Things You'll Need:
- Towels (2)
- Shampoo
- Ptcher / bucket
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Step 1
I suggest you first get your feline friend acclimated to the sounds of the running water in your shower/tub as well as the general atmosphere of your bathroom. This will keep their nerves calm during the actual bath, we don't want to throw too much at them at once. To do this, simply keep them in the bathroom when you shower, talking to them in your 'cat' voice, re-assuring them that they are safe. I suggest they accompany you for 1 week in the shower.
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Step 2
When bath time arrives, make sure the water coming from either the faucet or shower head is luke warm to warm. Then you will prepare: have your shampoo (human shampoo works, but its best to purchase cat shampoo from your local retail store, it's specially designed for their fur and skin)towel(s) and pitcher near to the tub as you will be holding fluffy with one hand while using the other to do the washing, scrubbing and rinsing. If your tools aren't in close proximity, kitty could get away from you and soak the floor underneath him wherever he runs off to.
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Step 3
When ready, close the bathroom doors and gently and sweetly put your kitty in the rear part of the tub. He/she will get nervous as they feel the water on their feet; not to worry, just keep moving forward and talk sweet to them. With one hand, hold your cat from wanting to jump out of the tub; this is usually best done by bracing them under their chest and front legs. BE CAREFUL not to restrain them too much or it will raise their unconfortablness and make them more focused on getting out of the tub. Instead, let them walk back and forth, making sure to brace them only when they try to leave the tub.
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Step 4
Now you will fill your pitcher up with the water coming from either the faucet or the shower head (the tub drain is open during the whole process, we don't want a drowned cat)and pour it on your cat, leaving their head and ears dry! You will do this a couple of times or until your cat is fully wet (bottom side too).
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Step 5
Pour a quarter size of shampoo on your free hand and begin rubbing it into your cats back, tail, legs and undercarriage; leaving their head and ears dry. Feel free to use a washcloth with just water on it for kitties eye goop and face cleaning. Some cats will relax a bit at this point, which is good.
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Step 6
Rinse. You will want to rinse them in the same way you got them wet; with a pitcher. You will want to make sure you rinse them very very well. Any shampoo left in may cause your cat to get sick when they instinctively start licking themselves when they get out of the bath or anytime thereafter. It can also cause them to have dry and irritated skin, so make sure you rinse rinse rinse! Use your hand along with the water to rinse deep into their fur.
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Step 7
Once their clean, you can use your hand like a squidgy to get a lot of the water off their back, tail, legs and tummy. They will still be very wet, but get as much off of them in the tub as you can. You will then want to dry them; there are two options.
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Step 8
Dry Option 1: Towel try first (kitty may want to run from you as they don't know your trying to help..they think their tiny tongue is going to dry them quicker than your towel) Once towel dry, grab your hair-dryer and set it to medium heat and speed if possible. While holding the hair-dryer a few feet back from kitty, start drying him while brushing him if possible. Make sure not to blow the dryer near their face or ears; and also its best to wave the dryer back and forth a bit as to not cause a hot spot on your cat or burning them ... they WILL remember that during their next bath. it will take some time to dry them 100%, but the results are fantastic. A clean, fresh smelling and soft cat is the outcome.
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Step 9
Dry Option 2: Towel dry, then keep them in the bathroom for 30 minutes so they can dry themselves a bit with their tongue. At this point your cat will not be dripping wet and will dry in do time. However, their fur seems a bit matted down after an air dry vs. a hair-dryer.
That's it, you did it!
