafts can be bad for a wet cat. On a cool day, you could turn up the thermostat to speed up the drying. If kitty is not a show cat, you could try to use a blow dryer to dry her.
If your kitty has medium or long hair, self drying is not suitable. It is best to comb her fur as she dries to make sure that there are no tangles. Again if she is not a show cat, and she will allow it, a blow dryer can be used. If kitty won’t stay put while you are blow drying and combing her, you may need to have someone else hold her while you do the drying. An alternate solution is to make some sort of stand to hold the blow dryer while you are combing her.
A Dry Cat BathA dry bath may be more suitable to use with kitty. Ideally dry baths should be used instead of a wet bath if kitty has an infection or if the weather is cold. Use a dry shampoo made specifically for cats. Sprinkle the powder on to her coat and then brush it off thoroughly. Use a towel to remove any excess powder. If you don’t get all the excess powder, it may end up irritating her.Leave Cat Bath and return to Cat Care |