I would like to know if any of you cat owners have an effective way of bathing your kittens, I am personally pretty proud of my own method but I could always use improvement.
I personally purchased a kitten and from the moment he became my little Mao Mao we have bathed him about once a week. We figured if we were going to get him used to it we had to start young. At first as a kitten we would wrap him up tightly in a towel and then simply submerge him in the water until he was soaked. (we would use hands to get his head wet)
Eventually I realized that though water is better then nothing, shampoo and conditioner would work alot better.
It could be his temperament, or it could be how he has been raised, but he would meow very loudly and struggle violently when bundled in the towel, I encountered the same behavior when I used the shower to rinse him rather then simply using my hands to sprinkle the water on him carefully.
Mao Mao meows in protest whenever I bath him but its more "oh no not again" rather then "GET ME THE HELL OUT OF HERE!!!!"
He did try to escape our cloth shower curtains, but now we have a glass sliding door (but with a plastic cover its alot more durable) and while he tries to leave its pretty easy for me to carefully slosh water from the tap rather then the shower head over his entire body.
When I bath Mao Mao I know he is scared and uncomfortable, and to help him deal with it I am quite affectionate with him while I do it, and he seems to really want to be comforted during his baths.
He is more or less used to getting wet, though he does not like it, and now I can shampoo him, rinse, use conditioner, and rinse again, after that I can open the door and he simply hops out of the bath.
He meows because he is cold and wet but waits while I change into clothes and sits expectantly when I wrap him up in a towel. He purrs for about 8 minutes while he drys in the towel and then usually wants to get out of the towel and dry himself off. He usually seeks out my lap when that phase of the drying process begins.
Oddly enough I have found that Mao Mao in the aftermath of a bath actually loves me much more as I do not think he sees me as forcing him to take a bath, I think he believes we are both stuck in the tub and that I liberate him from the terrible water every time I let him out after bathing him.
I really think the trick is to start immediately rather then waiting until they are several months old and then trying to force them into the bathtub. My previous cat was almost a year old when we got him and was easily 2 years old by the time of his first bath and he was just as terrifying to bath as the cat in the video, which is why *I* never did it.
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Perhaps I'm weird, but I've never considered bathing an otherwise healthy indoor cat. Why did you choose to bathe your kitty?
Our littlest cat occasionally needs to have her rear cleaned for her. I just take a damp rag in one hand, hold her with the other (she always follows me into the bathroom and hops obligingly onto the counter to see what I'm doing) and do a quick cleanup. It always makes me laugh because while she squirms a little bit, she's always purring (granted this kitty is pretty much always purring).
Posts: 5879 | Registered: Apr 2001
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Generally I don't bath my cats... they take care of that themselves.
I have had to, though, on occasion... my cat lit his fur on fire and shampooing was a must to be rid of the smell, my sister-in-laws cat was shedding so bad even my SIL was getting allergic and a shampoo helped a lot.
Let's just say I still have the scars on my chest and back from where the cat ran up and over me trying to escape.
But I have heard that if you bath (or just wet) a cat often from a young age it's MUCH easier - sounds like you'd agree.
Posts: 409 | Registered: Apr 2002
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Cats need to be bathed for the same reasons dogs need to be, though cats are less inclined to roll around in the mud.
They create dandruff, their skin gets oily from being touched by people (not sure if cats can sweat) not only that, cats lick themselves to rid themselves of shed hair. That is why cats cough up hairballs. If you bath your cat those hairs are washed off and he/she does not have hairballs develop in its gut.
My cat smells wonderful after a bath, and its fur is really glossy and though possibly unrelated, my sister who is quite allergic to cats says that she does not react to being in my apartment even though we have a cat, and I attribute that to the fact we bath him and so his fur and dander is not floating around waiting to aggravate her immune system.
Oh I did find a much FUNNIER video of a cat being bathed, and it seems to be the most efficient way I could conceive, though certainly not kind.
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The only other method I have heard for bathing a mature cat that WILL scratch your skin completely off if you try to bath him/her is to toss them in the toilet, slam the lid down and flush once or twice.
Mao Mao never tries to climb up me or scratch me, he just paces the bathtub looking for a way out.
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When I first got my giant rabbit, she was really dirty. I bathed her once. That was quite a struggle! Picture my kid and I running around the house chasing a soaking wet giant rabbit. Soaking wet giant rabbits are very very fast.
After that one time, she kept herself pretty clean, and I would just brush or spot clean anything that needed taking care of.
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Interesting. I've always brushed my cats and they've never had any problems with hairballs. Cats (like dogs) do not sweat. My cats have always smelled good and had glossy coats. I've read that actually bathing them too frequently can be detrimental to their coats because it removes the oils that normally maintain their coats health. Each home and cat is different.
