The first and LAST time I will EVER bath a cat!

I spent most of the day making homemade spaghetti sauce.
That's what we had for supper and when I make it I always make tons extra and freeze it since it's an all day thing to make it from scratch.

I left the extra on the counter so that when it cooled I could freeze it.
Well I have one less container to freeze now.
I dropped one of the containers when I was putting it into the freezer and you guessed it, it landed on Elliott...who is pure white.
Oh my Lord what a mess
Thank God it wasn't hot so at least the poor little guy didn't get hurt, but my oh my I'll NEVER give a cat a bath again.
He didn't bite me, but he sure did use his claws and screamed like he was being murdered...so now all the scratches are turning into itchy welts.
I've always wondered why cat scratches do that ...I might have to take a Benadryl.

God forbid it ever happens again.
If it does I swear I'll just let him and the other cats lick it off

Oh my!! I do not envy you.. i fear that if that ever happened to Trout, she would just have to stay tomatoey She would not let me bathe her..I would be sliced and diced.

Sorry to hear that! I bathed my parents' orange longhair, Zodiac, after he was sprayed by a skunk and ended up bleeding like a stuck pig.

The scratches welt because cats secrete a irritating substance onto their claws. It causes a histamine (or allergic) reaction in most mammals, though it's generally mild. I'm also allergic, so it can really swell on me. I find that a thorough wash followed by some bactine works wonders. BF always laughs at me, because the bactine feels so good to me (kills that itch on contact) and it stings him.

oh my goodness! how funny! poor elliot though- lol i bet he thought you were trying to kill him- first dumping spaghetti sauce on his head and then trying to drown him i'm lucky though- all of my kitties behave very well for their baths.

Originally Posted by Leli

The scratches welt because cats secrete a irritating substance onto their claws. It causes a histamine (or allergic) reaction in most mammals, though it's generally mild. I'm also allergic, so it can really swell on me. I find that a thorough wash followed by some bactine works wonders. BF always laughs at me, because the bactine feels so good to me (kills that itch on contact) and it stings him.

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Wow! That's really interesting! I had always wondered why they did that- now i know! Thanks

Thank God I just trimmed his claws last week!


I just know the next thing will be a nice juicy hairball to clean up, because he's been grooming ever since we came out of the bathroom....if he hacks one I swear to God I'm going to make Mason clean it up...he hasn't stopped laughing yet.
I didn't dare try to dry Elliott with a hairdryer...I probably wouldn't have any eyes.
I just dried him with a towel.

The other cats all came into the kitchen to see what was going on and I know he'd have been clean in under 5 minutes if I'd have just let them have at it...but then that would have been a whole lot of hairballs to clean up

I did actually take some Benadryl, he got my left arm pretty bad and it's really starting to swell.

Poor Elliott, he's sitting under the kitchen table and everytime I walk in he looks scared to death.

Originally Posted by Leli

The scratches welt because cats secrete a irritating substance onto their claws. It causes a histamine (or allergic) reaction in most mammals, though it's generally mild. I'm also allergic, so it can really swell on me. I find that a thorough wash followed by some bactine works wonders. BF always laughs at me, because the bactine feels so good to me (kills that itch on contact) and it stings him.

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Thanks, I always wondered why cat scratches cause welts.

Poor kitty! Must have been scared to death.

My cats get a bath about once a month. (indoor cats)

When I carry my older cat upstairs she SCREAMS and pees on me! You would think I am trying to kill her.

Once in the tub, everything is ok, and once she is dried and fluffy and CLEAN, she is one HAPPY CAT. I think her purr is even LOUDER after her bath.

I bathe my cats regularly....so it isn't such an ordeal. But I've got two white cats....I cannot imagine trying to get spaghetti sauce out of their fur!

Graciecat.....
If your scratches continue to swell even after thorough cleaning and an antiseptic spray, consider a doctor visit. There is something called cat scratch fever, which is basically a bacterial infection of the lymph nodes associated with cat scratches (cats carry bacteria called bartonella which can be harmful to humans). Also, with any injury, especially an animal related one, infection of any kind is a risk. It doesn't happen with every scratch, but when it does the infection can become severe very quickly. Keep a CLOSE eye on your arm.

