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Are you supposed to wash your cat?
- Thread starter bigfatcat
- Start Date
Unless your cat gets into something messy or has trouble cleaning himself, you don't need to bathe him.
Your cat is a cutie!
Your cat is a cutie!
Hi Julie. Welcome to TCS
After a week of combing and of him doing his own grooming
Cats are meticulously clean animals and rarely need baths. There are a few other discussions here on this subject if you run a search. Turns out Jack here gets freaked out by the sound of a running faucet if he is too close. I'm thinking he was probably bathed at some point and it wasn't pleasant for him.
After a week of combing and of him doing his own grooming
Cats are meticulously clean animals and rarely need baths. There are a few other discussions here on this subject if you run a search. Turns out Jack here gets freaked out by the sound of a running faucet if he is too close. I'm thinking he was probably bathed at some point and it wasn't pleasant for him.
Hi Julia!
If you asked a cat they'd be awfully offended as they do such a good job of washing themselves
The main reasons for washing a cat is if they are really dirty and licking themselves clean isn't really an option, or if you have allergies and need to do it regularly to keep the build-up of the allergens down. Some do actually like it, but they're pretty rare.
On the other hand, cats can't brush themselves, and many will love you to pieces if you groom them. It can really help strengthed the cat/human bond as well.
If you asked a cat they'd be awfully offended as they do such a good job of washing themselves
The main reasons for washing a cat is if they are really dirty and licking themselves clean isn't really an option, or if you have allergies and need to do it regularly to keep the build-up of the allergens down. Some do actually like it, but they're pretty rare.
On the other hand, cats can't brush themselves, and many will love you to pieces if you groom them. It can really help strengthed the cat/human bond as well.
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Yep, that's the only reason my cats get regular baths--because my boyfriend is allergic, to keep the allergens down. It helps a lot. They don't love it, but they do pretty well with it. I wash them with baby shampoo. Before I had these 2, and before my boyfriend came along, the cat I had then I never bathed. I think I had them wash her when she was at the vet maybe 2 or 3 times during her whole life, but that was it.
We've only bathed each cat once. Both because of elimination accidents.
Other than that, it isn't necessary for us. However, we do groom them regularly, which they enjoy enormously.
Other than that, it isn't necessary for us. However, we do groom them regularly, which they enjoy enormously.
As for me I wash my cat twice a year and I think that's enough as being predators cats are concerned with their hygiene, otherwise their victims will smell them first. By the way my cat tolerates washing.
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I used to bathe my cat due to allergies also. She tolerates it most of the time, but nowadays I just groom and use Allerpet which seems to help.
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Since cats hate water, I found out that a great way to clean your cat it to rub them into a large wet towel. Rinse and repeat. You can also mix the water with your cat shampoo and soak the towel it it, then rinse and wipe the cat with water soaked towel. This works well and the cal loves the rubs and won't get scared.
Alternatively if the dirt is at the skin level instead to dip the cat into water which scares them, I keep them inside the empty sink or tub and use the shower head to clean the cat in the area where the cat is dirty, this works well to partially clean your cat without making it all wet.
Alternatively if the dirt is at the skin level instead to dip the cat into water which scares them, I keep them inside the empty sink or tub and use the shower head to clean the cat in the area where the cat is dirty, this works well to partially clean your cat without making it all wet.
I have gave my cat a bath twice. One was cause I. Am allergic to animals. The other was more of I'm going to get this stuff off her butt so I think just some water should do it so the secound wasn't really a bath bath. My cat isn't all that afraid of water. She is interested in the toilet and she is tolarent of baths but she really struggles but doesn't hurt me when I give her a bath.
There's no reason to bathe most cats unless they get into something that is bad for them to lick off their fur.
I bathe my show cats regularly for the shows, but the other kitties never get baths.
I bathe my show cats regularly for the shows, but the other kitties never get baths.
Interesting...Why the bath disparity between show cats and house cats? I know dog grooming for shows is Extensive. What is the regime for show cats?
Hi:
I am allergic to cats and have been getting the 'cat' allergy shot for many years. My allergist suggested to keep the cat(s) clean since they are basically dust collectors from climbing everywhere and rolling around on the floor, etc.
My old cat was a long haired part-Persian. She hated water! I used to hold her on my lap, close to me, while sitting with my feet in the tub and used the hand held showerhead to simply rinse her off gently with water. I'd turn her over to get both sides. Since she was on my lap, against me, she didn't freak. She hated sink baths. If I couldn't get to it, I'd simply use a wet to damp washcloth to wipe her down to get off as much dust as possible, using water only. Brushing immediately gets all the excess hair off while they are clean.
