How To Bath A Cat Like The Experts

The chemicals in such products can be harsh, and some will interact with medications.

In addition, avoid perfumes shampoos and other products. What smells nice to you may be overpowering to your cat. Before you start, gather the following supplies:

- pet shampoo

- one or two towels

- gentle sprayer or unbreakable container for rinsing

- towel, mat, or screen for the bottom of the tub.

Unless your cat is very large, the kitchen sink is a good cat tub. She will not like the slippery wet floor of the sink, so give her better traction by placing a towel or bath mat on the bottom. If she is difficult to control, you might want to invest in a bath sack that envelopes the body up to the neck, allowing you to bathe her through the sack while maintaining control. They are available from many pet supply stores.

A gentle spray attachment will make wetting and rinsing your cat easier. If you do not have a sprayer, a pressurized garden sprayer (the ordinary hand pumped type) will work. Just be sure that it has never been used for toxic chemicals. You can also simply pour rinse water over your cat using an unbreakable container.

Put your cat in the sink, grip her scruff firmly, and wet her with warm (not hot) water, being careful not to get any in her ears. Apply a small amount of shampoo, and work it gently through her fur, avoiding her ears and eyes.

Rinse her completely, paying special attention to the spots where soap hides, the belly, groin and armpits. Gently squeeze as much water as you can from her fur, and then wrap her in a towel. Being wrapped up calms most cats, so hold her, and let the towel absorb as much water as possible.

When your cat begins to relax, keep a firm grip on her, remove the wet towel, and replace it with a dry one. The more water you can remove from her fur, the less likely she is to catch a chill. Keep your cat in a warm, draft free place until she is completely dry.

If she has long hair, brush or comb through it while it is still damp. If your cat will tolerate it, you can dry her further with a hair dryer set on low or cool (never hot).