Any or a combination of the following, then see a doctor. Even if it turns out to be unrelated, it is better than being sorry later.....
prolonged and excessive swelling, heat or redness
a lump or abcess developing at the site (up to several weeks after)
swelling of lymph nodes near the site (that would be your underarm)
fever
numbness in the limb
nausea or vomitting
rashes

Hopefully it's just a histamine reaction causing the swelling and the benedryl will help any time now. My scratches usually only stay really raised until the bactine, but the surrounding skin will sometimes be red for a day. Are you perhaps allergic to cats or have very sensitive skin prone to rashes/hives?

Awww poor you and poor kitty

I agree, the kitty was upset you spilled the spaghetti sauce on the white coat, so he got mad and scratched you when bathing.

HOWEVER, next time you wash a cat, trim the nails first. Charlie does not like baths - his yelling would wake up the neighbors But he's a show cat, so he'll have to get used to it.

He still cuddled that nite and purred in my ear, so he's just complaining to hear himself complain.

I am sorry but I cannot stop laughing!! Just the thought of a white cat covered in Spaghetti sauce, is cracking me up!!! Thank god I am lucky and both my cats love water!! They jump in the shower with me all the time!

Bean's a crazy little man, so naturally when he needed a bath recently I was quite scared. I went into it fearing the worst, but to my suprise he was a perfect angel! No clawing, no biting, not even a growl or hiss. He sat there (looking quite confused) completely still like a little angel. I was astonished!

Did you take pictures? I can't even imagine what an ordeal that must have been. Poor kitty and poor you.
My cat gets a bath all the time, it isn't a big deal around here. I guess I am lucky

Poor Elliot and poor you! I can only imagine what Seb would do to me. He would be the blender, I would be pureed. Healing vibes for your arm!

Originally Posted by Leli

Hopefully it's just a histamine reaction causing the swelling and the benedryl will help any time now. My scratches usually only stay really raised until the bactine, but the surrounding skin will sometimes be red for a day. Are you perhaps allergic to cats or have very sensitive skin prone to rashes/hives?

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Thanks,

The scratches aren't raised or hot this morning but my arm is still kind of red.

You name it and I'm allergic to it.
Some cats bother me and others don't, I'm fine with Gracie and Annabelle but if I hold or play with Lizzie or Elliott for very long, I start to itch my eyes get watery and I got really congested.
One of my friends has to cats, a Ragdoll and a Himalayan the Ragdoll doesn't bother me but the Himalayan does.
As for rashes and hives...yes I get them all the time.

Elliott survived too, he likes me again this morning

Originally Posted by Graciecat

I spent most of the day making homemade spaghetti sauce.
That's what we had for supper and when I make it I always make tons extra and freeze it since it's an all day thing to make it from scratch.

I left the extra on the counter so that when it cooled I could freeze it.
Well I have one less container to freeze now.
I dropped one of the containers when I was putting it into the freezer and you guessed it, it landed on Elliott...who is pure white.
Oh my Lord what a mess

Thank God it wasn't hot so at least the poor little guy didn't get hurt, but my oh my I'll NEVER give a cat a bath again.
He didn't bite me, but he sure did use his claws and screamed like he was being murdered...so now all the scratches are turning into itchy welts.
I've always wondered why cat scratches do that

...I might have to take a Benadryl.

God forbid it ever happens again.
If it does I swear I'll just let him and the other cats lick it off

Click to expand...

Today is Persi's first birthday and I was sitting here feeling kind of guilty because I have never given him a bath. Now I can spend the rest of the day guilt free.

Yes, diffently have a guilty free day!

The funny thing is, we had decided that we'd make April 15th Elliott's Birthday.
According to the neighbor he showed up in June of 05 and they said they assumed he was about 2 months old, so that would put the month of his birth at April.
So he was 2 yesterday....what a Birthday present he got!

I made the fatal error one day of giving Ripley a bath. I gave her a bath, and she nearly gave me a facelift...in her eyes, I'm sure she called it even.