best shampoo for cat

My Henry had surgery 2 weeks ago and gets his stitches out onTuesday. He has been wearing a cone for the duration of his recovery, so has not been able to adequately groom himself, and has also taken to sleeping in the litterbox because he's confined in the bathroom and I guess likes the box better than his bed So, he kind of stinks...and seeing as I have never bathed an adult cat in my life, what is the best shampoo to use for a cat? Hes a 1.5 year old bengal mix, short hair. I'll be bathing him on Tuesday when he gets his stitches out, so I need something I can pick up at Petco or something like that, not order from online. Any suggestions?

Since he's not a show cat and you generally want to just clean him up, a good quality human shampoo would be fine. Try some Nexxus shampoos with a conditioner.

There are cat washing threads in here as to how to wash the cat and keep your sanity

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

Since he's not a show cat and you generally want to just clean him up, a good quality human shampoo would be fine. Try some Nexxus shampoos with a conditioner.

There are cat washing threads in here as to how to wash the cat and keep your sanity

Click to expand...

hehe, he's a very good natured cat...BUT I have never put him under running water before, so we shall see...

Another option is pet wipes or unscented baby wipes.

Originally Posted by missymotus

Another option is pet wipes or unscented baby wipes.

Click to expand...

I thought about that too, but he really stinks. I think he needs a good scrub down, just once.

Do you have another person to help you out? One to hold the cat, one to wash and rinse?

When I wash the cats, we fill the tub a few inches of water - 2-3 at the most, shampoo, then drain the tub. Then turn on the hand held shower head to rinse the cat off.

And I allow my kitties (I've only bathed Fergus once recently...I used GoldenKitty's video as a guide) to sort of stand up on the side of the tub...they are easier to hold and rinse, and this way, only their back feet are slightly submerged in the water. Also, don't get his face or head wet...use a damp washcloth after the bath to wipe his face and head down.

Oh so you can use people shampoo for kitties?!?

I didn't know, I always bought special shampoo for my older cat and my kitten is quickly approaching her first bathtime because she's starting to smell a little funky.

I wanted to use my pantene, obviously careful to not get it in her eyes.

I've never had a problem using human shampoo - some people say it will dry the coats out, but if you use a little conditioner, its fine. Spooky was washed all the time with Nexxus Simply Silver and conditioner and he was a top show cat

Charlie's breeder has a special shampoo she uses, and so I got some for Charlie - its a pet shampoo.

For occasional washing, I prefer human shampoo rather then the generic pet shampoo. I do know you should NEVER use dog shampoo on cats or pet shampoo with Tea Tree Oils in them.

I have never washed my current cats but I've read to use Johnson's baby shampoo. Easy on the cats and their eyes. Lots of years ago I washed my cat in the tub but gave her a window screen to put her claws into. It was easy that way.

Yes the baby shampoo is fine for an occasional bath for non-show cats

I should have mentioned this sooner, but I was more concerned about the actual logistics of bathing the cat, rather than answering the original question.

Sorry!!!

I'm in the minority here, but I do prefer to use a very MILD pet shampoo on my cats on the rare occassion they do get bathed (which is RARE!!!)...human shampoos and baby shampoo can contain irritants to certain cats. I'm sure just using the product on your cat once will be fine, as I'm sure you don't bathe your cat but once in a blue moon. Don't use a dog shampoo...ever. Personally, I prefer Earthbath products, which is safe for either for dogs or cats, as it is a soap-free, non-detergent shampoo. Mango Tango is a wonderful shampoo by Earthbath, and it's extremely MILD, and contains no dyes or harsh ingredients. It's safe to use on your pet as often as needed. It smells GREAT! You can get it at Petco, or online!

I recommend a simple baby shampoo or what I always use which is Dawn Dish Soap.

I've been in the middle of moving so I just saw this thread! Dawn dishsoap works fine. But I'd follow up with a rinse that includes 2-3 gallons water and 2-3 Tablespoons of vinegar. I like a shampoo and conditioner called Earthbath. I especially like the oatmeal and aloe version. You can get it at Petco and probably a lot of other pet stores. Be cautious about using human shampoos and some dog shampoos. They usually say in very fine print, not to use on cats. Cats kidneys are not equiped to handle many things a dog can or us humans can. I'm sure many human shampoos are fine. But you have to pay close attention to ingredients. One ingredient in particular is tea tree oil that is very bad for cats and it is sometimes found in pet shampoos and many times in human shampoos.

I don't know if this is allowed BUT, if you're an Amway user, Dish Drops or LOC diluted at 8 parts water works great It's organic so no harm will come to kitty. But as with all shampoos, rinse, rinse, rinse and when you think the cat is rinsed enough, rinse again!!!!

Originally Posted by mzjazz2u

I've been in the middle of moving so I just saw this thread! Dawn dishsoap works fine. But I'd follow up with a rinse that includes 2-3 gallons water and 2-3 Tablespoons of vinegar. I like a shampoo and conditioner called Earthbath. I especially like the oatmeal and aloe version. You can get it at Petco and probably a lot of other pet stores. Be cautious about using human shampoos and some dog shampoos. They usually say in very fine print, not to use on cats. Cats kidneys are not equiped to handle many things a dog can or us humans can. I'm sure many human shampoos are fine. But you have to pay close attention to ingredients. One ingredient in particular is tea tree oil that is very bad for cats and it is sometimes found in pet shampoos and many times in human shampoos.

Click to expand...

Oooh!!! Another plug for Earthbath! I do love that shampoo. I've used the Mango Tango on the kitties and doggies, and just the Tea Tree Oil and Aloe Vera on the doggies, as I know the TT oil is unsafe for cats. Earthbath also has a hypoallergenic shampoo without scent or dyes, that could work very well for more frequently bathed kitties. I've always been hesitant to use dish soap on my pets, or human shampoos, as they contain a lot of detergents...potential irritants galore for more sensitive skin types, such as a cat's. However, for the cat that's bathed only once or twice in it's life, I'm sure a mild human shampoo would be fine. Rinsing with the vinegar water is also a great way to remove all traces of the shampoo from coat and skin...makes for a clean kitty!

Just wanted to update you all. Henry had his bath the other night and I used Johnsons baby bath and it went fine, he was not happy after the bath, but he smelled like a baby!!

Originally Posted by fosterkitty

Just wanted to update you all. Henry had his bath the other night and I used Johnsons baby bath and it went fine, he was not happy after the bath, but he smelled like a baby!!

Click to expand...

Great! I bet Henry will be happy after he is dry and fluffy and looks like a show cat! Cats don't like the "licking and licking" to get their fur back in place, lazy creatures!

I actually have samples of earthbath...and they smell great. Haven't used it because I'm allergic to Aloe and it's in ALL their shampoos