Blow Drying??

[mugsy]

Quick question: Do any of you guys blow-dry your cats after bathing?

We've been giving the boys baths because Shorty had a little case of ringworm (we've got two more to go), and we try to towel dry them as much as possible, but they still shiver for like an hour after, even though we try and wrap them up and cuddle with them. Is blow-drying an option? Or will they just get scared? I've already traumatized them with the bath, don't want to add to it with the 'scary blowing machine'

Thanks!

 

[menagerie mama]

I bet it would scare the daylights out of them. Be careful not to burn them too.

 

[hissy]

Mine freak at the blow dryer. Try drying them with towels warmed in your dryer, or pack some warm blankets inside a carrier and put them inside near the heater (but not to close) until they dry. Shivering is their way to stay warm. Also bathe inside a bucket, not a bath, the water stays warmer, the cat isn't fully immersed and they stay warmer

 

[max&milo]

Tried once, and Max was traumatized for life. I wanted to get him dry quickly, but he didn't like the noise! Ever since then, it's towel drying. They are ticked off from the bath and cold, so they just snuggle deep into the towel while I snuggle them and dry them off.

 

[icklemiss21]

Mine do not like being dried - it scares them.

I use warm towels and dry them off as much as poss and then use a 2nd towel to snuggle with them in a warm room.

 

[pat]

I've shown enough cats to have dryer experiences with a good number. Very few like it, it can be hard to get them used to it. I've had just one that would lie on my lap, on his back and purr while I used it!

 

[mugsy]

Thanks guys! I'm not even going to try it

The warm towels are a great idea!

 

[coaster]

I blow-dry my cats but it took them a while to get used to it. I think if you approach it slowly, starting with just a very short time on the lowest setting, and then working up from there you MIGHT be able to get your cats used to it. All my cats let me blow-dry then now, but Mellie and Rocket still aren't too happy about it. But then Tommy doesn't mind being rinsed off with the hand-held shower spray nozzle, either, so maybe he's just an unusually brave little cat!!

 

[babyharley]

When I give Harley a bath, I just use warm towels, and then he gets mad at me, and then he dries off himself....

 

[goldenkitty45]

IMO the only type of cats that needs to be blow dried after a bath are longhair cats (persians, main coons, etc.). And those cats also need to be combed at the same time unless you want tangled dry hair.

You can try heating a towel up for extra warmth. Or if you have a space heater, you can put them in a carrier and put about a foot or so back from the heater to let them dry with warm air. Just check with your hand - if you put your hand on the carrier door and its too hot (heater), then move the carrier back a few more inches. You only need the little bit of warmer air circulating - not to cook the cat.

 

[xdx]

We tried with Huggy once and he tried to attack the hairdryer. He still freaks out now when Eva uses it. So we go for the warm towel method also.

 

[abigail]

Originally Posted by Mugsy

Quick question: Do any of you guys blow-dry your cats after bathing?

Is blow-drying an option? Or will they just get scared? I've already traumatized them with the bath, don't want to add to it with the 'scary blowing machine'

Thanks!

My husband gave me a book called How to Think Like a Cat for Chanukah and it describes in detail how to get your cat used to the sounds of blow dryers and vacuum cleaners and other such machines. It's a terrific book written by an animal behaviorist.

 

[kitytize]

I blow dry my cats. I put them in the carrier and blow dry on low for 10 minutes. Then I take out the cat and brush and blow dry. I usually blow dry the cats when I blow dry my hair so they are used to getting blow dried before they have to go through a bath.

 

[rice-a-roniee]

I have had to bathe rice since he was 3 days old ( when I got him he was messing from every part of him. it was an awful mess in his fur, around his eyes nose and rear parts. Expecially since he has long hair. The vet said to bathe him daily to keep him clean)
For the first 2 months he got a bath every 2-4 days, the vet gave us a special shampoo to keep from drying out his skin and fur.
I blow dried him every time he was bathed and now he loves it.
When I blow dry my hair he runs up so I will blow it on him.

Any other cats I have ever owned hated the blow drier though, I guess rice is just silly.

 

[goldenkitty45]

No Rice is not silly - just conditioned to the blow dryer. Those that show long hair cat HAVE to condition kittens from the start with baths and blow drying.

When I had my turkish angora, I had to blow dry him and comb. The only part he hated was being on his back to do his tummy. Otherwise he was pretty cooperative.

 

[kaleetha]

My mom's cat LOVES the hairdryer... she comes running into the bathroom anytime she hears it. But she is "Siamese if you please" and is sort of an odd cat.

 

[mzjazz2u]

I blow dry my cats all the time and they are very used to it now. Some of the newer blow dryers are much quieter now. I just use my own. When I first started I had to do things like turn the blow dryer on first and bring them to it, use it on low, and hold on tight to the cats. Now they just sit there.

It's kind of funny.

 

[mawmaw]

My friend towel dries her kitty and then cover the kitty by a laundry basket(The one has many holes) and blow dry the kitty. She doesn't use the highest power to dry the kitty of course. Kitty is scared, but at least he can kind of hide under the basket and can't run away or hurt you.

 

[dylan]

I know two things about blow drying cats. One... They don't like it at all. Two...unless they are deaf. I had a long hair Calico named Ally, that I inherited after my mother passed away. She was 25 years old and deaf as a doornail.[emoji]128049[/emoji] As it seems to be the noise that freaks them out and not necessarily the air, she loved to be blow dried after a bath! She also looooved to be vacuumed! This was awesome! Because, longhairs are notorious for shedding. RIP Ally. You were very low maintenance as far as cats go, and a love.

 

[posiepurrs]

I have some that have never gotten used to a dryer. I have 3 dryers - one is a quieter, slower speed pet dryer and the other 2 are forced air (no heat) pet dryers. Mine are started with baths and drying at 5 to 6 weeks of age. When I take my cats out of the bath we use 2 bath towels to dry them, then white good quality paper towels. Rub with coat growth with the paper towels until it doesn't absorb any moisture from the coat. Makes blow drying go MUCH faster! I think I would hesitate drying a cat that is being treated for ringworm. It is a possibility that wold spread the fungus spores.