do cats really need baths?
May 14th 2008 15:36
cats generally just wash themselves with their tongues, they are little self-cleansing units who i would never in a million years stick in a bath and pour water on . . . they HATE water, they would claw your eyes out to stay away from water . . . well all of the ones ive met anyway!
i was recently sent a forwarded email containing ten pics of people trying to bathe their cats . . . the poor little creatures all have these terrified expressions on their faces, some of them desperately clinging on to the taps to try and save themselves . . . they all generally look pissed off or frightened . . . so i thought, why would anyone do this to their cat?
other than to take funny photos for joke email circulation . . .
REASONS TO BATHE A CAT
- if the cat is infested with fleas, medicated shampoos can help repel fleas
- if the cat has been bombarded with ticks
- if the cat is especially dirty or has been exposed to toxic or hamful substances
- if the cat has miliary dermatitis, seborrhea, etc.
- if the cat needs a special shampoo treatment from the vet
- to reduce parasite infections and increase general cleanliness of the coat
- to make life easier on those who are allergic to cats
- to make your cat familiar and comfortable with being bathed from a young age should they require it later in life
- to make your cat presentable for a cat show
HOW TO BATHE A CAT
- brush the cats fur with a comb to remove knots and matting and debris
- clip the cats claws to avoid being scratched
- place cotton balls in the cats ears
- apply ophthalmic ointment to protect the cats eyes eg: eye drops from vet, baby oil, olive oil
- place a towel or rubber mat in the bottom of the bath to prevent the cat slipping
- make sure the air-temperature in the bathroom is warm (bathed cats can, and will, contract pneumonia, as they are easily chilled, keep them indoors in the warm family for 12 hours after bath)
- pour luke warm water just deep enough to cover the cats paws (4-5 inches)
- once the cat is placed in the bath keep the door closed until finished
- you may want to apply a non-toxic "wetting agent" like Shaklee's Basic H to reduce surface tension making it easier to soak the coat
- avoid wetting the cats head or using sprays around their face
- gentle pour water over cats body with a cup
- if your can has a greasy coat use a de-greaser like Fast Orange
- if you need to wash the head use a "tear-free" shampoo and apply careful with a washcloth, no pouring water on the face
- dilute all shampoos before use
- rinse thoroughly to remove all chemicals
- blot dry with a towl, dont rub
- use a hairdryer on a cool setting for long-haired cats that dont mind the sound
If your cat absolutely cannot tolerate being wet, try using a waterless or powder shampoo, pre-moistened bath towelettes for pets, which have recently become available, or give your cat a 'sponge bath' with a damp towel.
Do not bathe your cat too often; it dries out the special oils in its skin that keeps its fur nice and shiny/healthy.
and as a basic rule of thumb if your cat is freaking out and not enjoying it STOP!
dont be a meanie . . . only bathe a cat if it is relaxed and comfortable!
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Comment by Jason King
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Comment by Irene
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Another cat we had was the laziest cat ever...he didn't even groom himself half as much as normal cats. As a result, his fur became all matted, even with our brushings, and we had to trim some of the stuff at the back and give him a bath (cause if he wasn't grooming, he probably wasn't cleaning!).
Comment by Mountain Fog
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those poor, poor animals!
and some people laugh at them when they are in such obvious distress.
horrible!
fog
Comment by Morgan Bell
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thats a good example of a need for a bath . . . i dont think i would be brave enough to jump in a shower with a cat! geez i would get sliced and diced!
hi Irene,
thanks for those examples, i honestly couldnt get my head around it when i saw the pics, i thought there must be some rational explanation!
hi Fog,
i was wondering if the baths really were for legitimate reasons then WHY did they have a camera handy??
Comment by Johnny Come Lately
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Comment by Morgan Bell
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really????
haha im amazed!
our cats are fascinated by running water but they would never submerge themselves in it, they get frightened when theyre wet . . . probably because theyre not used to it!
im always amazed how thin and scrawny cats look when theyre wet . . . its like looking at them without their clothes on, they seem so vulnerable!
Comment by Jason King
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Comment by postmoderncritic
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Comment by Morgan Bell
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hi Epiphanie,
they certainly dont look happy do they? i think theres a few owners who are gunna be smothered in their sleep if they dont watch out!
