Bathing your cat can be an awful experience.
Both, for you and your cats.
Except for a few, cats hate water and get angry when you force them to take a bath. Cats are clean creatures, and they spend about 50% of their waking time on grooming themselves.
However, sometimes, you need to bathe your cat.
In this blog post, I will share how you can bathe your cat without getting hurt or getting your cat angry.
Let's begin!
You need to find the Goldilocks zone and choose a time when your kitty is more mellow. Don’t interrupt your cat’s hunt or playtime as it’ll just irritate the cat. Instead, choose a time when your cat is happy, relaxed, and receptive.
Some cats just hate baths and will do anything to make it stop.
You should clip your kitty’s nails to prevent her from scratching you while you’re bathing her. Nail caps are also a good idea if you prefer your arms and hands to be scratchless.
If you want your cat’s bath time to go smoothly, make sure to have all the materials you need ahead of time. Things you’ll need include a brush, towel, a gentle spray or a mug, and someone to help you out.
When you brush your cat right before the bath, it successfully removes dead hair, mats, and debris. Mats tend to thicken when they’re wet and, the, shrink which makes them harder to get out of your cat’s fur.
You should bathe your cat either in the bathtub or in the sink. Since bathrooms are generally small, you can quickly close the door if your cat decides to bolt.
Use warm water on your cat---water that’s either too hot or too cold can cause your cat to be uncomfortable and she may even use her claws on you!
Don’t try to rush the bath! Cats prefer a gentle approach as it is more soothing and comfortable for your kitty.
Gently pour some shampoo in your hand and begin to lather it. Start by applying it to your cat’s neck in the direction of the hair, and work your way to the tail. Don’t wash your cat's face and ears.
Some shampoos can irritate your cat’s eyes so, make sure that you don’t get any around that area.
Rinse the shampoo away using some warm water and go slow. This is when most cats use their cool so, beware. You need to remove all the shampoo during this stage, or your cat might lick off the residue later which can be very harmful.
Make sure to dry your kitty thoroughly. Gently pat and rub your cat with a towel. You may even use a hair dryer if your cat doesn’t have problems with it. Keep it on the lowest heat setting and don’t blow your cat directly on the face!
Even if your cat has been an absolute nightmare, you need to reward her with a treat and affection after a bath. Baths are hard for cats to endure and maybe your cat will remember the reward the next time she needs a bath!
Bathing your cat is basically an art.
If you do it right, you and your cat can both leave the bathroom without any trauma. Just follow the steps that I've shared and hope for the best.
Some cats are cool and don't get pissed when you're bathing them while others are complete nightmares.
How do you bathe your kitty? Let me know in the comments...
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Suzie Beldham
May 29, 2018
If cat needs bathing I use a wet cloth in a stroking motion.