What You Need to Know About Bathing Your Cat
Bathing your cat can be one of the hardest tasks you will ever have to do. Before you get out the welding gloves check our simple tips for bathing your cat.
Cats are probably one of the cleanest pets out there; after all, they spend up to 50% of their waking hours grooming themselves. So why would you want to remove the scent they spent so patiently licking onto their fur?! Most people will not feel the need to wash their cats. There are however a few circumstances when a cat needs a helping hand.
These can be a result of:
- Contact with oil or toxic substances
- Illness causing diarrhoea
- Overweight cats that can’t clean themselves properly
- Aged cats with arthritis
- Chronic illness
Hairless Cats
If you are the proud owner of a hairless cat then you will be aware of the need to bath your precious feline. Choose chemical-free natural products where possible and remember to dry well between the folds of the skin.
If your cat needs a bath remember human and dog shampoo are not suitable for cats. Some products can actually be toxic so always use a shampoo that is safe to use on cats.
Let’s have a look at some tips which help when bathing your cat
Before getting your cat wet if possible brush its fur thoroughly. Make sure you wear old clothes and you need to expect to get wet! Remove all loose objects from your bathroom and make sure window blinds and shower curtains are pulled up out of the way.
Create a calm and stress-free environment. Most cats do not like to be bathed and they can be frightened. Keep calm, don’t shout at your cat even if it bites or scratches you. Give lots of praise and be willing to stop if your cat is too frightened. If this is the case consider taking your cat to your veterinarian or local cat groomer.
Try and enrol someone to help you if you can, even if it’s just to pass items to you.
Make sure the bathroom is warm and the door is closed or you may end up with a wet cat running amok around your home!
Line your bath or sink with a non-slip mat, cats naturally like to grip and this will help them to feel safe. If you don’t have a non-slip bath mat you could always use an old towel.
A few inches of water should be enough, don’t overfill the bath so your cat feels threatened. Once you’ve gently placed your cat in use your hand to gently wet the cats fur. Never wet your cats head or ears they will not appreciate it at all!
Apply a small amount of cat shampoo and massage in gently then use your hand or a small cup to rinse all of the shampoo out. Once you’ve finished this process we recommend wrapping in a towel to dry.
On a Final Note
Be warned, after a soaking, your cat will enjoy shaking off the excess water with some vigour. Probably in the hope they can drench you as a way of thanks! Finish the drying process in a warm room and don’t let them out until they are completely dry.
Reward your cat with lots of kind words, hugs and kisses. Or if like my cats they don’t like hugs and kisses, food is the best reward for them to forgive you. Which can sometimes take a few weeks or months!!!
Always remember; if at any point, your cat completely freaks out, just stop what you are doing and call a professional. Some cats enjoy a bath others will seriously object.
If you’re looking to help your cat enjoy a long, healthy happy life browse our ethical pet shop for wonderful products they will love.
About Snooty Catz
Are you new to Snooty Catz? We are a small UK independent business that loves to live ethically for both ourselves and our pets. This is why we stock a fabulous range of natural wellbeing products for both people and their pets. As well as ethically sourced homewares and eco gifts.
Snooty Catz is an ethical business, and deeply cares about the environment. So each order is sent in eco-friendly, plastic free packaging. We have also partnered with Ecologi and will plant one tree for every order placed. There’s a lot of good happening over here!
Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous day!