Comment by Mountain Fog
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cheers
fog
Comment by Morgan Bell
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haha Fog you have a fantastic way with words!
now i REALLY want a swimming cat!
Comment by James Rickard
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Comment by Cheryl J
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We had to bathe our cat after she was attacked by two dogs. When I beat the dogs away from her she was pretty cut up and so terrified she had pooed all over herself and then me. After we got back from the vet and she hid under a pillow for a few hours (that bedlinen needed a good bleaching) we had to clean her. It was very stressful and difficult and I think unnecessary unless it's a health issue, they're pretty good on cleaning themselves on the whole.
You have to GO HERE , she looks like she's loving the water!
Comment by Justicia
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Comment by Morgan Bell
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the pics were pretty much the catalyst for the whole post . . . i found the whole concept of wet cats very intriguing!
thanks for stopping in and leaving a comment!
hi Cheryl,
i think im lucky nothing really awful has happened to my cat that required washing her!
i thought i should put some info with the pics rather than just re-posting them just incase people thought i was endorsing dunking their cats in water willy nilly!
omg i cant believe how much that cat is enjoying hanging out in the bath . . . what a fantastic youtube video! thanks!
Comment by Morgan Bell
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ive always owned cats and never given one a bath, it seems like a strange thing to do!
from the pics it seems some cats are definately not too happy about the whole ordeal!
thanks for stopping in!
Comment by AmyHuang
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I don't bath my cat. No way. She does keep herself beautifully clean and so I will never need to wash her. They are great when it comes to independence!
Comment by Morgan Bell
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some of the facial expressions cats make are just gorgeous, even under pressure, you can imagine if they had human voices they would be saying "this really isnt funny you know, i insist you put me down this instant!"
i wouldnt bathe my cat mostly for self-preservation, i think she would freak out and rip me to shreds!
Comment by Cheryl J
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The one clinging to the tap is cracking me up "Nooooooooo DO NOT WANT!!"
Comment by Morgan Bell
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thats funny because on the email they came in the caption was "No, no, no, no.....NOOOO!!!!"
so similar!
Comment by RubySoho
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Johnny do you mean the grey cat with the green eyes? It's hysterical. How unimpressed does it look?
Comment by OnlineWriter
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I've had the privilege of not only bathing cats but even shaving them. You think it's hard to bathe one, try flipping the switch on a pair of buzzers near them. They end up looking like the tasmanian devil from looney tunes.
Just a spinning ball of fur and claws
Not My Cat (what I named him) sleeps with me every night for some reason. That bastard lol.
Comment by Morgan Bell
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awwww a volcano? haha nasty
Not My Cat must love you despite your allergies and love of the shaving buzzer! (no really, what is the story behind the shaving?)
Comment by Catherine
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Comment by Morgan Bell
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thanks for stopping in and leaving a comment!
yeah bathing a cat is a foreign concept to me too!
i think my cat would look similar to the ones pictured if i ever tried to put her in the bath, but maybe if they were used to it from a young age they wouldnt find it so scary?
on youtube i saw cats swimming in the ocean and a backyard pool and aone cat even scuba diving! haha
i think theyre probably the minority though!
Comment by OnlineWriter
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I did once and it was pretty funny looking. It was a naked cat with a fuzzy tail and a crew cut.
The dreadlocks show up so fast, once the cat looked like it had two tails.
Comment by Morgan Bell
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ahh i see, a shaggy dreadlock cat . . . i hope he has a knitted tea-cosey hat and a guitar!
Comment by Jarrah
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Apparently the long-haired versions do need bathing from time to time.
That first photo is awesome.
Comment by Morgan Bell
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thats an interesting coincidence!
it must be some new trend ive been blissfully ignorant to . . . well i have only had short-haired cats!
the first photo looks really arty and professional hey
Comment by Anonymous
thats so sad the way they look but it was very interesting
Comment by OnlineWriter
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I'll find one in Jamaican colors!
Odd...two random blogs and you are on both of them.
Comment by Morgan Bell
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sad and interesting: a great summary!
OnlineWriter
haha hacky sack!
what was the other random blog im on?
im EVERYWHERE on orble! haha
Comment by Neems
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Thanks for providing the fit of giggles!
Comment by Morgan Bell
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thanks for stopping in and having a laugh . . . they sure are some soggy moggies!