Cats and water are not generally words you’d expect to find in a sentence together. And with good reason! Water makes a cat’s fur heavy and difficult to carry, which is not ideal for a master hunter. Being naturally adverse to getting wet, baths can be extremely stressful for cats. However, there are some circumstances that require us humans to crack out some gloves and shampoo to ensure the well-being of our beloved furrkids.
If you’ve ever had the privilege of being owned by a cat, you’d have noticed your furry friend spending hours upon hours licking their coats. From their toes all the way to the tips of their tails, every inch is licked clean with their specially-designed perforated tongue.
That being said, if your cat is scratching constantly, there could be a problem! See our article on why your cat is scratching so much to find out more.
Cats are essentially connoisseurs of personal hygiene and as such, your average domestic feline is unlikely to require regular baths administered by their human caretakers. They are genetically designed to do the job themselves!
There are some situations, however, that will require some human intervention and a good quality shampoo to ensure optimum levels of hygiene and comfort.
For example, certain cat breeds, such as Persians and Ragdolls, will require regular baths due to their long fur and their tendency to pick up debris and develop matting in their coats. There is only so much their barbed tongues can do and a bath and groom will certainly help to make them feel more content in their own skin.
Cats that get themselves into messy predicaments will also need a bit of water and shampoo to return their coats to tip-top condition. While natural substances like mud and plant debris may not be harmful to your feline friend should they try to groom themselves clean, they can be difficult to dislodge without a soapy soak. Potentially harmful substances such as detergents, paints, and motor oil should be removed immediately to prevent ingestion from your kitty attempting to lick themselves clean.
Sometimes, a cat that is experiencing a health-related issue will need a little extra help getting clean. This is particularly true for felines affected by external parasites, such as fleas, ticks and fly eggs. In these cases, a special shampoo can help to dislodge the unwelcome critters, making the cat far more comfortable and reducing the risk of parasite-borne diseases.
Cats that are elderly, immobile, or obese may also find themselves in need of a little assistance when it comes to bathing. These kitties may not be able to reach all their books and crannies to ensure a thorough cleaning, and a soothing bath from their human caretakers will make the world of difference in assuring their hygiene and comfort. Kitties that are prone to skin allergies or infections may also need regular baths with medicated shampoos to soothe pain and itching.
Cats should only be bathed as required to keep them clean and comfortable. Be sure to consider your cat’s individual needs and personality when deciding when to bath them.
Kittens are not born with the ability to clean themselves and are largely reliant on their mothers to keep them neat and tidy. Immediately from a kitten’s birth, queens get to work cleaning and stimulating their little ones, both for hygiene and comfort. From around four weeks of age, kittens begin to mimic their mothers and start the journey to becoming excellent self-cleaners themselves.
Some situations can be too much, even for the best of cat moms, and require a little bit of help from some shampoo and water. Due to the tiny size of their bodies, blood-sucking parasites can cause anemia, which is extremely dangerous and sometimes even lethal to kittens. They should be removed as soon as possible, and as many parasite control products are unsafe for young kittens, bathing with a special shampoo or even dish soap is often the best way to do this.
In cases where a kitten is orphaned and doesn’t have a mother cat to keep them clean, a human caretaker will need to step in to maintain the kitten’s hygiene.
If you find yourself in a situation where your feline friend needs a bath, it’s best to be prepared with all the necessary equipment and knowledge. Bathing a cat can be extremely stressful, both for cat and human, and being prepared helps to limit some of this anxiety.
The very first step is to choose a product that works well for your feline friend. Does she require a medicated shampoo? Is her skin quite sensitive? Does she have fleas that need to be treated? These are all factors to consider when selecting a shampoo. It’s important for cat guardians to remember that dog shampoo is generally unsafe for cats, so you can’t use the products that you already have stored in the cupboard for your dogs. The bottle must specify that the shampoo is meant for use on cats and it should not contain anything that is potentially toxic to felines.
Now that you have your shampoo, you’ll want to focus on the water’s temperature and levels . It should be lukewarm and sit below your cat’s chest. Your cat should be able to keep her head above the water comfortably while standing or sitting and should never be submerged. Rather than using a running tap or shower head, use a jug to scoop water to gently wet your kitty’s fur before going in with the shampoo and working up a lather.
The product bottle should direct you on how much to use. Be sure to rub the shampoo in well and don’t forget the paws, belly and tail! Avoid putting any product on your cat’s face and rather wipe it gently with a damp cloth. Use the same jug to rise off and then towel dry well. Some cats will tolerate being blow dried, but the sound can be quite distressing to more sensitive cats.
As dedicated cat guardians, our greatest desire is for our feline friends to be as happy and healthy as possible. Often, this will mean avoiding trips to the sink or groomer, but in some cases, they’re unavoidable. As long as we continue to act in our furrkid’s best interest and arm ourselves with the knowledge we need to provide the best possible care, we’re certainly on the track to success!
By Megan Wittington
References
https://www.petfinder.com/cats/cat-grooming/cats-meticulous-nature/
https://www.kittenlady.org/fleas
https://www.jacksongalaxy.com/blog/how-often-should-i-bathe-my-cat/
https://www.purina.com/articles/cat/care/do-cats-need-baths
https://www.petsradar.com/advice/do-cats-need-baths
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