Cat Dyed Herself With Chalk.. Need Help Cleaning Her

[YukarisCats]

Hello,

so my Ladycat found my big box of very strong colouring chalk pastels and thought it's a good idea ''bathing'' in it to get frenzy fur colours for her and my sake. We usually don't do anything when the cats are dirty because they're traumatized by water thanks to their previous owners, but i think the chalk stains could kind of give her serious skin problems later. I don't really want to give her a bath because i know we'll have a big tantrum while and after doing that. Are there any alternatives to bathing that could also get the stains out? Side note: She has VERY long fur, so just doing it with a wet sponge and warm water wouldn't really work well. Submissions to special cat scrubs and fur-shampoos are welcomed.

 

[Furballsmom]

Actually, I'd wonder if anything wet would cause that chalk to get gummy and make it even harder to remove? or would that be better? ...not sure...
Anyway, I was thinking a dense bristle brush...the stains may hang around but at least you'll get the chalk out of her fur, you don't want her to ingest that when she grooms herself.

 

[YukarisCats]

Actually, I'd wonder if anything wet would cause that chalk to get gummy and make it even harder to remove? or would that be better? ...not sure...
Anyway, I was thinking a dense bristle brush...the stains may hang around but at least you'll get the chalk out of her fur, you don't want her to ingest that when she grooms herself.

No, water is if not the best method to get the stains out, not completely but good enough for the second wash to get off then. My problem is just that i can't bathe her and that i need an alternative to something like bathing, maybe an alternative with little water included, but i'll try it with a dense bristle brush!

 

[Caspers Human]

A vacuum cleaner?

Some cats actually like to get their fur vacuumed!

 

[YukarisCats]

A vacuum cleaner?

Some cats actually like to get their fur vacuumed!

OH NO. My cat hates vacuum cleaners with a full passion lol. She'd attack it by just seeing it.

 

[maggiedemi]

If brushing it out doesn't work, maybe try one of those waterless cat shampoos.

 

[furmonster mom]

I don't honestly have any good suggestions, I just want to see a picture! lol

 

[YukarisCats]

I don't honestly have any good suggestions, I just want to see a picture! lol

Oof sadly it's night at where i live so you wouldn't really see the stains in a picture, not even when flashlight or a lamp is turned on. But it looks hilarious seeing a cat that colourful! The whites of her paws are just covered in pinks and blues lol

 

[YukarisCats]

If brushing it out doesn't work, maybe try one of those waterless cat shampoos.

Thank you! Are there any brands you recommend? Also, is it in bottles or spray cans? She's is all over the hills by just hearing a spray can.

 

[Furballsmom]

There's Burts Bees, and also one called Miracle Coat you could take a look at.

 

[maggiedemi]

It seems most of them are pump bottles. Here's the link:
waterless shampoo - Cat - Free shipping at Chewy.com

 

[Willowy]

Honestly I'd just brush her out and let the rest fade naturally. Chalk is not toxic, unless you know something particular about that brand.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Many pastels can have toxic pigments within them, like cadmium or chromium, for example.

Personally, with soft chalk pastels, I'd worry more about airborne dust & respiratory issues than skin irritation with some of these pigments. I'd try to get the cat cleaned asap.

There are waterless cat shampoos -- you can see if one is accessible for you where you live
waterless cat shampoos at DuckDuckGo

 

[Willowy]

I suppose the chalks not made for children may be different. I was thinking of sidewalk chalk .

I'm not sure a waterless shampoo would work in a case like this. Chalk gets kind of weird when it gets wet and may go in deeper. A full bath, with enough water to wash the chalk away, may be the only option.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

I agree, sometimes you just need to go for it and bathe them.
Not sure what to say, though, as the OP doesn't want to do that
I'd just worry about the cat inhaling the dust or ingesting it during licking themselves -- sometimes a bath is the best thing for the kitty in the long run, despite the negatives surrounding a bath.

 

[Furballsmom]

--Cats --

 

[YukarisCats]

It seems most of them are pump bottles. Here's the link:
waterless shampoo - Cat - Free shipping at Chewy.com

Thank you very much!

 

[YukarisCats]

Thanks for all hints! I went for a waterless cat shampoo, she wasn't very amused by it, but she only has smaller blue stains left on her paws. I'll try getting the stains out later.

 

[maggiedemi]

That was fast! I'm glad it worked okay.

 

[susanm9006]

I would,try running a slightly damp sponge over her fur. It will really only dampen the top layer so she won’t really realize she is getting washed.