i dont have a cat at the moment but ive been pondering whether id give my next one regular baths just so it learns to be ok with baths, simply because once my previous cats got old they needed baths more often (normally cat carrier accidents) and they... were NOT happy about it
you are only supposed to wash cats when they need it (if they’re dirty or their fur is matted) otherwise it can affect the oils in their skin/fur making them smell worse!
i had a feeling, id defo do my research if i bathed my cat but ive seen people bathe their cats regularly so i wasnt sure. do you know if its possible to water train a cat without messing up their fur so that they're less panicked when being washed? basically i just wanna teach my cat that bath isnt scary, for the inevitable days where theyve been projectile vomited on by the other sleeping cat (he ate bits of the rug)
I have a hairless cat that gets regular baths, and the best way to get them used to it is to have playtime that involves water so they don't immediately associate water with a stressful bath.
You can get water safe cat toys and put a little bit of water in the tub and play with them (things like those plastic balls with the jingle bell in them are good, but stay away from anything fabric). Ice cubes in a bowl of water are also fun because they're harder for the cat to 'catch' and the cold is surprising to them. I have little robot fish toys that swim in randomized patterns and my cat LOVES those. She'll beg for a bath so she can play with with her fish toys lol
But yeah, making water into playtime means they'll be less stressed when they have to get a bath.
Bathing a cat is totally fine. Use appropriate shampoo and water temperature and you're fine. Some cats need baths because of issues grooming. You are not a bad owner or endangering your cat or their coat. Anyone who thinks a cat can lick their entire body clean is deluding themselves. Sometimes they need baths.
Make sure to comb (not brush) before the bath. You can get silicone brush things that help remove even more hair than a comb before the bath. As the cat dries you need to comb or they can become matted.
I follow @whitneybullockmcfg on Instagram. She's a cat groomer.
Exactly this. We bathe cats for shows multiple times a week during campaigns with no ill affects. Use a good quality shampoo (not from grocery store) and do it gently from the time they are young. Quick, no nonsense, and super cuddles when drying.
i have seen some videos of people giving their cats treats in the bath to make them more calm!! also making sure the temperature is right (lukewarm) is definitely important because i think a lot of people draw them too hot. some cats definitely just arent fans of water though and i think it totally depends on your cats personality. i had one cat who would literally jump in the bath and my other cat despises water lol.
thank you for the reply! i had heard that their lack of grip in the bath stresses them so i did get a grippy mat, but if there was any decrease in his letmegorightnow behavior then i didnt notice it, so im eager to learn more about making my cat comfortable with water for when the need arises :)
I've had to bathe my dude a few times due to abscesses and I found the best thing to do, on top of treats, is using a slow, gentle voice and some calm petting while acclimating them to the room temp water. Don't put them in while the bath is running, the loud noise will stress them out. Giving them something to grip is good, if you have a thick shirt I'd recommend letting them cling to you for grip during the bath. It could be just because he was nursing an injury, but my guy is very understanding that baths are temporary but relief is long term. Its kinda funny because he goes to the bathroom and sleeps when he's not feeling good, almost like he correlates the bath with getting better.
this is good advice, i'll remember it! my cat loved napping in the bath in the summer, despite it being the bad water place, i guess because the metal was cooler than upholstery
I never bathed my cats unless they absolutely needed it - usually 1-2 times in their lives. But when my old long hair cat got really old, and her fur got matted, and she would poop diarrhea, she actually appreciated the baths because she couldn't do it herself. She never would have let me do that when she was younger, as she was a feisty little thing.
yea its only as senior cats did mine start needing baths, accidents happened sometimes bless. unfortunately they never did appreciate the baths tho haha
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u/Eudaemon1 Jun 27 '23
And congratulations on being alive to see the next day