How to Groom and Bathe Your Cat

Anyone who has been around cats knows that they are meticulous groomers. Most cats will spend their days licking and grooming themselves. A cat’s tongue is the perfect tool for grooming. Not only does it keep the fur clean, but it also massages their skin and stimulates good circulation. No matter how much your cat grooms himself, you should also groom your cat daily. Not only does it work to enhance the bond between you and your cat, but it acquaints the cat with being handled.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Large sink or bathtub in a warm room
• Good lighting
• Soothing music
• Cat shampoo
• Cat conditioner
• Q-Tips
• Hair Dryer
• Towels
• Brush or combs

1. If you start grooming your cat from day one he will become comfortable with it. It is best to groom your cat when he is tired and when you are most relaxed. If your cat does not seem to like being groomed, you should still persist in doing so. Simply groom a little each day and his tolerance for it will increase. Be sure to lavish a lot of love and praise on your cat after each grooming session.

2. If you have a long haired cat, you should use a comb to groom his hair. Be careful when you comb your cat’s hair and watch out for tats. You should begin combing in your cat’s favorite spots. This is usually the chin and head. You should not comb any other area of the cat until his favorite spots are thoroughly combed through. Then, proceed to the next area. If you run into any matted areas you may have to cut it out of your pet’s fur. You can do this easily with blunt tipped scissors.

3. Shorthaired cats should be groomed with a rubber brush. You should wet or dampen the brush before you start grooming. This will help to catch any loose fur and keep it from flying around your home.

4. Generally speaking, cats seldom need baths. Unlike dogs, cat keep themselves pretty clean. However, if your cat does need a bath, it is a good idea to have a partner help you with the bathing. Some cats are so uptight about getting wet and having a bath that they require a small tranquilizer prescribed by a vet to have a bath!

5. You should begin the bathing process by cleaning your cat’s ears before you even put him in the water. Swab his ears with a Q-Tip that has been moistened with warm water. Only clean the visible parts of your cat’s ears and do not go inside your cat’s ear and attempt to clean the ear canal.

6. Next, comb or brush your cat before you ever place him in the bath water. This will help to work out any loose fur. You should cut out any matted areas with blunt tipped scissors.

7. Before you begin your cat's bath, close all windows and doors in the room and make sure the room is not cold. Bathing a cat in a cool room can cause him to get chilled.

8. Put on a pair of rubber gloves that reach your elbow. Pick your cat up by the scruff of his neck and place him in the sink or tub. Slowly allow warm water to fill the sink or tub. You will need no more than four or five inches of water to bathe your cat, so do not overfill the tub or sink because this can panic your cat.

9. Wet your cat’s back, belly, legs and head and apply cat shampoo. Do not apply too much shampoo to your cat or it will make the rinsing process too long. It is also a waste of shampoo! Use a cup to gently rinse the shampoo from your cat’s fur. Cat’s hate spray attachments.

10. After the shampoo has been rinsed, apply a mild conditioner to your cat’s fur. Be sure to rinse it out thoroughly. Once your cat has been rinsed free of conditioner, wrap him up in a large towel and lavish him with praise and love.

11. If your cat is not afraid of the noise, you can blow dry him. If the hair dryer intimidates and scares your cat, simply snuggle him dry in his towel.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not be surprised if your cat plops down somewhere to give himself a bath after the bath he has just received! This is common and should not be a concern. It is just your cat’s way of “fixing” his hair the way he wants it to dry.

[Gardengates]

on 7/24/2008 Every cat is different, but overall this sounds like good advice to me!

[wjackson]

on 4/5/2008 Yep, you got that right! It's best to start grooming them when they are babies.

[reddragonsgem]

on 3/12/2008 Uh, with the blow dryer, it's best to skip it unless you've done it since they were a kitten. I tried it once with an old cat and he left nice claw marks all over me.