Cat bathing is an important part of your pet grooming routine. This is essential in caring for your cat’s coat, good look and healthy body. The event of cat bathing may be rather scaring and distressing both for you and your pet. Sometimes it may turn into a total mess as cats usually hate being bathed. Moreover, cats are known as perfect self-groomers. They clean their coat by licking it for many times a day. Together with dirt they swallow a lot of dead hair and everything that might get stuck to the fur. This can be any debris, greasy substances or even toxins. Loose hair gets inside the cat’s stomach and clumps. This leads to forming hairballs – another unpleasant effect for the cat’s health. Occasional cat bathing reduces the risk of such problems.
If you feel unsure to cope with a cat bathing task alone, get some extra help. Cat bathing is often a two-person business to ensure more safety and less injuring. In any case the key words are patience, tenderness and persistence. Even if water scares your cat out of her wits, there are always alternative ways to make her coat clean and well-groomed.
Look at the following steps which will ease the process of cat bathing for you.
- It’s a good idea to start your cat bathing procedure with some preparatory work. Cat hair brushing is the major one. Your pet’s coat may contain lots of tufts and tangles. Once they get wet, the hair will become a horrible mess. So, a thorough brushing or combing will get you halfway through the successful cat bathing. Take a good brush and make sure your cat’s fur is mat free.
- Take care of your clothing. The risk of being scratched during a cat bathing process is rather high. You’d better find some old clothes which will cover most of the body. To protect your hands you can put on long-sleeved gloves.
- The best place for bathing your cat is your bathroom. You can always shut the door to prevent the cat from escaping in the mid-bath and making a mess of your house. Make sure to steam up your bathroom before cat bathing. Cats, especially wet, are very sensitive to slight changes in temperature. Warm air and almost hot water will make them feel more comfortable during cat bathing procedure.
- As a preventative measure you can put a few drops of non-medicated eye solution in each eye. This will prevent soapy water from getting into your cat’s eyes. The same with the ears. Place soft cotton balls into the ear canals. Do not forget to remove them after cat bathing and dry the ears.
- Cats and dogs may easily get stuck in different substances. If you notice any greasy or sticky material on your pet’s fur, it’s important to get rid of it before cat bathing. Never use a commercial detergent or solvent. The chemicals and toxins can greatly damage your cat’s coat and skin. Try a runny edible oil such as vegetable oil, softened butter or bacon grease. Gently massage it into the affected area until any stains disappear.
- Make sure your cat’s nails are all trimmed. This will reduce scratches on you or your belongings at a cat bathing time.
- Time to get down to business. Fill the tub or sink with water up to 4-5 inches deep. The water should be almost hot. The temperature of the cat’s body is a few degrees above that of a human. What seems warm enough for us may seem tepid for cats. Place a non-skid material on the bottom of the tub to provide a safe footing to your cat. Before cat bathing make sure to have a wash cloth, a couple of towels and a shampoo at hand.
- Put the cat into the tub. Be gentle and patient. This stage of cat bathing is considered the most difficult. Your cat may try to break away, scratching you or injuring herself. To avoid this, try to get her used to cat bathing routine beforehand. Attract your pet to a bathroom with her favorite toys. Play with the cat only when she is in a tub. This may take a week or more. Praise your dear kitty and give her best treats. The result won’t keep you waiting and cat bathing will no longer fright your pet.
- Once the cat’s coat is wetted, proceed with lathering. Apply a small amount of pet shampoo. Do not use human shampoos on your cat. They may be toxic and harmful for them. Soap your cat from the neck down the back to belly, legs and tail. Using a wash cloth wipe facial wrinkles avoiding eyes, nose, mouth and ears.
- Rinse your cat thoroughly with the water in the tub. You can use a plastic pitcher or a detached spray nozzle. In any case do not pour water directly on the cat’s head. Then drain the tub and refill it with warm water from the tap. Rinse two more times until the water from your cat’s coat is soap free. It’s essential not to leave any soapy residue on the pet’s coat during cat bathing. This may lead to skin irritation and allergies.
- Squeeze all the excess water from the cat’s hair. Wrap your pet in a large soft towel. You may need to proceed with another dry towel until the cat is just damp. They say cats like sitting near the source of heat. Cats with short hair can easily dry themselves near a heater or warm air vent. Make sure to keep your pet away from drafts. Cats may easily catch pneumonia. You do not want your cat bathing to turn into a sad and unhealthy experience. For long haired cats use a pet dryer.
- After the cat bathing routine is over, make sure to remove the cotton balls from the pet’s ears and give your cat a thorough brush.
As you can see, cat bathing is not only helpful for aesthetic purposes. Beside a nice appearance it provides a solid care for your pet’s health. But make sure to wash your cat only when she is really dirty. This will deprive you both of at times challenging cat bathing procedure. You can always apply to your veterinarian. She will show you how to wash a cat and provide you with some basic pet care tips. During cat bathing always reward your kitty for behaving herself. Be gentle and caring. Turn the event of cat bathing into something worth waiting for.
{ 15 trackbacks }