I'll bet bathing is useful for living with people who are allergic to cats.
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The only time I've ever had to bathe any of my dozens of cats (I've never had more than 2 or 3 at a time, mind you... I'm not a crazy cat lady just yet) was when my children somehow got involved.
Like the time my daughter and her best friend (they were 4) decided to put our ginger cat Oscar into the woodstove. (It was summer and the stove was cold, but very sooty). He looked like a black Halloween cat when I found him a while later. It took 3 baths to get him clean, but he was good natured about it. He reacted very much like your cat Mao Mao, resigned and sad, but not aggressive or angry.
BTW, when we first moved to Maui, we "cat-sat" a cat named Mao Mao... I thought it was an unusual name. Is it Chinese?
Posts: 2069 | Registered: May 2001
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My husband on occasion puts our cat in the shower. The occasion that calls for this is high temperatures - 90+. We live in a mobile home without air conditioning. When our cat gets too hot, he'll cool her down this way.
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My cat has had 5 baths in his six years of life. All one week before a 4-H cat show. Our bathtub has a rim about 18 inches above the floor that is just a strip of metal lining up two pieces of fiberglass and he sinks his claws into that rim and stands there while you bathe him. The other cat i showed in 4-H was put into a net bag with a hole for her head before her baths.
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When my sister and I were in middle school and still evil and totally incompassionate, we once tried to bath our cat in the tub, which had a glass sliding door. We filled it about 3 inches and put the cat in, who immediately started flipping out. When we slammed the door to the shower, it leaped about halfway up the door. My sister then stood on the toilet and dangled a towel over the top of the shower door, and the cat leaped, dug its claws into the towel, and was up and over the top of the shower door. It was amazing. But we never tried it again.
It's a pretty hardy cat, though... We also once tied the reins of our American Girl doll sled to the cat's collar, with the idea that it would pull the doll around the house. Actually, it flew though the house, the doll got threwn off, and the sled was bashed against every wall the cat ran by, creating a huge noise. Posts: 930 | Registered: Dec 2006
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quote:Originally posted by maui babe: The only time I've ever had to bathe any of my dozens of cats (I've never had more than 2 or 3 at a time, mind you... I'm not a crazy cat lady just yet) was when my children somehow got involved.
Like the time my daughter and her best friend (they were 4) decided to put our ginger cat Oscar into the woodstove. (It was summer and the stove was cold, but very sooty). He looked like a black Halloween cat when I found him a while later. It took 3 baths to get him clean, but he was good natured about it. He reacted very much like your cat Mao Mao, resigned and sad, but not aggressive or angry.
BTW, when we first moved to Maui, we "cat-sat" a cat named Mao Mao... I thought it was an unusual name. Is it Chinese?
Mao is indeed Chinese for "cat" it is said with a first tone, so it literally sounds like a cat meowing. Its the only Chinese word I know of that once you've heard it, you are hard pressed to forget it Go ahead and say it out loud, mao.....
Its a great name for a cat, especially one you raise since kittenhood yourself. It sounds like a cat meow so the cat is more inclined to respond to it. My previous cat was named cougar, and I am 99% sure he responded more to the tone people took when they called him rather then the word "cougar."
SS: My hands ooze oil, true story, I can use it to cook my eggs.
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There are some effective grooming brushes that work on cats. If you get the cat used to using it wet (with warm water, naturally) then you can probably work up to an effective "scrub bath" of sorts, combine wet brushing with vigorous toweling.
Then again, I think that bathing a cat in soap and water can be something of a fun adventure for both of you. Just don't leave any second-story (or higher) windows open when you're trying it, the consequences of that only make a heart-warming story if your pet survives.
On a completely unrelated note, we also had a cat named mao mao.
Posts: 763 | Registered: Aug 1999
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I think that the whole point of the thread is to find ways around the whole "bathing a cat" thing. And where were you when people were using "proselyte" as a verb, Yoda?
Posts: 763 | Registered: Aug 1999
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I've bathed two cats in my life, but they were both fairly young kittens, about 8-12 weeks I'd guess. The first one was because, two days after we picked him up as a stray, he broke out in fleas. The second one we rescued from a parking lot; she'd just crawled up inside the engine block of a parked truck (I guess to keep warm--good thing we spotted her before the truck's owner came back and drove away) and after we fished her out she had grease and oil on her fur. We just washed them under the tub faucet with baby shampoo; they were obviously unhappy about it but didn't scratch much or bite at all. But they were small and easy to handle; I sure wouldn't want to try to bathe an adult cat. Mine tear me up bad enough just getting them into the carriers for a vet trip.
Posts: 957 | Registered: Aug 2002
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quote:Originally posted by BlackBlade: Cats need to be bathed for the same reasons dogs need to be, though cats are less inclined to roll around in the mud.
