How to Give a Cat a Bath
Yes, You Can Give a Cat a Bath. Chances Are Very Good They Won't Approve
Use rubber gloves. Protect your hands and as much of your arms as you can. In fact, wear long sleeves or any other protective gear you can get your hands on. Your cat will be clawing at anything and everything to get out of the water. Rubber gloves will provide a protective barrier, allowing you to last longer giving the cat a bath and actually being able to do it. I tried once to give our cat a bath without rubber gloves. It took a few weeks for all the scratches to heal. The next time I remembered I had rubber gloves and used them. My hands look a lot better.
Bathe the cat in the sink. I've become a big fan of sink baths. Not for me personally as I'm way too big for any sink but it is much easier to bathe cats, espcially kittens, in the kitchen sink. You can get closer to them, hence a better grip to keep them actually in the water. It is easier to scrub the cat with the cat closer to you. You don't get nearly as wet as trying to use the bathtub. It's also easier on the back as there is little strain from standing at the sink compared to crouching over the edged of the bathtub.
Have a towel on standby. Before beginning the bath make sure to have a towel next to the sink so when you are finished you can dry off the cat. Also having a towel handy will keep you from getting as wet and also help to keep a hold of the cat. After toweling off the cat for a little bit, pull out the cat brush and pamper the cat by brushing her. This will help to bring you sort of back into good graces with the cat. Brushing our cat seemed to calm her down slightly.
Bathing a cat can be done but is not for the fainthearted. Your cat will not be pleased afterwards for several hours even days. Cats definitely have a low tolerance for baths but with a little planning and preparation giving a cat a bath can be a painless experience for all involved.
Published by Lynn Little
I'm a freelance writer and mom from the southern United States. I enjoy all things geeky like video games, board games, scrapbooking, and working with computers. View profile
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- Use rubber gloves
- Have shampoo and other supplies nearby
- Your cat will not be happy during or after the bath
3 Comments
Post a CommentI give my cat a bath once a month. She isn't happy about it but she puts up with it. She doesn't scratch much. More like she clings to me, but after hitting the water she relaxes, I guess she feels she might as well let me wash her now that she's all wet anyway. I don't wear rubber gloves or long sleeves. In fact, I wear shorts and a t-shirt as I usually get wet. I bath her in the tub. I lay out a large bath towel next to the tub prior to the bath and put her in it and bundle her up at first. Holding her close and tightly. I have a second bath towel under the first and transfer her to it after a few minutes. With that one I rub her until she's damp. Then I let her go and she usually does some grooming for quite a while. Afterward she gets a special treat. It doesn't take long for her to come back to me purring. I think she likes feeling clean, and it especially helps during the spring and summer when after the bath there is lots of hair in the water. The day after her bath is when I a
You might also want to check out "waterless" shampoos -- much less traumatic for everyone involved!
This is good advice for when a bath is really necessary (my cat was a little too big for the sink so I used a wash tub).
I just tried to give my big boy a bath and gave up. He went right to his food bowl in the aftermath to console his hurt feeling. " He doesn't know chocolate for stress." Anyway, I read one tip on the web and just laughed. Who are these people??? Thank you for the reality of cat bathing. I will try again - fully dressed and ready for cat bathing.