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Are there any cheap alternatives to baths for long haired cats?

post #1 of 6
11/24/10 at 10:46pm
Thread Starter 
My long haired cats are starting to look a little "messy", for lack of a better word. I brush and brush and brush but it doesn't get much better. One of my fosters is starting to look like one of those furry rugs. Actually he looks just like a rug when he lays on his back on the floor.
I don't dare to try giving them a bath but I think that their coats could use some shampooing. So, is there any cheap alternatives I could try, like something home made? I know you can get waterless shampoos but they are quite pricey and I have four cats that needs to be "fixed up". I've started to add salmon oil to their food but it's not helping that much. It's really just a cosmetic issue, not a health or wellbeing issue, but I would like to do something about it if possible. Any suggestions?
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post #2 of 6
11/24/10 at 11:06pm
Chinchilla dust? lol I have a chinchilla, and this was my first thought. You take a chinchilla who's fur is getting oily, let it roll in dust, voila, clean fluffy chinnie again.

The closest thing to this I have seen in a cat is when Fin bolted out the door one day and into the alley and just rolled and rolled in the fine dirt until I got to him. Funny cat. I don't know if it helped
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post #3 of 6
11/24/10 at 11:50pm
My baby Monty is a long hair as well

I know you mentioned an aversion to waterless shampoos, but some pet stores have their own off brand that are cheaper than Pethead or other big time brands.

Petco has a waterless shampoo thats scent free and hypoallergenic for the kitties and it's only $5.00. a pretty nice sized bottle too! I got 30 baths out of it with Monty. he doesn't even notice he's getting a bath. He purrs because to him its just a lot of extra attention. I know that it seems like a risky idea if you've never used the product before, but It might be worth looking into. Who knows, they might love it! If you dont have a Petco, I'm sure there is probably a Petsmart brand too.

Hope this helped
~Noi
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post #4 of 6
11/25/10 at 9:27am
Baby Wipes. There are varying degrees of debate about using them on cats because of how different cats react differently to certain chemicals but I have never had a problem using unscented baby wipes on Bean-Bean. I've got a fairly large cat that has trouble grooming his lower back so I often help him by just wiping him down and sometimes giving him a brushing afterwards.

A box of 528 count can be found at Walmart, the brand "Parent's Choice" and it's only about $10.


I've never personally tried this but I have heard, similar to the chinchilla dust idea, that using oatmeal, bran, or cornmeal works great as a dry shampoo. You just spread out a bit on a baking sheet and bake it at a low temperature until it's warm but not hot to the touch.

Then you rub the grain into their fur all the way down to the skin and then rub down with a towel after and brush out. ^^

Good luck
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post #5 of 6
11/25/10 at 1:31pm
I use waterless baths Vets Best is the one I prefer ...Baby wipes are good but read the labels many have items I would NOT want kitty licking residue from.. I use pampers sensitive usually or huggies newborn
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post #6 of 6
11/27/10 at 9:46am
Well first I recommend getting rid of the brushes. You really need combs (fine and medium toothed) on a long hair cat.

Then I would use some cornstarch (not talc) baby powder in the coats and comb that thru good to help absorb the oils.

But seriously, if you would give a regular bath with a good shampoo and conditioner every 2 months and comb every day, you will have a lot less problems.
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