Where did you hear this? Cats most definitely do not need to be bathed just like dogs do, barring an inability to wash themselves. They groom themselves, unlike dogs, and washing them a lot can actually harm their skin.
Posts: 1658 | Registered: Sep 2003
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1. Know that although the kitty cat has the advantage of quickness and lack of concern for human life, you have the advantage of strength. Capitalize on that advantage by selecting the battlefield. Don't try to bathe him in an open area where he can force you to chase him. Pick a very small bathroom. If your bathroom is more than four feet square, we recommend that you get in the tub with the cat and close the sliding-glass doors as if you were about to take a shower. (A simple shower curtain will not do. A berserk cat can shred a three-ply rubber shower curtain quicker than a politician can shift positions.)
2. Know that a cat has claws and will not hesitate to remove all the skin from your body. Your advantage here is that you are smart and know how to dress to protect yourself. We recommend canvas overalls tucked into high-top construction boots, a pair of steel-mesh gloves, an army helmet, a hockey face-mask, and a long-sleeved flak jacket.
3. Use the element of surprise. Pick up your cat nonchalantly, as if to simply carry him to his supper dish. (Cats will not usually notice your strange attire. They have little or no interest in fashion as a rule.)
4. Once you are inside the bathroom, speed is essential to survival. In a single liquid motion, shut the bathroom door, step into the tub enclosure, slide the glass door shut, dip the cat in the water and squirt him with shampoo. You have now begun one of the wildest 45 seconds of your life.
5. Cats have no handles. Add the fact that he now has soapy fur, and the problem is radically compounded. Do not expect to hold on to him for more than two or three seconds at a time. When you have him, however, you must remember to give him another squirt of shampoo and rub like crazy. He'll then spring free and fall back into the water, thereby rinsing himself off. (The national record for cats is three latherings, so don't expect too much.)
6. Next, the cat must be dried. Novice cat bathers always assume this part will be the most difficult, for humans generally are worn out at this point and the cat is just getting really determined. In fact, the drying is simple compared with what you have just been through. That's because by now the cat is semi-permanently affixed to your right leg.
You simply pop the drain plug with your foot, reach for your towel and wait. (Occasionally, however, the cat will end up clinging to the top of your army helmet. If this happens, the best thing you can do is to shake him loose and to encourage him toward your leg.) After all the water is drained from the tub, it is a simple matter to just reach down and dry the cat.
In a few days the cat will relax enough to be removed from your leg. He will usually have nothing to say for about three weeks and will spend a lot of time sitting with his back to you. He might even become psychoceramic and develop the fixed stare of a plaster figurine.
You will be tempted to assume he is angry. This isn't usually the case. As a rule he is simply plotting ways to get through your defenses and injure you for life the next time you decide to give him a bath. But at least now he smells a lot better.
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We had a cat a number of years ago that needed to be bathed in a shampoo designed to kill fleas. The cat did not like being bathed--took two people to hold him. But he loved being put under a hair dryer afterward. He was a long-haired cat, and boy did he fluff up!
Posts: 3742 | Registered: Dec 2001
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Our family cat loves his bath time! He often climbs into the shower when it isn't his bath time.
I think it all started when we found him almost 10 years ago stuck in a sewer drain. He was completely filthy from nose to tail and litteraly swarming with flees. We immediately gave him a bath in the sink, and assumed he would freak out. He didn't. He just sat there with a look of exteme relief as the flees scurried in droves from the water line. It got pretty gross as they swarmed his face and crawled in his nose and mouth, but we were pretty quick and killed the little buggers (heh). It took much longer to get the mysterious gunk and McNast out of his fur, but he was eventually a beautifully clean little kitten.
Now, almost a decade later, he still loves his baths. So, I think that is the best way to give a cat a bath. When you first get the cat as a kitten, filthify it as much as possible, until it sees the bath as relief, not as punishment.
Posts: 2596 | Registered: Jan 2006
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My mother always used to make me wash any cats I found and adopted first thing. Generally, the cats purred all through their first bath, and freaked out all through their second, which was six months to a year later. It seemed as if most of them figured that the first, though unpleasant, was part of the adoption ritual, which is was.
I did actually have one cat that was remarkably easy to bathe. I simply picked him up in my arms, stepped into the shower fully clothed, and turned on the water. He huddled against my chest while I washed him. But then, he was the sort who wanted people to leave the water in the sink on so he could play with it for hours and hours.
I bathed my three cats this past summer, though I took them to the animal clinic I work at to do so. There, if they are reasonably well behaved, you tie them up with a leash like a dog and aim to be quick. All three of them tried climbing up my arms, but it was no worse (and mostly much better than) the cats of clients that are dropped off for a bath.
