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Tips for Cat Bath
My daughter is an inveterate cat-lover. So much so that any strays loitering outside our house will definitely become her friends. And that causes plenty of problems for us, because we are always worrying about what sort of infections she will catch playing with the cats, which are understandably not too clean.
Partly to solve the problem, we decided to keep two cats at home and Sherry was delighted. She now takes complete care of them, but the only bit she needs help with is bathing her “twins”. As we have discovered, cats can sometimes turn violent when they are taken under the water for a thorough shower. The reason, as anyone who has ever stopped a catfight knows, is that cats HATE water.
Your first experience of bathing a cat might have been awful but gradually you must have understood how to make the process easier and smoother and keep your restive pet under control. But for those who still face problems, here are a few pointers.
Prior preparation
- Sherry and I always make all arrangements before we give our cats their bath. The water must be stored in a big tub into which goes the cat. Initially they will struggle hard to come out of the tub, but with time they will adapt to the ‘watery’ feel and even learn to play in the water.
- When the cat is comfortably placed in the water, use shampoo and soap solutions to remove dirt from its coat. Be very gentle and watch your cat’s every movement because it may not take kindly to being scrubbed and may even bite you. As with most activities involving a cat, alertness is a must.
Take help
- This is of utmost importance when bathing a cat. You cannot handle an excited cat on your own because it will have a tendency to slip out of the bathing vessel and move out of your control. In our home, Sherry holds one end and I hold the other and we carry our cats into the bathroom so that they are confined in a smallish space.
- With two if us around, chances of one or both cats rushing out are slender so the washing and bathing are more effective.
The final cleanser
- Use pet shampoo to really make sure your cat is clean. That is also part of its grooming. But avoid using shampoo every day even if you bathe your cat daily. The chemicals in these cleansers can damage the fur
- When rinsing, do not pour water on your cat from the top. This unnerves it. Allowing it to adjust to the water and then patting its head with a wet cloth or towel is the best way to proceed. The water should have a soothing effect, so make sure it’s neither extremely hot nor cold. In my experience, I have found that lukewarm water is both hygienic and funs for our cats.