My two new cats get a wet washcloth bath every week or two. I use "Whisker City" Waterless cat shampoo. Only one small pump on a washcloth, but then I rinse it mostly off the cloth with very warm water. I get the warm washcloth ready then go get a cat so I can just sit on the toilet seat and get started right away. The more I wait to do things, the more they don't want to wait. The cats seem bothered by the smell, so I keep it light. I keep a big towel handy and wrap them up as soon as I'm done wiping them off. It keeps them warm and snuggly. They seem to like getting dried. If you can get them used to it when you first get them, they accept it pretty well. My little one (9.5 lbs) complains a little but it all works out fine. My large cat (14.5 lbs) doesn't like her belly done, but I do it quickly there. I try to not turn her over because her weight seems to bother her when she's on her back. She will actually take the washcloth into her mouth and play for a minute with it. Don't forget to brush them right away before they get away...
Each kitty has it's own personality, so just be gentle and try to follow their lead. If you're calm, they're calm. Do it regularly and they'll learn to expect it once in a while...
Good luck!
I am allergic to cats and have been getting the 'cat' allergy shot for many years. My allergist suggested to keep the cat(s) clean since they are basically dust collectors from climbing everywhere and rolling around on the floor, etc.
My old cat was a long haired part-Persian. She hated water! I used to hold her on my lap, close to me, while sitting with my feet in the tub and used the hand held showerhead to simply rinse her off gently with water. I'd turn her over to get both sides. Since she was on my lap, against me, she didn't freak. She hated sink baths. If I couldn't get to it, I'd simply use a wet to damp washcloth to wipe her down to get off as much dust as possible, using water only. Brushing immediately gets all the excess hair off while they are clean.
My two new cats get a wet washcloth bath every week or two. I use "Whisker City" Waterless cat shampoo. Only one small pump on a washcloth, but then I rinse it mostly off the cloth with very warm water. I get the warm washcloth ready then go get a cat so I can just sit on the toilet seat and get started right away. The more I wait to do things, the more they don't want to wait. The cats seem bothered by the smell, so I keep it light. I keep a big towel handy and wrap them up as soon as I'm done wiping them off. It keeps them warm and snuggly. They seem to like getting dried. If you can get them used to it when you first get them, they accept it pretty well. My little one (9.5 lbs) complains a little but it all works out fine. My large cat (14.5 lbs) doesn't like her belly done, but I do it quickly there. I try to not turn her over because her weight seems to bother her when she's on her back. She will actually take the washcloth into her mouth and play for a minute with it. Don't forget to brush them right away before they get away...
Each kitty has it's own personality, so just be gentle and try to follow their lead. If you're calm, they're calm. Do it regularly and they'll learn to expect it once in a while...
Good luck!
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Are you sure it isn't dust you are allergic to? I have read that people who are allergic to cats react to the dander and not to dust on the fur.
Depends on the breed & coat. A persian needs bathing and hours of grooming to get the coat 'just so', an Oriental may need nothing beyond lots of hand-grooming e.g. stroking!
I am allergic to dust and cats! As I said, my allergist told me what to do. That is a doctor who specializes in allergies in people. I have been tested already. I have many allergies, so it is important for me to keep the dust and the cat dander under control. Thanks for your feedback anyway. I was just using my own experience to explain to the questioner about how you can rinse or wipe off your cat without having to put them through the bathing process with shampoo etc. That really upsets a lot of cats.
I hardly see putting a cat through something that they will dislike intensely as "bonding". That said, I sort of bonded with Stella (my kitten who at the time was a freshly captured 6 week old feral) through bathing. She was sitting in a cardboard box being all hissy and mean, so I scooped her out with an oven mitt and bathed her to make sure there were no fleas. She immediately froze and allowed me to interact with her for the first time.
She has been bathed once since. I had kept a cone on her for a couple of weeks post-spay to prevent biting at the incision, and because she was unable to groom herself properly during that time I decided to help her out a little. My 17 year old cat had her first bath a few months ago- she stepped into a bowl of blade wash when I was cleaning some clippers, so I had to wash her. I brush her to keep the shedding down, but otherwise I do not see any reason to bathe them. Jason is an outdoor cat, and he keeps himself perfectly groomed. I've only had short haired cats though (and would prefer to keep it that way), so I suppose that makes a difference. I believe that most people are way to obsessed with shampooing their animals (and themselves!!) than they need to be. I wash my hair maybe once a week (and no, it is not greasy), shampoo the horse a few times a year, wash the dogs maybe once every couple of months, and only bathe the cats and ferrets if they need it. And by "need it", I mean they get into something. It's different if your animal has a coat that requires regular bathing, an elderly or sick animal that cannot maintain his own hygiene, or something else, but most animals should have no trouble keeping themselves clean.
All my cats go outside too and they keep themselves pretty clean.
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Totally unnecessary for most cats. They keep themselves clean.