If worst comes to worst, we have the crazy-cage, which a cat can just fit into, and that doesn't allow them to move enough to claw, though they can still bite if one isn't careful.
Posts: 1751 | Registered: Jun 1999
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quote:Originally posted by katharina: Black Blade, I have to tell you. I'm sorry. Your thread is very funny, but I think the title is causing some physical pain.
Bath = noun Bathe = verb
My apologies, I read a previous comment about bath/bathe and thought, that's funny, who would make that mistake. I could not find the offending post, and did not even think to check whether I had made the mistake.
Thank you for pointing the error out, it's all better now!
Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005
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Nighthawk, your text is basically the narration for the first video I linked. Though I am surprised nobody found the 2nd video funny.
Rappin' Ronnie Reagan: Where did you get the idea that cats have some enzyme in their saliva that destroys all dirt and germs? I have seen my cat groom itself plenty of times, and I am glad it tries to help, but cats simply licking themselves does not do the job, and not only that if it did, they do not lick every inch of their fur coats.
You asked me where I got the idea that cats need to be bathed, where did you get the idea that bathing them is harmful?
Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005
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quote:Though I am surprised nobody found the 2nd video funny.
Personally, I just felt really bad for the cat and wanted to stop the torture. But still funny... as far as torture goes anyway.
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quote:Most cats stay relatively clean and rarely need a bath, but you should brush or comb your cat regularly. Frequent brushing helps keep your cat's coat clean, reduces the amount of shedding and cuts down on the incidence of hairballs.
quote:By nature, cats are extremely fastidious. You’ve no doubt watched your kitty washing herself several times a day. For the most part she can take care of herself very well, thank you, but sometimes she’ll need a little help from you.
Added: The "help" referred to in this quote was brushing.
quote:If your cat’s coat becomes greasy and oily, or if she’s gotten into something sticky or smelly, she’ll benefit from a bath.
So it doesn't seem to be harmful, but it certainly isn't normally necessarly.
Posts: 7954 | Registered: Mar 2004
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quote:Originally posted by ElJay: Here is the ASPCA page on cat care.
quote:Most cats stay relatively clean and rarely need a bath, but you should brush or comb your cat regularly. Frequent brushing helps keep your cat's coat clean, reduces the amount of shedding and cuts down on the incidence of hairballs.
quote:By nature, cats are extremely fastidious. You’ve no doubt watched your kitty washing herself several times a day. For the most part she can take care of herself very well, thank you, but sometimes she’ll need a little help from you.
Added: The "help" referred to in this quote was brushing.
quote:If your cat’s coat becomes greasy and oily, or if she’s gotten into something sticky or smelly, she’ll benefit from a bath.
So it doesn't seem to be harmful, but it certainly isn't normally necessarly.
Thanks for the link! Makes sense to me. You brush your cat, and Ill slosh around in the bathtub with mine.
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You should bathe a cat that is in the process of being treated for ear mites, as they have now been found to survive in the cat's fur and re-infect them. It was previously thought that they could not live long outside the cat's ears.
*continues liberal application of Bactine*
Posts: 9293 | Registered: Aug 2000
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having given several kitty baths to flea infested kitties, I say... kittens are much easier and much more relieved. full grown cats require two people for easiest washing.
have shallow warm water in the bottom of the tub, get a good grip around your cats chest that lets you pin one of the front legs down, use the other hand to firmly plant your cats rear end down and basically pin the cat as best you can, the other person will gently pour water over the cat and rub in the shampoo. it gets trickier to hold the cat when soapy, but don't be afraid to use a smidge of strength, you won't hurt the cat but it helps to be a flexible human as well. Don't grab it around the neck, don't try to pin the legs together, try to keep the cat in a sitting position so it is more comfortable, just mostly unable to move.
I never needed protective gear, but I would suggest that you not do it with a shower curtained bath, that's an invitation to disaster.
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My cat seems to exert some sort of magnetic repulsion towards bathtubs. She somehow pulls away without actually touching anything.
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My wife and I have a Sphynx cat. That's hairless, in case you don't know. Well, technically, they're really short-haired cats. She needs bathing weekly, since they have extra skin oil due to lack of hair. She, too hates baths, though she seems to have become more tolerant of them. Of course, I have also gotten very good at skillful maneuvering. I think bathing a cat requires the highest order of motor coordination.
God just had to make the most wirey animal in the world the one that is most terrified of water.
Posts: 684 | Registered: Aug 2001
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My wife was curious to see if our cat would mind getting a shower. The instant the droplets from the shower approached, the cat took off like a rocket, ricocheting of the walls and finally bursting out through the shower curtain.
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and though possibly unrelated, my sister who is quite allergic to cats says that she does not react to being in my apartment even though we have a cat, and I attribute that to the fact we bath him and so his fur and dander is not floating around waiting to aggravate her immune system.![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
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