Tips for Bathing Your Cat, How to Bathe Your Cat and Live to Tell About It

Cats in general do not need to be bathed. But there will inevitably be times that your pet cat will need some help with a bath. Bathing a cat can be a fearful thing, but with these helpful tips, you are sure to survive giving your pet cat a bath.

Mother cats teach their kittens early on to bathe and clean themselves. Cats primp and groom themselves throughout the day, keeping their coats clean. It’s rare that a cat owner will need to bathe their cat. But circumstances might arise that call for bathing, such as sickness or fleas, getting dirty from being outside, skin irritations, etc.

Most cats will naturally heavily resist a bath and getting into water. This is where the battle of wills from the cat owner and cat meets the need for the cat owner to survive and keep their body intact. Being prepared ahead of time will help both you and your cat to live over the bathing process.

Decide where you will bathe your cat. Ideally, you will want to use the bathroom because it’s a small area and you can close the door to prevent the cat from escaping as you seek to bathe it. The kitchen sink is not a good idea unless it has doors that you close to keep the cat in the room.

Run the water into the sink or tub ahead of time, making sure the water is nice and warm. Putting a cat into cold water will not be a good thing, and neither do you want to put the cat into water that’s too hot. Test the water as soon as you run it, making sure it’s a comfy temperature for your pet cat. If you use the kitchen sink, remember that it will be somewhat slippery on the bottom and it might be more difficult to hold the cat. A cat that’s sliding all over the sink will be more difficult to bathe. Consider putting a folded towel in the bottom of the sink to help prevent sliding.

Get all of the supplies that you will need and have them within arms reach of where you will bathe the cat. You will need a towel, pet or baby shampoo, and something to rinse the cat with such as a cup or bowl. If you have a long haired cat and the hair is matted, you might wish to snip the matted areas away before beginning to bathe the cat.

When you have all the cat bathing supplies ready and the water is run, take the cat to the room where you will do the bathing and close the door behind you. You might need a protective towel around your hands and arms to prevent the cat from scratching you to pieces.

Ease the cat into the water. It’s normal that your pet cat will most likely begin to freak out and fight to stay out of the water. Stay calm and continue to slowly ease the cat into the water. While there are some cats that love the water, most do not like being in the water whatsoever, and the cat will struggle to stay out of the bath water.

Once the cat is in the water, gently but firmly hold the cat in place and begin wetting the cat in preparation for the pet shampoo or baby shampoo. If the cat is still struggling, resist the urge to raise your voice at the cat. Talk sweetly and calmly to the cat as you continue to hold it with one hand and wet it with the cup or bowl.

Apply the shampoo quickly and work it into the cat’s fur. Use only a little as the cat’s body is small and doesn’t need a great amount of shampoo. Start with the cat’s head and work your way down the cat’s body. Work fast as you massage the shampoo in. If you are using any type of shampoo other than baby shampoo, be careful not to get the shampoo into the cat’s eyes as this will cause a burning sensation. And it won’t help you in holding the cat in place.

You will very likely be getting wet right about now while holding a cat that is probably freaking out at the idea that you had the nerve to put it into the water. Then again, the cat might be just sitting there nicely, enjoying the pampering. Continue to talk in a sweet and calm voice to the cat as you bathe it.

After you have the shampoo worked into the cat’s fur, use the bowl or cup and rinse the cat as fast as possible. Be sure to rinse the fur well. Leaving any residue shampoo will likely cause the cat’s skin to become irritated, and that would mean a repeat bath in a short period of time. Gently flip the cat over and rinse the underneath well, holding the cat in a gentle but firm grip.

Now that the cat is bathed, gently lift the cat out of the water and wrap it in the waiting towel. Cuddle the cat, telling the cat what a great job it did by getting a bath and remaining in the water as you bathed it. Be aware that some cats will take revenge on the cat owner who bathed it by leaving a nice deposit in a place that it normally would not.

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