CAT-astrophe!

fyllis · Oct 7, 2015

Having been around cats all my life and owning two 18 month old boys, I thought I had just about experienced it all! NOT!

I had just settled down in the corner of the couch to read my book when Kricket (my Maine Coon) jumps in my lap. He was emitting a fairly potent aroma from his derriere and when I investigated, I realized he was in desperate need of 'personal care'! He has long, shaggy hair and I do my best to keep him 'man-scaped' on a weekly basis, but I must have slacked a bit because he had some definite residue clumped in his fur.

*sigh* This was going to require a bath, for sure.

Kricket gets bathed about every 4 to 6 weeks to reduce shedding and he has always done very well during his previous baths. So, why would this time be any different, right?

I'm ready - He's ready. Here we go!

Kricket in the bathroom - check

Door closed tightly - check

Keeker is out in the living room in a deep nap - check

Placed treat on vanity - check

Towel in the tub to prevent him slipping - check

Towel at side of tub for drying - check

Water at correct temperature - check

Water at low velocity - check

Folded rug in front of tub for my knees - check

Shampoo within reach - check

Place Kricket in tub - check

Pre-brushed tangles to prevent matting - check

Slowly spray him down and apply shampoo - check

All is going well. Kricket is laying in the tub enjoying a shampoo and massage.

Getting close to the end and I begin to gently spray him down to rinse shampoo out. Things are still going well. Kricket is still relaxed (my knees are killing me!). Then I stood him up so I could complete the rinse. Then it happened!

While he is standing, I carefully lifted his tail a bit to be sure 'everything' was well washed and rinsed and as soon as I ran the spray nozzle under his tail, he literally flew over top of me, bolted off my shoulder and promptly scurried into his enclosed litter box and huddled in the back corner!

Talking gently to him, I reached in to pet him and he rubbed his head against my hand while I removed the lid from the box. Looking down, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so I did both!

There he was, my beautiful little boy - sopping wet and covered in clumping litter! I picked him up and held him close, gently talking all the while and comforting him. Now I was covered in damp clumping litter!

Back to ground zero. He very submissively sat in the tub while I rinsed, and rinsed, and rinsed the litter from him. All the while he is holding his head high and stretching out his neck so I could stroke under his chin, and loving every second of it!

Finally, I wrapped him in the towel and fluffed him, gave him his treat, then set him free outside the bathroom door. Then it was my turn, LOL.

There was cat litter everywhere - some dry, some wet and clumping on me, the floor and the rug. Where to begin?!

What should have been a quick bath and rinse turned into an hour and a half of mayhem! Next time a bath is in order, I will be sure to slide the litter box into the bathroom closet beforehand! What a mess!

Here I sit, huffing and puffing after a good workout and his fuzzy (but very clean) butt is curled up in the middle of my bed grooming himself! I think I am going to go find my book and go join him. After what we just went through, we BOTH need a cat nap!

He will get his man-scape later this evening when he is completely dry and things (me!) have calmed down. *sigh* Then I will have clumps of cat hair to clean up! I'm getting too old for this! LOL

margd · Oct 7, 2015

LOL! [emoji]128514[/emoji]. I could just see Kricket zipping over your shoulder and hiding in the cat box. And covered with litter! What a mess! I guess photos are too much to hope for?

fyllis · Oct 7, 2015

Margd said:
LOL! [emoji]128514[/emoji]. I could just see Kricket zipping over your shoulder and hiding in the cat box. And covered with litter! What a mess! I guess photos are too much to hope for?

Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures. I wasn't thinking I would have need of a camera while giving him a bath (cameras and water aren't a good mix). But I guess, since I have two adolescent boys, a camera should be kept hanging around my neck at all times! LOL I know I have missed some really great shots over the past year because I wasn't prepared.

Even when I have the camera sitting right next to me, as soon as reach for it, they move or stop doing what they are doing and come running over to see if I have something edible. With everything that was going on in the bathroom today, I doubt I would have been able to take pictures even if I had wanted to. My hands were pretty full!

