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My cat doesn't want to take a bath..

post #1 of 21
2/11/10 at 11:12am
Thread Starter 
When he was still a little kitty, I used to bathe him once a week, but now he gets angry every time I take him to bath.
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post #2 of 21
2/11/10 at 11:16am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MysteryCat View Post
When he was still a little kitty, I used to bathe him once a week, but now he gets angry every time I take him to bath.
Cats do not need to take baths... Please do not bathe him.
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post #3 of 21
2/11/10 at 11:17am
That would be a typical kitty.

Most cats don't need baths unless they are very dirty, can't groom themselves on their own, or require a flea bath. Otherwise, just let your kitty groom themself and you'll both live in peace.
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post #4 of 21
2/11/10 at 11:37am
Cats don't like baths. Attitude and Nuts don't like to take them. I only give them to them(rarely) if they smell really bad(only done that once Attitude smelled like a litter box after being in a cage for 10 days), shedding like crazy(I use Furminator shampoo), or are really dirty(Attitude's white coat can get yellowed, and she had a runny poop that got in her long fur on her behind).

A weekly bath is just asking for her to have skin problems. Unless you have a Spinx cats don't need baths they can clean themselves on their own.

Taryn
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post #5 of 21
2/11/10 at 12:02pm
I've read at least 10 posts on TCS saying don't bother to bathe a cat (unless necessary), so I'm going to follow that advice. Penny & Daisy have had baths (not many, like less than 4 each. Plain water was used and I did it in the sink ) but if it's a waste of time then I'm not going to bother with it
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post #6 of 21
2/11/10 at 12:24pm
I dont use flea drops on my cats or dog so for flea maintenance they get bathes with flea shampoo. I do it once a month when its warm out and when it hits fall like Oct or Nov and we need to start using the wood stove they only get a bath that one time when it starts getting chilly and then I dont give them another bath unless they get dirty (I crank the heat up ridiculously high when its cold out and they need a bath) or if I see a flea on one of them. The dog get a bath more often because he goes outside and I have a special shampoo for him where I could bath him weekly with it if I needed to.
I know everyone says not to bath your cats but mine are all really good about getting a bath because it has become routine for them. GiGi even lays in the bath tub and just lets me go to town on her. The things Im really careful about though is to not get water in their ears at all or get anything in their face or eyes. To wash their faces I just wet a wash cloth and wipe them down really good with no soap.
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post #7 of 21
2/11/10 at 4:30pm
I never met a cat who wanted to take a bath
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post #8 of 21
2/11/10 at 7:57pm
^It's rare, but some cats can get used to it. I've had to bathe Sho so much that he doesn't get too upset. He actually enjoys me scrubbing the shampoo into him.

We don't know why the OP wishes to bathe their cat so often. Maybe they wish to show? It could be allergies or someone in the home with them. If this is the case, there are some other solutions to help.

What would really help, is if possible, is to bathe a little less. Make sure everything is set up and ready, and that your cat knows what all is going to happen. Try to keep it pleasant - if your kitty has a spot they like scratched, work a little extra of that in. Reward after.
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post #9 of 21
2/11/10 at 8:05pm
They have pet wipes at petsmart/petco (Purple package). They are like baby wipes but smell a lot better. They work great to wipe off any dirt or grease on the fur and make cat smell great!
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post #10 of 21
2/11/10 at 8:39pm
^My vet strongly advised against using those wipes, she said it dries out and irritates the skin. I suppose if you use them sparingly you won't have problems.

I've never had to bathe Holland and never intend to. With her recent mouth problems though she hasn't been grooming like normal... I'm sure once her mouth heals completely she'll be back to cleaning herself.
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post #11 of 21
2/11/10 at 9:19pm
Usually if you start them young they get used to it. There's nothing wrong with bathing a cat, and mine stand without being held under the water so they certainly don't hate it

Did she have a bad/scary experience to make her dislike the tub? Perhaps try using a sink if you have one, I do mine in the laundry sink becuase it's easier than bending over the bath.
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post #12 of 21
2/11/10 at 10:03pm
I do not bathe my cats except for my sphynx.
They just sit in the sink because they are used to it.
Sphynx need baths or they get dirty.
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post #13 of 21
2/12/10 at 4:26am
I have never bathed Trout...she bathes herself with her tongue.

