Hey folks,
After bathing my cats (and the family dog...woohoo) today I have decided that it is time to "upgrade" to a better shampoo, preferably one that will work for both the cats and dog.

I have heard good things about the thermapet and all systems shampoos. However, I have only been able to find them on a few websites (all of which charge ghastly shipping and handling fees). So, I was wondering where you get your shampoo at?

My only local stores are petco and petsmart, so they don't carry much in the way of nice shampoos.

If anyone has any other shampoo recs. I'll be glad to hear them. I really would like a good shampoo and/or conditioner that won't leave their coat dry and that doesn't smell awful. Also of note, I REALLY hate fruit and loud floral scents, so if you have any recs for a milder-smelling shampoo (I like the oatmeal, lavender, vanilla, almond, and cherry scents, etc.) please feel free.

I like the idea of color enhancing shampoos, but with brown tabby, black/white, and orange cats and a black dog, that might not work out so well.

Thanks for your help!
Art

We got ours from Jeffers Pet (catalog) for Charlie. Its called Kenic Sno-Flake Pet Shampoo (dogs or cats). Its great on Charlie and we've used it on Keno too - her coat is nice and soft after bathing. This would work on all your cats/dogs even tho it says "white/light coats" - Ling is black/white and she looks fine after using it :)

With my rexes, they were washed in Nexxus Simply Silver shampoo and Nexxus Humatress (the one you use for perm/waves) :)

I buy from Visions International: (Visions International:)
Occassionally I will buy from Drs Foster and Smith: (Drs Foster and Smith:)

Many of the brightening shampoos don't change color, rather they just enhance. Visions international does a good job of explaining that and they also respond quickly via email if you have questions.

All Systems #1, Chris Christensen and Jerob. My preferred products for grooming my cats....:)

I use Bio-Groom in Silky Cat or Purrfect white - I use the Purrfect white on my chocolate and tawny cats too.

What do these all smell like? As long as they are not "fruit" they should be fine with me... One more Q...do most of you with SH cats use a conditioner or cream rinse after shampooing or just the shampoo? So I should be ok with a "brightening" or "clarifying" shampoo for any color?

Thanks!
Art

I use Johnson and Johnson baby shampoo on the kittens and cats.

I use lavendar scented bathing wipes from Petsmart...they look like a package of wetnaps. Lavendar scent is in a purple package

The one I use has a faint coconut smell but not very strong.

Is the Johnson's and Johnsons pet safe? I'm assuming so, since you use it. I'm always so paranoid that I'll leave shampoo residue and they'll get sick. I rinse for like 5 minutes after shampooing.

Its safe, but I would not use it all the time. You would need conditioner too. Only time I'd used the baby shampoo is if I didn't have anything else and the cat/kitten needed a quick bath.

Its safe, but I would not use it all the time. You would need conditioner too.

Do you mean that I don't need a conditioner with cat specific shampoos?

Also, are all cat shampoos kitten-safe?

My two favorite shampoo brands are Les Poochs (they're for cats too) and Earthbath.
Les Poochs makes a really good white coat shampoo called Pooch Bright that smells wonderful and not too strong-scented. I have a very sensitive sense of smell and I love the light smell that it has. They call it a Linden Blossom scent but it doesn't smell flowery to me at all. It uses natural, gentle ingredients. I use it for my black-and-white dog and cat and I love the results! It gets my dog's black patches VERY shiny and soft and his white parts just sparkling white. Nothing else I've tried gets his fur texture or color looking as nice. A groomer told me to avoid his brown spots because they could lighten but it's fine for black and white fur. I buy 8 oz. bottles and you dilute it 20-to-1 so it lasts for a really long time. Their "Puppy" shampoo I believe has the same great scent, and is very gentle.

One option if you like color enhancing would be to use either a black coat shampoo or the Pooch Bright on your black-and-white cat and black dog, and then use a mahogany or red coat shampoo on the brown tabby and the orange cat.

Do you mean that I don't need a conditioner with cat specific shampoos?

Also, are all cat shampoos kitten-safe?

Some cat shampoos have conditioners in them. But it depends on what your needs are. If you have a show cat, then you would want an additional conditioner.

Well, I finally ordered some shampoo online today...
This is what I ordered:

Biogroom- Silky cat, purfect white, fluffy kitty, and the lanolin/protien cat (or dog) shampoo.

I really wanted to try some of the therapet line and the all systems, but couldn't find an online retailer that had the products at deacent prices AND had deacent shipping.

I may try dog.com out later (after I see how these shampoos work out) and order some of the thera pet products from them.

At least one of the biogroom shampoos that I purchased is supposedly a color enhancer (the fluffy kitty) on all coat colors and I can use the purfect white on the lighter colored cats.

I did not buy a conditioner, but all of the shampoos that I bought supposedly moisturize as they clean.

For those that use the biogroom line, do you use a regular shampoo (i.e. silky cat) then the color enhancer (fluffy kitty/purfect white) or vice-versa, or just one shampoo?
Also, I'm assuming that I will need to do a vinegar rinse after I bath them with these shampoos?

Thanks!
Art

My favorite shampoos are Nova Pearls for Sensitive Skin and Earthbath products

http://www.cherrybrook.com/index.cfm/a/catalog.CatShow/catid/232/cname/Tomlyn_-_Nova_Pearls

http://www.earthbath.com/catshampoo_pint.html

Both work wonderfully on Sphynx and my dogs that I show

For those that use the biogroom line, do you use a regular shampoo (i.e. silky cat) then the color enhancer (fluffy kitty/purfect white) or vice-versa, or just one shampoo?
Also, I'm assuming that I will need to do a vinegar rinse after I bath them with these shampoos?

I just use one shampoo. You don't have to do a vinegar rinse but it does help to get all the soap out. I don't do it everytime, just make sure to rinse really well.

I don't use a separate conditioner, but for shows I do use It's Showtime! sea plasma finishing spray.

I use Walgreens brand baby shampoo which has the same ingredients as Johnson&Johnson. But my cats get a bath twice a year at most so I don't know if there's any effects from overuse. Never had a sick cat though. I use it on my rabbits and rats as well.

Thanks...My shampoo was shipped today, so I'll just have to try all four types I purchased one at a time lol, or maybe one on each cat (and one on the dog). I think the baths around my house will increase in frequency for a while :)

Art