Their first bath went pretty well!!

So I gave Snow and Audrey a bath for the first time.. I did it individually but all by myself and without any drama!!

I thought I would just share by expereince and how I did it.. maybe (if you can follow what I'm saying) it will help someone.. I once ATTEMPTED giving Snow a bath in the sink and that did NOT go well.. I realized for me it is a lot easier to put them in a tub fillled with water verses trying to hold them under the sink or even using a showerhead.. a lot less splashing and I don't have to worry about making sure the water tempature changing and it frees up my hands.. also.. I think it is an efficient thing to do (if it has to be done) when cleaning out the litter box because you can use the CLEAN litter box as a mini-tub.

So my efficent way of giving them a bath is to first clean out the litter box (I bleached it and washed it with soap) and filled it w/ warm water.. so basically use that as the the kitty tub..I also had a bucket I filled with warm water.. and I had a glass/cup with me. I put all this in the bathtub..had the towel near me and the shampoo.. so it was so easy b/c I just picked them up (snow went first) and just set her in the water filled litter box . The water was up to her neck so she was pretty soaked except for her head.. I used the cup to keep dumping water to get her really wet.. I think they both had no idea I was gonna do to them; so that they had no time to react.. I then set them in the inside of the bathtub and lathered them with shampoo and b/c they are wet and slippery at this point, even if they try they can't get out.. then.. they went back into the water filled litter box to get hte soap washed off them.. and then a second rinse in the bucket filled with water... I then lifted them up and squeezed out what water I could and layed them on the towel.. and hand dried them in front my space heater.. it helped b/c I brushed them before the bath and as I was drying them too.. they were both scared and obviously didn't like it.. but they didn't struggle so much and took me less than 10 minutes I think. Not bad for giving two kitties baths all bymyself for the first time!! Not to mention I am also scratch free!!

how old are they?

I never bath my cats because they are indoors and have no reason to be bathed. I brush them in the summer.
In the past I have bathed cats that I had let outdoors, and they had fleas. I also once bathed a cat that crawled into some powder I had put down for water bugs. she squeezed into the space, so I bathed her immediately.

Unless your cats are outdoor cats, have soiled themselves, are in danger of ingesting a toxic substance on their fur, I think you are causing them and yourself a lot of unneeded stress.

Good job! I'm glad you found a method that works for you! Sometimes it is just a matter of finding the way that works for your cats and you seem to have accomplished that!

Thanks! Yes, finding a way that works definitely requires that you do some thinking and know your kitty! Mine are kitties about 6 months old.. I am not for causing them unneeded stress.. but they have both been having on/off going diarrhea and so needed this bath. It's not something I would put them through unless I felt like they needed it, especially at this early age.. But they needed it, and I am happy that I did it in the most efficient, fastest, and stress free way I think I could have done it!!

Most of my cats were/are show cats - whether pedigree or HHP. It doesn't hurt them to be given an occasional bath - even if they are indoor cats.

Ling tried showing one time - not for her, but she still gets a bath about 2-3 times a year just because. Charlie, of course, gets a bath before every show and he likes getting them.

I think if you condition your cats to baths at a young age and do it once in awhile, you have less problems in the future if a bath becomes something of a necessity for other reasons

Wow, good for you! I can't imagine bathing Trout

grats!!

Ain't it a ton of fun?

Originally Posted by NinaBaby

Thanks! Yes, finding a way that works definitely requires that you do some thinking and know your kitty! Mine are kitties about 6 months old.. I am not for causing them unneeded stress.. but they have both been having on/off going diarrhea and so needed this bath. It's not something I would put them through unless I felt like they needed it, especially at this early age.. But they needed it, and I am happy that I did it in the most efficient, fastest, and stress free way I think I could have done it!!

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I think you did a great job! And you're absolutely right about thinking it over and knowing your cats. Personally, I believe an occasional bath doesn't hurt as long as it is done correctly. And it sounds like you achieved that!

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

Most of my cats were/are show cats - whether pedigree or HHP. It doesn't hurt them to be given an occasional bath - even if they are indoor cats.

I think if you condition your cats to baths at a young age and do it once in awhile, you have less problems in the future if a bath becomes something of a necessity for other reasons

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Absolutely agree with GoldenKitty on this one.

I used to bathe cats at a vet office. The best way is to do it fast!