Do you give your cats baths?

[JenBKR]

I actually never have, but I'm thinking that maybe I should be. If you answered yes, what kind of soap/shampoo do you use?

[Jessika]

Yesssss I do. Double-Oh actually just got one because of fleas. But Nicole and the others can get pretty stinky...

I just use regular Dawn Dishsoap, nothing fancy. It's cheap and works VERY well, especially with fleas

[catnapper]

I never bathe them unless there's extenuating circumstances. Allen used to be so heavy that he didn't groom himself very well, so he needed a little help in the nether region

Angel had that extended diarreha situation, and her plumy tail would always have runny poo in it, and that had to be washed out. Poor girl is now petrified of that bathroom and running water.

Pouncer got the occasional dunk after rolling around in a dirty litterbox. Thank God he's outgrown it!

[JenBKR]

I don't have a problem with fleas with them (thank goodness!!) but they are smelling like their litter a little lately and I thought that a bath might be a good idea. Where do you bathe them? Bathtub, I assume?

[Miss Z]

Oh god, no! The last time we tried to bath Zsa-Zsa, she stayed perfectly dry. We had the bath instead

[catnapper]

I use the tub with the hand-held shower head. Make sure you trim all 4 paws worth of nails before you start. Trust me, thats a VERY important step! I just used oatmeal pet shampoo.... I like the smell and it helps with itchies.

[Jessika]

I don't have a problem with fleas with them (thank goodness!!) but they are smelling like their litter a little lately and I thought that a bath might be a good idea. Where do you bathe them? Bathtub, I assume?

Yup that's where we do it.

If you don't like the thought of getting your arms cut up from them freaking out around the water, then they do have cloths you can buy at PetCo and Petsmart and they're cleaning cloths you just wipe them with that are supposed to help clean

[Abby&Buddy'sMom]

I am probably in the minority here, but I DO actually bath Abby , and she does actually like it . i think she must be some sort of Main Coon Mix, because of her love for water.She just stands in the water like a good girl while I soap her, then rinse her, then she gets dried with my hair blow dryer and doesnt mind that either (She is such a VERY GOOD girl!) As for Buddy I have only bathed him once, when we first got him, and never since, because I would like to continue to have skin on my hands and arms

Here are some pictures of Abby in the tub:








Hope you enjoyed her bath time pictures

[JenBKR]

How cute!! Those are great pictures - I can't believe how good she is in there! I know that bathing my two won't be quite that easy. I will need gloves up to my shoulders for Katie. Belle probably won't be too bad, although considering that they are three years old and have never had a bath before, it might not be as easy for her either! I might try at least Belle tonight. I'll let you guys know if I still have skin tomorrow

[Miss Z]

Good girl Abby! You need to tell my Zsa-Zsa to not be a scardy-cat of water!!!!

[Randi]

I don't bathe Fister, and if I tried I would fail completely!! Anyway, I don't think it's neccesary to bathe a cat, unless the circumstances arise that are already mentioned.

I summer when it's hot, Fister likes to be brushed with a wet brush or a wet cloth. Occasionally, when he comes out of the litterbox, I wipe his butt with a wet piece of cotton. I think he likes that.

The pictures of Abby are really cute!

Here's a little tutorial on how to bathe a cat.

Cat Bathing As A Martial Art

A. Know that although the cat has the advantage of quickness and lack of concern for human life, you have the advantage of strength. Capitalize on that advantage by selecting the battlefield. Don't try to bathe him in an open area where he can force you to chase him. Pick a very small bathroom.
If your bathroom is more than four feet square, I recommend that you get in the tub with the cat and close the sliding-glass doors as if you were about to take a shower.
(A simple shower curtain will not do. A berserk cat can shred a three-ply rubber shower curtain quicker than a politician can shift positions.)

B. Know that a cat has claws and will not hesitate to remove all the skin from your body. Your advantage here is that you are smart and know how to dress to protect yourself.
I recommend canvas overalls tucked into high-top constructionboots, a pair of steel-mesh gloves, an army helmet, a hockey face-mask, and a long-sleeved flak jacket.

C. Use the element of surprise. Pick up your cat nonchalantly, as if to simply carry him to his supper dish. (Cats will not usually notice your strange attire. They have little or no interest in fashion as a rule.)

D. Once you are inside the bathroom, speed is essential to survival. In a single liquid motion, shut the bathroom door, step into the tub enclosure, slide the glass door shut, dip the cat in the water and squirt him with shampoo.
You have begun one of the wildest 45 seconds of your life.

E. Cats have no handles. Add the fact that he now has soapy fur, and the problem is radically compounded.
Do not expect to hold on to him for more than two or three seconds at a time. When you have him, however, you must remember to give him another squirt of shampoo and rub like crazy. He'll then spring free and fall back into the water, thereby rinsing himself off. (The national record for cats is three latherings, so don't expect too much.)

F. Next, the cat must be dried. Novice cat bathers always assume this part will be the most difficult, for humans generally are worn out at this point and the cat is just getting really determined. In fact, the drying is simple compared with what you have just been through. That's because by now the cat is semi-permanently affixed to your right leg. You simply pop the drain plug with your foot, reach for your towel and wait. (Occasionally, however, the cat will end up clinging to the top of your army helmet. If this happens, the best thing you can do is to shake him loose and
to encourage him toward your leg.) After all the water is drained from the tub, it is a simple matter to just reach down and dry the cat. In a few days the cat will relax enough to be removed from your leg. He will usually have nothing to say for about three weeks and will spend a lot of time sitting with his back to you.
He might even become psychoceramic and develop the fixed stare of a plaster figurine. You will be tempted to assume he is angry. This isn't usually the case. As a rule he is simply plotting ways to get through your defenses and injure you for life the next time you decide to give him a bath. But at least now he smells a lot better!

See also: "How to pill a cat"

[Chilli]

I voted yes, because Khaith absolutely loves baths. Him and Abby sound quite a bit alike, actually!
Though Mel, on the other hand, RARELY gets baths. I think in the whole four years or so that we've had her, we've only had to bathe her twice. My sister and I both have scars from both times.

[catmandu]

I will never bathe A Found Cat,unless it is totally necessary.
I might have to with the Moose,as his skin is so dry.

[Felix]

I voted NO.I have never given Felix a bath.He keeps himself really clean.Hes anal over that.Sure sometimes if I touch him he will clean himself in that exact spot I touched,as if I had coodies or something

Abby I loved your pictures in the bath.You sure are a good girl.

[babychicaleek]

Gem only took a bath once and she ATTACKED!!!! so bad....