How to Bathe a Cat

Usually a healthy cat doesn't need bathing as it cleans itself. But if your cat loves to roll in the dirt and then jump up on your bed, surely you don't like it and have to take measures. Moreover, when your cat licks itself, it can swallow different toxic substances which get on its fur with dirt and dust. Thus, washing a cat is necessary. How often should you bathe your cat? How to do it properly? Read on to learn.

How often you should bathe your cat depends on whether you let it outside. If you you keep your cat indoors, you can wash it once every three months. If your cat spends a lot of time outdoors, you should give it a bath at least once a month.

Besides, you should take into account your cat's fur length. Long-haired cats should be bathed more often than short-haired ones, especially during shedding. The point is that it is easier to comb out the fur your cat loses after bathing and there will be less fur scattered around your house. Besides, it will be easy for your cat to clean itself and it won't swallow much fur which will help avoid problems with digestion.

Frequency of bathing depends on your cat's health as well. For instance, if your cat has just recovered from some illness or has just been vaccinated, you should not bathe it not to harm its health.

Besides, it's not recommended to wash pregnant cats. Though bathing in itself isn't dangerous to a pregnant cat, she will experience stress which can harm her future kittens. If your cat is not used to bathing, she can boggle during bathing and injure her kittens or herself. Moreover, the chemicals that shampoos contain can have bad effects on the kittens.

Never use shampoos for people to wash your cat. You can use only cat shampoo. If your cat is afraid of water, you can use dry shampoo for cats.

In order to bathe your cat properly, prepare for this procedure beforehand. First, pour warm water (99°F) into a basin or sink, put several towels and a shampoo close-by. You should be very careful and gentle when you bathe your cat. Don't make quick movements and noise. Your movements should be smooth, calm and slow.

Place your cat into a basin so the water reaches its belly. Then start pouring water on your cat. It will be better if you use a plastic cup, because your cat can be afraid of the shower noise. Make sure that water doesn't get into your cat's ears or eyes.

When your cat's fur is wet enough, you can spread shampoo through it and massage, moving in the direction of hair growth. Then rinse the shampoo away.

Wrap your cat in a towel, so it will absorb moisture. Don't rub your cat's fur not to damage it. Keep your cat in a towel for a while and then let it dry by itself. If it is not warm enough in your house, you can use a hair dryer provided that your cat is used to it.