They are not like dogs where they get stinky if they don't have baths.
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post #14 of 21
2/12/10 at 4:46am
Like I said unless they reek, are really dirty, I will also sometimes bathe Attitude since the white in her coat yellows and like seeing her a pretty white(usually I only do it when she needs a bath for some other reason) or they blow their coats(as I said I use Furminator shampoo which really helps on top of also using the Furminator brush when they blow their coats.)

Also, Attitude and Nuts have been getting baths since they were little and they still hate them. The last time I had to give Attitude a bath,she had a poopy butt and wouldn't let me just do it with a washcloth, she hissed at me almost the entire time.

Taryn
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post #15 of 21
2/13/10 at 5:02am
Thread Starter 
So there's nothing wrong with my cat, It's me
But I swear, when he was still young it's ok for him to take a bath, actually after I bathe him, he would sleep all day!
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post #16 of 21
2/13/10 at 5:07am
Well, kittens sometimes are more tolerant of things than adult cats. He's obviously come to realize that he doens't need this invasion in his life.

I agree with the others who said cats don't need baths, unless they have gotten into something vile, or have had some illness such as getting diarrhea all over them.

Cats are self cleaning!
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post #17 of 21
2/13/10 at 8:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MysteryCat View Post
So there's nothing wrong with my cat, It's me
But I swear, when he was still young it's ok for him to take a bath, actually after I bathe him, he would sleep all day!
When I took Holland to the vet for her checkup right after I adopted her, the vet told me that she'd need a couple baths a year, and to start her out slowly with a wet washcloth and work up from there. Then I started asking around and found out nobody I knew ever bathed their cats... So Holland has never gotten a bath. If you don't have to, there's no need to put yourself through the torture!!
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post #18 of 21
2/13/10 at 11:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mystik Spiral View Post
^My vet strongly advised against using those wipes, she said it dries out and irritates the skin. I suppose if you use them sparingly you won't have problems.

I've never had to bathe Holland and never intend to. With her recent mouth problems though she hasn't been grooming like normal... I'm sure once her mouth heals completely she'll be back to cleaning herself.
And most vets will also tell you Science Diet is the best brand to feed. No, I'm not saying don't listen to your vet.

I'm just giving the poster advice on what they asked for. I agree cats don't really need to be bathed. But it would be redundant to keep posting the same thing that everyone else has over and over.

Anyway, they don't dry out the cats skin or irritate it. I'm sure it might if they were used constantly, but who would do that? If it did, the cats natural oils would heal the dry skin in a day. The wipes don't really even come in contact with the skin. I only use them when his fur is greasy or dirty.

If your cat is dirty and won't easily bath (mine actually enjoys taking a bath though) this can be a better method.

And if your so concerned about that, just use a warm, wet washcloth.
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post #19 of 21
2/13/10 at 12:53pm
I give my cat a bath once a month. I started her out when she was small and worked our way up. I have allergies (while they aren't specifically pet related) bathing her helps SO Much in keep down on dander and loose hair around the house. I also did this with my previous DLH, people were so surprised to find out we had a long hair cat in the house because between bathing and brushing there was never stray cat hair around and she never once had a hair ball.

I also have found she tollerates a shower attachment like this:

MUCH better than plunking her into a tub full of water or dowsing her with a cup.
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post #20 of 21
2/13/10 at 1:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by NosyKitty View Post
And most vets will also tell you Science Diet is the best brand to feed. No, I'm not saying don't listen to your vet.

I'm just giving the poster advice on what they asked for. I agree cats don't really need to be bathed. But it would be redundant to keep posting the same thing that everyone else has over and over.

Anyway, they don't dry out the cats skin or irritate it. I'm sure it might if they were used constantly, but who would do that? If it did, the cats natural oils would heal the dry skin in a day. The wipes don't really even come in contact with the skin. I only use them when his fur is greasy or dirty.

If your cat is dirty and won't easily bath (mine actually enjoys taking a bath though) this can be a better method.

And if your so concerned about that, just use a warm, wet washcloth.
I honestly don't understand your need to be so condescending. I shared some advice that I got from my vet, which could also fall under the category of "giving the poster advice on what they asked for". I tend to rely on my vet for good advice on how to care for my kitty, please forgive me.
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post #21 of 21
2/14/10 at 5:46am
Thread Starter 
Now I fully understand. Thank you everyone.
I'll never neglect him again,
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