Tips For Bathing Cats

Of all the animals humans have as pets, cats are the cleanest of all.

The cat and all felines in general are animals that take great care of personal hygiene, among other things, they continually lick themselves to clean their fur and file their nails so they don’t grow too much.

However, despite their many precautions, they tend to fill their hair with dust. In addition, feline skin glands produce secretions, and sometimes dead hairs do not fall out on their own.

So, from time to time, it is necessary to give our feline friends a bath. Of course it’s common knowledge that cats and water don’t get along very well. So here are some tips for bathing cats.

Accustom the cat from the start

The difference between making bathing a pleasurable activity for the cat, or turning this activity into a fierce battle, where the owner and the cat are overwhelmed and stressed, is in getting the cat used to bathing from a puppy.

This should be done in the kitten’s socialization phase (between the first and second month of life). During this period, he absorbs everything he is taught, so it is the perfect time to get him used to bathing and also to teach him all the rules we want him to learn.

Not all cats are afraid of water

It’s not true that all cats are afraid of water, in fact, many of them get wet and play with it.

In addition, there are certain breeds of cats that live in lake areas and it is very common for them to enter the water to fish.

This means that bathing with soap and water is tolerable for these animals, especially if you start getting used to them when they are still puppies and repeating at regular intervals.

This activity can be used to reinforce the bond between the cat and the owner, even more if we add play and pampering to this activity.

Tips for before bathing cats

The first and most important of all tips, is to have everything you need at hand so that you don’t leave the cat alone at any time during a bath.

Therefore, you must have shampoo, a towel and a dryer. Bathing can be done in either a basin or a bathtub, depending on the size of the cat, using warm water.

This is very important as otherwise the cat will react to the water temperature and will not want to go back into the tub. You should water the cat slowly, by hand or with a sponge, but never with the spray directly, as they are often afraid.

The atmosphere of the place must be calm and, also, the first bath must be quick so as not to provoke anxiety in the animal. It is advisable that you caress it while washing it to relax it and it is important that the same person is always bathing it.

In addition, to bathe the kitten you should use a special shampoo or soap for cats and, if it has long hair, also use a special conditioner.

Steps to Bathe the Cat

Lock yourself in peace with the cat in the chosen bathing spot. If there are too many people he will be nervous.
The best place to bathe your cat is at the kitchen sink, as the bathroom sink is too small and a bathtub can be too low.
Place a towel at the bottom of the metal sink so the cat doesn’t slip.
Fill the sink with a few inches of warm water and add some shampoo before placing the cat.
Once our friend is in the water, you must act quickly, firmly and gently, using your voice to calm him down and convey confidence.
With a sponge dipped in the diluted shampoo, rub the paws, tail, body and ears and rinse quickly.
Take the kitten out of the sink and wrap it in a towel, you will have to dry it beforehand with a towel.