Cat Bathing Techniques

By Ron King

Deciding to bathe a cat is a fairly extreme measure, generally undertaken only when necessary because of fleas or some other problem. Be prepared, be patient and do everything you can to keep you cat calm and to make the ordeal move quickly. Most cats really do hate getting wet and they'll probably respond by hissing, spitting, scratching and doing everything they can to get away.

Before you begin bathing your cat, you will need to gather a few supplies. At the minimum, you will need two absorbent terry cloth towels, a pet safe shampoo, a pet safe conditioner, a sponge, and a sprayer attachment for your sink or tub. If you don't have a sprayer attachment, you should have a pitcher or large cup that you can use to scoop clean water over your cat's body. Ideally, you should also have a non-skid mat to help your cat feel more secure.

If you decide to bathe your cat in the tub, you may have a harder time holding on to him if he becomes frightened. However, it is usually easier to keep him contained if he escapes in a bathroom than in the kitchen.

Place your non-skid mat in the bottom of the sink or tub. Add two to three inches of warm water and gently place your cat in the tub. Talk to him quietly and reassure him. He will most likely settle down within a few seconds. Once he is calm, begin to wet him down. If the sprayer attachment scares him too badly, you may have to pour water over him using your pitcher or cup, instead. Do not pour water on his head. You will clean his face later.

Once your cat is wet enough to shampoo, apply the shampoo with your hand, massaging your cat's fur and talking kindly and calmly to him while you do. Rinsing the shampoo is probably the most difficult part of the bath. It's important you do it thoroughly even if your cat objects, because the residue from the shampoo will irritate his skin.

Now, work a palm sized dollop of conditioner into your cat's coat and then rinse it out. This step is actually optional if the cat has short hair. However, conditioner will not hurt a short haired cat, so, if he is not too upset, you may still want to use it.

Once your cat's body is clean, dampen your sponge and use it to carefully wipe down his face. Pay close attention to the area under his eyes.

The drying stage is usually the easiest. Wrap your cat in a big towel and pat as much excess water out of his coat as you can. When the towel is wet, switch to the other towel and repeat the process until you've got your cat as dry as you can. If you have a long haired cat, you might consider a hair dryer, although most cats are probably going to be afraid of the noise, so don't torment your cat, if he it scares him.

For more info, see Cat tips or Cat Care. Ron King is a web developer; visit his website Authoring Articles Copyright 2007 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact and the links live.