Do You Give Bath To Your Indoor Only Fur Friend?

[GaryT]

Theo gets combed several times a day as needed. I started when he first got here and back then he would nail me pretty badly when I got to his back legs. I had to hold him by the scruff to get the combing done. Now he lays and kneads as I comb. It takes a little to train them and then you have to keep it up every day. He still will nail me at times when I try to do the back legs but that is mostly the kitten in him. It is important to show him who is boss.

So, even with all the combing, due to the thickness of his fur plus an under-coat, he needs bathing once in a while. I am lucky he loves the water.

I do vac and clean my floors but, I live surrounded by woods and heat with wood so the floors are not immaculate. Plus, I am an old bachelor...LOL

 

[basschick]

years ago, i gave my kitten a bath. i literally still have the scars!

 

[susanm9006]

A couple of my fosters were senior diabetic cats that came filthy and matted. I shut us into the shower and used sponges and buckets of water to wet, wash and rinse them. No holding them down, no scratches, no hysterics. And, while my current girl hasn’t needed a bath, we do all her grooming in the shower because I don’t need to hold her there or chase her around to brush her.

 

[blueyedgirl5946]

Cats are great groomers and generally don't need bathing.

 

[ailish]

I dread the day I have to give Ailish a bath. She hates everything water. If I spill water on carpet she walks the long way around to avoid it. Bath? I can't even imagine.

 

[cuppa]

I've given Dante a bath twice in 6 years, and it's only because of fleas (I've gotta get in the bath with him if there's even a chance of keeping him in the water).

 

[Ardina]

Saipha, who is short haired, has only gotten a bath once in her life, and that was when I had some anti-allergy medicated cream on my hands and she decided that she had to have petting right then and smeared the cream all over herself. I was afraid of leaving toxic residue on her if I used the wipes, so bath it was.

Mishka on the other hand has had numerous butt baths because she is long-haired and occasionally makes a mess. Trimming her fur back there has helped minimize baths.

I've found that using a sink is better than a tub (easier on the back), and it helps your cat feel better if they can hold onto the edge with their front paws. A towel in the sink is good too for giving the back paws some traction. Also, trim the claws first - it'll save your skin!

 

[Nursemike3]

My old cat never bathes herself at all. She never licks her paws after she eats and cleans her face. She gets food all over, its gross. I got her from a shelter. She smelled rancid. She's 14 or so. Now she gets a bath every month or so. She was half shaved when I got her, and had pee and poop stains. The vet told me to shave her butt, because she was "disgusting"- but I babywipe now it when its gross. I get two sinkfulls of very warm water and dilute some kitty shampoo and work it quickly through her coat. I transfer her to the clear water and rub the shampoo off and then I use a series of towels to dry her. I found a hair dryer on low setting thats quiet I use sometimes to dry her quickly. She trembles and is stressed, and sometimes she will pee on the carpet. But she was dirty, smelled like a litter box, and had matted hair with poop in it when I adopted her. Cats stress over baths, but if they smell like garbage, its time to take over that job that kitty will not do. My younger shelter cat cleans itself, but the first time I bathed the older cat, I had to bath the younger one so they would smell the same. It also did help the younger one because she gets hairballs despite being brushed. They are both medium hair and they have a fuzzy undercoat that needs help.

 

[Maria Bayote]

I used to bathe my cats once or twice a month, and it was always a chaotic scene in the bathroom, like in a warzone.

I have not bathe them for half a year already and they smell just fine. I brush them regularly, though. They are strictly indoor cats.

 

[GaryT]

It's about time to give him a bath again. With all the dust that is created this time of year (I heat with a wood stove and have boiler for backup) and him being a dust mop with legs, he gets dirty after about a month. Here he is all charged up with static! He races through his tunnel and that material charges him up. LOL But, the static attracts dust to him so he does get dirty. I can tell when he needs bath by how the comb goes thru his coat. Brush would charge him up more so I use only a stainless comb (I have 3 with one being an original "Greyhound" comb)

 

[kristenann]

I have 4 indoor only DSH's and I bathe them all every couple of months. It's really not a big deal for my guys. I warm the bathroom beforehand with a space heater, put them in the tub, wet them with the shower hose, soap, and rinse. Then I let them air dry in the warm bathroom.

They probably don't -need- bathes but it really helps with the shedding and their coats are so much nicer afterwards.

 

[Flchristi]

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.

 

[Purr-fect]

Go ahead,
"make my day"
TRY and give us a bath!
"do you feel lucky......... well.....do ya punk!"

