How to Bathe a Cat

Cats groom themselves daily and rarely need a bath. If your cat has fleas, is dirtier than normal or gets into something harmful however, a bath is a good idea. An occasional bathing for grooming is harmless, so long as you have the patience to do so and follow some simple guidelines.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 2 towels
• Cotton balls
• Cat shampoo
• Plastic cup

1. Gather your supplies before trying to bathe your cat, as you will need two hands for this task. Having to search for bathing supplies will be next to impossible once you have the cat in your hands.

2. Fill a tub with several inches of very warm water. Place a folded towel on the bottom of the tub for the cat's comfort and to avoid slipping and sliding.

3. Stuff cotton balls into your cats ears to avoid water getting into them during bathing. If the inside of their ears get wet, they are more prone to infection.

4. Lather your cat's body with shampoo and warm water. Really work the shampoo into the hair, as it can be rather oily and tough to wash.

5. Rinse the cat thoroughly by pouring warm water from a cup over it's body. Try not to use a sprayer to do this, as it will likely freak the cat out and cause you more struggle than necessary. It's important to remove all of the shampoo residue so that the cat doesn't ingest any when they are cleaning themselves later.

6. Squeeze any excess water off of the cat by gently massaging your hands down it's body. Use the dry towel to finish drying your cat. If your cat tolerates it, you can also use a blow dryer to finish the drying process.

Tips & Warnings

• Choose an enclosed area to bathe your cat. A small bathroom works well. This way, if the cat manages to escape mid-bath, you won't have such a difficult time capturing him to finish the job.
• Consider clipping your cats claws before attempting a bath. It's very likely that you'll end up scratched while bathing a cat.

[tracysmith159]

on 7/6/2009 My cats are overly loving and want tons of attention, but totally flip out over a bath. My husband had to put on gloves and a coat to stop from being scratch, the cats only have back claws. Be prepared and wear long sleeve shirt or jacket and gloves for cats with claws. Never know what may happen when they are so scared. After a few baths the cats will be easier to bath.

[wecandobetter]

on 4/7/2009 I bathed my cat tonight for the first time. Once she got past the total freakout stage she turned very docile and let me wash her. I kept her on collar and leash the whole time and did not make getting away an option. She totally freaked at first but after getting soaked with warm water she submitted. I towel dried her. Didn't attempt the blow dry. Afterward I was amazed she didn't run and hide but stayed in the open to groom. She ate her dinner and warmed up to me later as if it never happened. I think the best way is to maintain absolute control without being mean and give plenty of love afterward and all will be well.