Top 5 Strange Behaviors in Dogs. How often you need to bathe your cat depends on the following: Indoor vs. Coat length and type: Longer coats will require more maintenance than short coat cats. Self-grooming behavior: Cats that cannot or do not groom themselves efficiently need regular baths to keep their coat from becoming greasy or sticky.
If the cat becomes uncomfortably dirty or sticky , due to getting into the trash, scrounging around in discarded food, or from some outdoor encounter with sap, mud, oil, or toxic elements. Cats will often try to self-clean, but then that begs the question, do you really want your pet ingesting everything that can be found in the hair? If the cat picks up bugs in its fur , which can not only be a rather unsettling thought for you as an owner, but is also an incredible nuisance to your favorite feline.
Even if you are able to get past the utter cringe-worthy thoughts that come with the creepy-crawlies, your cat could be suffering, as some of the most common pests — fleas, mites, ticks, lice — feed on blood and could cause irritation, infection, or disease.
Here are some cases where bathing becomes necessary: If your cat has particularly long hair — for example, when it comes to breeds like Persians — keeping the fur clean may be more than a cat can handle on its own regardless of their self-grooming habits and abilities.
When it comes to cats with less fur , or no fur — such as the Sphynx, which is completely hairless — periodic baths are indeed needed in order to remove body oils. There are also medical reasons why your cat could require a bath: It may prove to be quite the challenge for cats that are elderly, obese, arthritic, or have mobility issues to perform a basic cleaning on themselves.
The back half of the coat of some of these cats can often become matted, allowing the delicate skin to become itchy and flaky. However, being prepared with all the key supplies will help to give you a leg up and make the process easier: Grab a few cotton balls to do some ear cleaning. Keeping things out of the ear canal will prevent infection of the inner ear. If the cat is soiled in something particularly unpleasant or a possible irritant, you may opt to use gloves to protect your own skin.
Long sleeve shirts will also help protect you, too. Choose a gentle, approved cat shampoo. Although you may find it fun to use a shampoo with a nice scent, it is often better to find an unscented one. A small pitcher to pour warm water over your potentially nervous pet. Lots of cats will be terrified by the noise of a hairdryer.
If that's the case, turn it off immediately and stick to the towel. You should also only use a low heat setting or a dryer made for pets, which will be cooler. You've likely both gotten this far unscathed, and you certainly don't want to risk burning your cat at this stage of the game. There isn't much difference between bathing a kitten and a cat, although young furballs can be more playful and harder to keep still. If your kitten thinks bath time is playtime, you can try to distract them with a toy or small treat.
Those rubber gloves are especially important for bathing a kitten since they may try to nip at your hands playfully. One last kitten tip—be sure to consider your tiny friend's size. A sink or small store-bought tub will probably work better for a kitten than a larger tub. You don't want your kitten to feel overwhelmed in a cavernous space or have that much room to move around and possibly get hurt.
Bath time will likely and hopefully! A healthy coat is also a product of a healthy cat. Be sure to take your cat to the veterinarian for an annual check-up. Also, take care of those pearly whites with yearly dental exams and regular tooth brushing at home. Yes, it can sound as daunting as bathing, but it's a must! Have a dog at home as well? Check out these grooming tips for them, too!
If you've read all of this and still quiver and quake at the thought of giving your cat a bath, you can always turn to a professional groomer. Some groomers will even come to your home to wash your cat in the house or a mobile grooming van. Your veterinarian can also offer advice if you want to do it yourself but don't feel confident enough to take on the task. The information presented in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute or substitute for the advice of your veterinarian.
Before bringing home a new kitten, there is much to do in order to prepare yourself and your home for your new, little family member. Grooming tools are widely available. A soft brush is generally enough for a short-hair. Flea combs can be used to remove dead hair, and search for fleas. Long-haired cats will likely need both a wide-toothed comb to help deal with tangles and a brush or glove to smooth and shine.
Matting is probably the toughest grooming problem and may need to be dealt with by a professional. Vet clinics often provide grooming services and will be able to provide advice about clipping.
Cats have in-built grooming tools in the form of their tongue and teeth, and usually they are fussy about self-cleaning, so regular grooming by brushing is usually sufficient. However, there will be times when your feline friend needs a little extra help in the cleaning department — for example, when he or she has come into contact with something sticky or smelly, or has become very dirty.
Never use human shampoo on cats as they are unsuitable for cat hair and may dry out their skin. For cats with dry skin, try a dry skin and conditioning shampoo. Make sure you have everything ready before bringing your cat in for a wash. The supplies that you will need include:. Start by brushing your cat and getting rid of much dirt as possible then fill the bath or sink with just enough warm — never hot — water to wash your cat.
If your cat is biting or scratching a lot during bathing, or appears to become distressed, stop bathing your cat and check with your vet for advice. You might be able to get someone else more experienced such as your vet or a groomer to bathe your cat without issues. Next, apply a small amount of cat shampoo and warm water to the dirty or stained area only.
If you are washing the full body, avoid the head area and only soap up the rest of the body.
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