 

[Flchristi]

I have 5 cats. Three are strictly indoors and the 2 oldest boys come in and out all day but stay in at night. I've had cats forever and have always bathed them as well as clipping their nails. I start washing them when young and have never been bit and rarely have I been scratched. I wash them with what looks to be the same technique as GaryT. I add water to the sink before putting them in and use the spray nozzle on gentle to wet them down. I will use a cup to rinse high around the neck and chest so they don't get water in their eyes or ears. I wash and rinse their head and face with my hand. I just hold their chest or back depending on what the cat is used to. The 3 oldest cats sit for me but the 2 youngest I just got. They are both under a year and were farell so they've only been washed twice so they aren't as comfortable with it but they are relatively calm. I stay calm and talk to them while I comb through their wet soapy fur which seems to help. No heavy breathing, crying, dilated eyes or any other signs of stress. Yep they are soaking wet when done but after a towel dry and about an hour of licking they are on my lap ready for treats.... "Spa day" success

 

[GaryT]

yeah, I don't do it as often as the breeder did but I do bathe him. He last got bathed in Jan so he is overdue. With it as cold as it has been, I decided not to get him all wet till it warms up some and th humidity is higher in the house. We are having unusually cold weather for this time of year now. Almost 20 degrees below normal.

 

[GaryT]

I have 5 cats. Three are strictly indoors and the 2 oldest boys come in and out all day but stay in at night. I've had cats forever and have always bathed them as well as clipping their nails. I start washing them when young and have never been bit and rarely have I been scratched. I wash them with what looks to be the same technique as GaryT. I add water to the sink before putting them in and use the spray nozzle on gentle to wet them down. I will use a cup to rinse high around the neck and chest so they don't get water in their eyes or ears. I wash and rinse their head and face with my hand. I just hold their chest or back depending on what the cat is used to. The 3 oldest cats sit for me but the 2 youngest I just got. They are both under a year and were farell so they've only been washed twice so they aren't as comfortable with it but they are relatively calm. I stay calm and talk to them while I comb through their wet soapy fur which seems to help. No heavy breathing, crying, dilated eyes or any other signs of stress. Yep they are soaking wet when done but after a towel dry and about an hour of licking they are on my lap ready for treats.... "Spa day" success

I have never had any of my cats ever scratch or bite me while I bathe them. You got it right by saying it needs to start when they are kittens. If you don't, then forget it! I wouldn't try to bathe an older cat who had never been bathed. Same with combing. If you start right from day one, and do it every day, they get to love it. Theo jumps right into my lap when he sees me grab the combs and spritz bottle. Long hair cats need to be combed every day of their lives. It also helps them bond with you. It is like a body massage to them.

 

[Faikey]

Absolutely not. I may clean a cat with cat wipes or a wet cloth only in situations that require it (illness, general dirt, that kind of thing ). Most cats hate water and their tongues do a an amazing job. I haven't bathed a cat for 20 years

 

[GaryT]

Theodore purred the whole time I was bathing him today. He is a clean kitten now! I tend to differ about cats and bathing. I own a walking dust mop! Long hairs need grooming and the occasional bath. American shorthairs don't. I cannot understand why so many are SO negative about bathing????? If you start when a kitten, they get used to it and at the very least will tolerate it. I have not had a problem cat when it comes to bathing. But, I do buy from breeders who bathe them as kittens. I am lucky with Theodore because he absolutely LOVES the water. He has a fountain for a drinking dish and he jumps in the tub when I go in the bathroom and wants me to turn on the water to a trickle so he can drink. I will have to shoot some video of it.

Today he made not a single peep while in the sink under the sprayer. If you don't bathe yours fine. But don't tell me I am wrong to bath my cat!

 

[Misprints]

Rollo (a Ragdoll) has had some issues with loose stools, so I've unfortunately had to bathe him every week or so. Once that gets settled, though, I plan to bathe him once a month as the breeder suggested.

 

[kittyluv387]

Theodore purred the whole time I was bathing him today. He is a clean kitten now! I tend to differ about cats and bathing. I own a walking dust mop! Long hairs need grooming and the occasional bath. American shorthairs don't. I cannot understand why so many are SO negative about bathing????? If you start when a kitten, they get used to it and at the very least will tolerate it. I have not had a problem cat when it comes to bathing. But, I do buy from breeders who bathe them as kittens. I am lucky with Theodore because he absolutely LOVES the water. He has a fountain for a drinking dish and he jumps in the tub when I go in the bathroom and wants me to turn on the water to a trickle so he can drink. I will have to shoot some video of it.

Today he made not a single peep while in the sink under the sprayer. If you don't bathe yours fine. But don't tell me I am wrong to bath my cat!

I think we can agree it's situational too! Sounds like your bathing them is beneficial.

None of mine ever get bathed unless someone's butt gets too poopy. My orange cat has some poop/constipation issues so he has needed a bath a couple of times. My black cat has sharted(?) a couple of times and it smelled real bad so he got bathed then too. Also he gets into a lot of things and his tail has gotten dipped in cooking oil and such. Man does he hate baths! He struggles so much. For him the sink doesn't work. It's better in the tub where he knows he can't escape.