Bathing Persian and Himalayan Cats?

KittenKrazy

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Ok, ladies and gentlemen, I have a question for all of you. I have raised and kept Himalayan cats since 1994, and only bathed them if the needed it for some reason. That being said, one of my friends was told by a reputable show breeder that she would have to bathe them every other week, to keep them from getting greasy coats and knotting up. Breeders, showpersons, groomers, have you ever heard of this? I understand that if you're showing you have to wash them and groom them and fluff them, but PET quality kittens who aren't being shown? I just don't think so!
 

pat

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Hi Cindy,

I've not ever had a cat with this kind of coat (well, okay, Rachel reminds me of a wooly bear during the winter!), I would honestly think that daily brushing is all that would be needed. I did used to care for a shop cat himalayan...all we did was brush him daily, he rarely if ever, had a bath in the years I worked in that shop..and his coat was magnificent!
 

leesali

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Hi,

I have had Persians for years and have rarely had them bathed. Groomed with lion-cut and a lot brushing...yes...but a big no to the bath. I never found any reason to do so...it stresses them out.

Buster & Ashley:[/IMG]
 
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KittenKrazy

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See, that's what I was thinking, ladies! I don't know who gets stressed the most, the kitties or me!!
 

starlie

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My boys love to take baths, so I bathe them once every 2 months. I brush them daily so their coats are shiny, healthy and free of matting. Of course, I clip their nails, clean their ears and brush their teeth as well.
 

leesali

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Originally Posted by Pat & Alix

Leesali,
Your cats are gorgeous!
Thank-you...I also think they are gorgeous & they are both so sweet (delicious cats). They do occassionaly get matted...my fault for not brushing them everyday and at times, during the warmer months, my carpet looks like I have a 3rd Persian hiding somewhere


It is bad enough the other cats laugh and make fun of them when the get their lion-cuts but why give them a bath? Obviously, they are inside cats, they groom themselves and each other constantly...so dirty could they be?

I had Buster washed last year and the poor little guy was so upset, he sat in a corner for hours. In a week or so, both are due for their seasonal lion-cut and I will insist that the groomer not bathe them.

Just my opinion...
 

elizwithcat

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I wanted to give my Persian a bath, but he scratched me and run off. He is scared of the water. So, he hasn't got a bath in a long time.
 

arlyn

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I bathe my NFC, but she's been getting baths since she was 8 weeks old, she's quite used to it.
I only bathe once a year though, at the onset of the shedding of the winter coat.
 

mzjazz2u

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I think catteries just think that because they show and bathe their cats often that everyone has to. But yes, even some indoor, Persian cats need to be bathed every once in awhile. I tell ya... it really prevents them from matting and takes most of the dead, shedding hair out. Certain colors of the breed tend to get greasier then others. And some mat easier then others. Orange persian's tend to be kind of greasy. I bathe Jake every 1-2 months. Everytime I do I swear I'm going to do it more often.
Their coats just stay so much nicer and easier to deal with. And Persian's do have kind of a wooly undercoat or some call it a second coat. It's not like you can necessarily look down toward the skin and see lambs wool!
But it is there and much of the hair that comes out when brushing and combing is just that. It's that thicker part toward the skin.

Other Persians (like Peaches) don't need hardly any bathing. I haven't bathed Peaches in over a year (I think it's been that long). I used to bathe her often but now I just brush/comb her a bit every day and every once in awhile I'll use the powder coat wash. It makes her all fluffy and beautiful!
She just has such a nice fluffy coat anyway.


Hope that helps some!

Tam
 

mzjazz2u

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Originally Posted by leesali

I had Buster washed last year and the poor little guy was so upset, he sat in a corner for hours. In a week or so, both are due for their seasonal lion-cut and I will insist that the groomer not bathe them.

Just my opinion...
To be honest, I'd much rather have my Persian bathed or bathe them myself then shave all their fur off and humiliate them.
Honestly, they do get used to bathing if it's done right. The first time I bathed Peaches she was almost 4 years old (after I got her from the shelter). AFter that first bath, she was very good about it all.
 

wellingtoncats

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Hiya Cindy!

I think it's so silly to bath them so frequently, my show kitties of course get a bath before each show, but I only bath them if I absolute have to Eg, pooey bum, grubby, etc. There really is no reason for bathing them so often. I don't even groom mine that often and they are in lovely condition.
 
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