Do You Give Bath To Your Indoor Only Fur Friend?

[GGG]

Hello,
I've never given my kitty a bath, she's an indoor ONLY cat, she's 1 year old.
Do I have to bathe her once in a while?

Thanks

 

[Purr-fect]

We didnt even bath our outdoor cats. Except when one of them tangled with a skunk.... on several occassions.

Just lots of combing.

 

[DreamerRose]

No. Cats hate water, and there's no reason to bathe them. They will start shedding in a few weeks, so get a flea comb and start combing them to get the loose fur off.

 

[FeebysOwner]

All my cats have been indoors only, and never have bathed them - except for once when one of them had fleas. They all get/got frequent brushings though, to remove loose hair and help prevent hairballs.

Since Feeby is older (14+) and doesn't clean herself as well any more, she does get what I call daily 'booty-duty' - but that is just with a hypoallergenic unscented wipe on her behind.

 

[RajaNMizu]

I've never bathed my girls in the tub. Once in a while if I've noticed them shedding a lot I'll use a waterless cat shampoo and my furminator and grooming glove.

 

[sabrinah]

Unless your kitty gets into something super messy a bath usually isn't necessary. Pet wipes and brushing usually do the trick. If it ever is necessary, bathing a cat isn't always as awful as people make it sound.

I've had my cat since I was 7, so a large portion of her life was enduring the rule my parents set. When we moved to the desert she took to rolling in dirt, so my dad said she had to get weekly baths or she would be made into an outside cat. In the desert. 120 degrees in the summer, below freezing in the winter. She got weekly baths with Walmart's cheapest cat shampoo for many, many years. If she wasn't super dirty I would wipe her off with a wet towel and fluff up her fur so she looked like she'd had a bath. Her fur and skin were in terrible shape because of all the baths.

The weekly baths are long gone, but she still gets them roughly 2-4 times a year. She's an old lady and she doesn't groom herself anymore so she gets kinda gross. She also doesn't let me touch a lot of her body and baths are my only opportunity to check for lumps and bumps in between vet visits. Every time she goes to the vet she pees and poops on herself, and since she only tolerates limited physical contact when outside the bath I can't use a pet wipe on her. A bath is required after the majority of vet visits for her.

 

[jen]

Lol no, never, and I chuckle when people do it frequently because they are always stressed out over it, and I am also sad because baths USUALLY stress the cat out and it is unnecessary.

 

[Erin80]

Nope. My two have never had a bath

 

[rubysmama]

Cat are generally "self cleaning", so don't normally need to be bathed. Unless, of course, they get into something and need help.

Here's a couple TCS articles on the topic that you may find interesting/helpful:

How To Properly Care For Your Cat's Coat
How To Safely Bathe A Cat: The Complete Guide

 

[Kflowers]

Bathed our most recent when she was still drinking from her bottle. Somehow drinking from a bottle means milk is going to get all over the kit. As soon as she went to solids no more baths.

Of all the others, and there were many, the only one who got a bath was one who went garbage can diving. Once. I think the bath made her decide against that, but there was day old shrimp cooking in that can on that hot August day. Another reason to keep them inside only. Well, that and skunks mentioned above.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

I hope I don't have to give my cat a bath, ever, or I'll be reading up on this article
Cat Bites - What Every Cat Owner Needs To Know

 

[Kflowers]

If you think they are slippery and solid dry, well,...

 

[marmoset]

No I don't give them baths. Cats are so good at keeping clean naturally. If one decides to help dust behind the tv stand I might wipe her down with a wet towel to remove loose fur but I only bathe for messy butt issues on long-haired cats.

As long haired cats age they do need baths more often but for mine that was after 17.

 

[marmoset]

Also I have discovered that bathing a cat is so much less stressful for the cat if you put a towel down in the tub. Yes you have a sopping wet towel to deal with after the bath, but during the bath it gives them something to sink their claws into that isn't your arm or leg and the traction seems to keep them calmer.

Again though there's no reason to bathe a cat unless they really need it.

 

[Fish Em]

Occasionally give our cats a bath if they gets dirty somehow. Otherwise we don't bother.

I had to take care of my sister's dog years ago and can't remember how many baths I had to give that girl!

Cats keep much cleaner.

 

[GaryT]

Theodore is easy to bathe and he gets a bath about every 2-3 weeks. The breeder I got him from did the same so I am try to keep it up. He absolutely LOVES the water. He sit there with no complaints until I take too long. He has a Drinkwell water fountain for a water dish and he plays with the water stream and drinks from the stream. When I go into the downstairs bath I have to turn the water on at a fast drip in the tub so he can play with the water. The longer you go between baths, the harder it will be. Here is my last himi, Oliver, getting bathed.

 

[GaryT]

I should add that the comb glides right through his coat after a bath. I can tell when he is dirty because the comb snags more. So, yes, some cats need a bath. This time of year my ceiling fan churns up dust. And heating with a wood stove, you will have dust. I have a boiler but propane is EXPENSIVE.

 

[GaryT]

One more of my Oliver. He was so good and I miss him terrible...

 

[GaryT]

Theodore is easy to bathe and he gets a bath about every 2-3 weeks. The breeder I got him from did the same so I am try to keep it up. He absolutely LOVES the water. He sit there with no complaints until I take too long. He has a Drinkwell water fountain for a water dish and he plays with the water stream and drinks from the stream. When I go into the downstairs bath I have to turn the water on at a fast drip in the tub so he can play with the water. The longer you go between baths, the harder it will be. Here is my last himi, Oliver, getting bathed.

One thing I forgot to mention was that when I take a shower, I have to be quick entering and closing the door or he will be in there with me! The water does not stop him! So, maybe I have a weird cat. He has a water fetish!

 

[betsygee]

Not since I tried to bathe a cat about 20 years ago and was nearly murdered by her during the process.

I have four cats now and brush them regularly but have never tried to give any of them a bath.