[seeker1950]

"Old Kitty," who has been with me longer than any of my other pets, is really looking awful. I hate to pet him or let him on my lap, he is so dirty and ragged. I think he's stopped washing himself. I need to give him a bath, but I'm afraid!
I have bathed one other cat before at the vet's insistence...another male who didn't wash himself. It wasn't so bad, but not sure it will be so easy with "Old Kittty."
Any of you cat owners here have advice, or should I just "plunge" in!???
Patty

i've never bathed a cat. my daughter used to bathe "spook" every week......i'm sorry, i'm no help........pat

[Hopefull]

My cat is a very well behaved cat--thank God. I would only say that I tend to prepare everything before starting. I want the shampoo ready and in reach. I make sure to clear anything breakable from the sink (I have to do mine in the sink where I clean my dishes because I don't have a bath tub). If I had a bath tub, I would probably close the bath room door before trying to get the cat in but I suspect a sink might actually be easier. I also place the towel beside the sink. The first time that I washed my cat I had to try to reach for the towel and she got away from me. I was afraid that she would catch cold if I didn't catch her and dry her off. The butt/head will probably be the hardest part. So make sure you have a good hold on the cat before trying to wash these parts. My cat hates the butt because that is the main part that she can't wash.

[seeker1950]

Pat and Hope...Thanks!
I like your advice, Hopefull...I will have everything prepared beforehand and use the kitchen sink as well. Bending over in the tub would be harder for me and more traumatic for the cat!
Pat, I never bathe cats either, as a rule, but this one needs it badly!
Patty

[sabby]

I had a cat once that would have absolutely nothing to do with the sink. As soon as he saw me walking toward it with him in tow, I was shredded to pieces.

So, I decided to wet down an old towel that was sort of thinned by usage, I would lather up some shampoo in it and then I would sit on the floor with some kitty treats. Kitty would come to me and let me put the wet towel around him and rub him with it. I also had his favorite cat brush right there too to give him further cleaning with that. Then I would get another clean towel and rinse him with it. He enjoyed that kind of bath, just not getting into the sink. Go figure LOL

Good luck with the bathing!

Hugsssssss
J

I've put a towel around the cat in the water and worked around the towel...easier to hold cat (a light hand towel).... and also tried a storage tub on the floor, with buckets of rinse water... the storage tub was harder for kitty to get out of than sink.. but not big like bath tub,,, and having an enclosed room helped too...
good luck, freewill

[h0kie]

They make cleaning wipes for cats, they're like wet wipes, only they're for cleaning. That would be my suggestion.

We bathed Hokie when he was little, hoping he'd come to like it. Nothing doing. I won't bathe Ollie because he's a Persian and requires a lot of special care. We take him to a groomer a few times a year for a bath and a belly shave. I'd rather pay a professional.

Socks has never been bathed. I can't see him reacting to it well either.

They say to put something on the bottom of the sink for them to grip, like a towel. Also, they recommend moving them from soapy water on one side, to clear water on the other for rinsing.

Good luck.

[seeker1950]

WOW...thanks for the alternative suggestion, Sab!
I would have never thought of that!

Old Kitty disappeard last fall when my daughter visited with her Jack Russell, "Pepe." He was gone for several days after they left. He hates Pepe as he has vivid memories of Pepe "humping" him....Pepe humped everything when he was younger.

Anyway, Old Kitty finally returned, all fluffy and clean! Someone had obviously adopted him and given him a bath, so i think he's "bathable!"

Will attempt to to this tomorrow.
Patty

cats have this place at the back of their neck...
where if you really grab the skin / fat / whatever really quite firmly...
it paralyses them.

mummy cat grabs her kittens there so she can carry them without them struggling and squirming.

if you manage to get a good grip of her there and don't let go of that through the process then that should make things a whole heap easier.

can you enlist someone to help you?

that way... one person could grip her while the other person could wash her...

alternatively... you don't happen to have three hands - do you?

;-)

i found a fairly informative thread here at a pets forum:

http://www.pets.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=16518

some cats actually seem to like baths!

they were saying that it is important for the cat to feel safe (so to put a rubber bath mat or folded towel down so they don't feel like they are going to slip)
and that it is important to get pet shampoo (i've heard it is important to use pet shampoo 'cause pets have a different Ph balance to humans) and rinse it all out or it will cause skin irritation
and also... don't wet their head
and the faster the process the less traumatic

(trick for dog bathing: if you don't wet their head they shake less. a firm hand on their sholder tends to prevent shaking too).

[seeker1950]

Thanks, AK, for the helpful info!! I'l definitely put a towel down, and hadn't thought of that!
Patty

Oh my Good Golly Miss Polly...

peppe... the humper....

i bath my housemates cat
bathed the last one too
not all the time just every 6mnths cos of their natural oils and what not
bath em just like a puppy

surprisingly they get use to it and just sit and chill
like a relaxing warm shower/bath

[Gemstone]

I have 3 cats. One I can bathe with no problem at all. He actually likes it.

Another I can bathe, but he claws me all up. My vet suggested putting him in a pillow case (with his head sticking out of course). I just use more soap to make sure it gets through the pillow case. This cat feels much more comfortable and calm in the pillow case. He didn't like having the soap put right on him before and the bath was too large for him, so he feels better cuddled in the pillow case, and he doesn't seem to mind the bath.

Now my third cat chewy, I can't bathe. He bites and claws and screams. The last time I tried to bathe him I came out a bloody mess. I buy the cleaning wipes for him, and I'm lucky because he keeps himself really clean as well. I just wipe him down with the wipes every month or so.