Try again?

tdonline

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
707
Purraise
44
I bathed my kitties in July and they were terrified. I was left with bloody scratches...So I skipped it in August when I applied their monthly flea dosage. September is just around the corner and I'm tempted to try again. Will they ever get used to it? They hate teeth brushing but look forward to it because they love the toothpaste. If only I could make the bathwater taste like poultry...I gave them treats after the bath but nothing stopped them from being scared out of their minds during it.

I'd like to bathe them monthly because I'm allergic to them and I did notice that I was pretty symptom-free for a couple of weeks after. I also think getting them used to bathing would be handy in situations where bathing is necessary (fleas, getting really dirty, etc).

Should I give it another shot?
 

yosemite

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Messages
23,313
Purraise
81
Location
Ingersoll, ON
Do you clip their nails? If so, do that first.


Put a small amount of water in the tub before you put the cat in. Some of our breeders bathe their cats on a regular basis so perhaps they'll chime in with some good suggestions. Bijou and Mika don't like being bathed but they tolerate it without scratching us all up.

I remember someone suggested putting a towel in the bottom of the tub so their feet didn't slip which helped them not to freak out.
 

momto3cats

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 1, 2006
Messages
1,143
Purraise
131
Location
TX
I second the towel suggestion. They like having something to grip with their claws. Also, I've learned to have everything ready before bringing the cat to the bath area - warm water and a towel in the tub, a cup full of soapy water, others with clean water for rinsing, and a dry towel, all where I can reach them without getting up. This means I can keep one hand on the cat at all times, scruffing her if necessary.

It's important to be very calm, quick and decisive. If you hesitate the cat is more likely to get nervous and cause problems.
 

3catsn1dog

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 11, 2009
Messages
2,987
Purraise
11
Location
Trapped in the catroom! ;o)
I just bathed Hercules today he doesnt exactly love it but has resigned himself to having to tolerate it..very vocally to the point where Ive got a dog and two other cats on the other side of the bathroom door howling and trying to save him! LOL..I just grab him by the scruf and hold him and have everything within arms reach so I dont have to worry about hunting stuff up! I also trim his claws before hand cuz sometimes he gets a wild paw moving around! After the first couple of times he has accepted that this is happening once a month whether he likes it or not!!! It will get better!! If you figure out how to dry cats afterwards let me know Im still working on that one (going on two years now LOL)
 

GoldyCat

Moderator
Staff Member
Moderator
Joined
Jul 31, 2008
Messages
15,759
Purraise
4,676
Location
Arizona
Dander--the most likely allergen--is the residue of saliva left on the fur after they groom themselves. Others with allergies have suggested wiping your cats down daily with sterile water. All you need is a cloth or paper towel that you can wet and wring out. Your kitties may not object to that as much as a full bath.
 

missymotus

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 8, 2005
Messages
9,234
Purraise
254
Mine are bathed in either the bath or laundry trough using a shower hose on the tap. I don't put any water in the bath and they stand on a rubber non slip mat.

Microfibre towels are great for drying them off, much better at getting the water out than regular towels.
 

goldenkitty45

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 29, 2005
Messages
19,900
Purraise
44
Location
SW Minnesota
You can, but trim the nails first! Actually you can try something better for the allergies rather then giving them baths all the time.

Try wetting them down daily with some distilled drinking water. Has to be distilled and comb it thru the fur. Its works better then expected to keep the dander down.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #8

tdonline

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
707
Purraise
44
I will try the towel method. I did fill the tub with a bit of water last time and by the 2nd cat, I noticed that she was slightly less frantic when I drained the tub. I will also try to be calm but speedier. I was trying to be calm but was probably going too slow. I trim claws every 2 weeks and last time I think I trimmed the day before the bath. But one of the kitties was so scared out of her mind, she basically climbed the tub and me in order to get out. She pulled down my heavy duty sweatshirt at the collarbone and that's where I now have two scar marks. Hmmm..probably her hind claws (trim monthly).

Will wiping the cats with distilled water be as effective as the anti-allergen sprays? I pay over $10 for that stuff...
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #9

tdonline

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
707
Purraise
44
Success! The kitties are now furiously licking themselves dry


It wasn't by any means struggle-free, but I made sure to set everything up and kept the bathing time to less than a minute for each. Place cat on towel(really an old shirt), wet with hands, wipe with soaped up towel and 5-6 large and gentle scoops of water from a pail.

They definitely were not happy and tried to jump out of the tub. And there were some pitiful meows
But I got away scratch-free!
 

momto3cats

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 1, 2006
Messages
1,143
Purraise
131
Location
TX
Great! It sounds like it was as trauma-free as possible.
 

goldenkitty45

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 29, 2005
Messages
19,900
Purraise
44
Location
SW Minnesota
Would still recommend you go with the distilled water for awhile, rather then baths. Too much bathing will make them have a dry coat which will be worse. Try the distilled water every day for a few weeks and see what happens.

BTW its better to be trimming nails on a weekly basis - not a monthly one!
 

otto

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 7, 2008
Messages
9,837
Purraise
197
Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

You can, but trim the nails first! Actually you can try something better for the allergies rather then giving them baths all the time.

Try wetting them down daily with some distilled drinking water. Has to be distilled and comb it thru the fur. Its works better then expected to keep the dander down.
Originally Posted by GoldyCat

Dander--the most likely allergen--is the residue of saliva left on the fur after they groom themselves. Others with allergies have suggested wiping your cats down daily with sterile water. All you need is a cloth or paper towel that you can wet and wring out. Your kitties may not object to that as much as a full bath.
Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

Would still recommend you go with the distilled water for awhile, rather then baths. Too much bathing will make them have a dry coat which will be worse. Try the distilled water every day for a few weeks and see what happens.

BTW its better to be trimming nails on a weekly basis - not a monthly one!
I agree with these. I am so surprised to read of so many people bathing their cats. Frequent immersion bathing is not good for them and is not necessary. Cats are self cleaning. Bathing causes a lot of stress (stress causes illness) and dries and irritates the skin.

As suggested, wiping the cat down each day with a damp cloth will control the dander, which is what you are allergic to.
 
Top