It would have been great to have a few pics... but I am not going to even try to reenact that scenario! Sorry!

newmamaof3 · Oct 7, 2015

Lol lol!!! Too funny!

stewball · Oct 8, 2015

What was wrong with his poor bottom?

fyllis · Oct 8, 2015

Stewball said:
What was wrong with his poor bottom?

Nothing was wrong with him... other than he has very long hair and, if I don't keep him trimmed up on a regular basis, he sometimes gets "dingleberries" stuck in his fur, and he needed a bath.

I guess he got a bit offended when I sprayed water (it was a very gentle spray) directly under his tail when I was doing the final rinse, but I needed to be sure he was completely rinsed. I still have to man-scape his read end -- not a fun job for just one person. It has to be done in about 3 segments. Neither of my cats care much for noise (vacuum, hairdryer, clipper, etc.) and I don't think Kricket likes the vibration of the clipper much either. But, he does handle it very well --- just not longer than a few minutes at a time though.

After he completely dried, he looked so beautiful and fluffy! His tail gets huge and looks like a big plume of smoke!

stewball · Oct 9, 2015

Fyllis said:
Nothing was wrong with him... other than he has very long hair and, if I don't keep him trimmed up on a regular basis, he sometimes gets "dingleberries" stuck in his fur, and he needed a bath.

I guess he got a bit offended when I sprayed water (it was a very gentle spray) directly under his tail when I was doing the final rinse, but I needed to be sure he was completely rinsed. I still have to man-scape his read end -- not a fun job for just one person. It has to be done in about 3 segments. Neither of my cats care much for noise (vacuum, hairdryer, clipper, etc.) and I don't think Kricket likes the vibration of the clipper much either. But, he does handle it very well --- just not longer than a few minutes at a time though.

After he completely dried, he looked so beautiful and fluffy! His tail gets huge and looks like a big plume of smoke!

You should have posted a picture of him looking magnificent.

betsygee · Oct 9, 2015

Oh that's a funny story. I can just picture Kricket, you and the bathroom all covered in clumps of litter.

I'm glad you both survived it.

plan · Oct 9, 2015

I suppose that's one thing to be thankful for, that Bud never has problems with "klingons" and that he's a short-haired little guy.

But that's great that your cat actually seems to enjoy baths. Seems like a rare thing. You say Kricket gets a bath every 4 to 6 weeks. Is that a guideline for long-haired cats, or should those of us with short-haired cats be bathing them frequently too?

fyllis · Oct 9, 2015

There are no 'guidelines' for bathing a cat. Actually, Kricket is the only cat (of many I've had over the years) that I have ever given a bath to.

The reason I bathe him is because he does have a lot of long hair, especially on his hind end. I am not as dedicated to clipping him as I should be because it's difficult for me to do by myself because of a back injury. Because he has such long hair (and Maine Coons have three layers) he sheds quite a bit... actually, he sheds ALOT! So, even though he gets brushed frequently, a lot of the loose hair comes off with a bath. I'm not taking him to a groomer every week or two - that's too expensive.

I think that shampooing too often is not a good idea because it's neither good for his coat or his skin, so I just use warm water. Realistically, he probably only gets a bath maybe closer to every 6-8 weeks. I also have canned salmon available for him that he gets to boost his Omega-3 oils to keep his coat shiny and healthy.

I have a DSH that has never had a bath and never will get one; at least not by me! LOL Not unless it was an emergency situation and I was wearing a coat of armor and had 911 on speed dial! Because he is black, I can occasionally see dander flakes on his back. So, I wipe him down with a warm, damp paper towel. I've looked at the 'cat wipes' and saw that they have aloe in them. While it is probably a very minute amount, I won't use them because aloe is toxic to cats.

Both have soft, shiny, and very healthy fur, so I am not real concerned. They also groom themselves and each other regularly.

stewball · Oct 10, 2015

I didn't know that about aloe. Good to know. My tissues have aloe in them. I've often used wet wipes especially on bottoms but never checked the ingredients. Thank you for the information.

fyllis · Oct 10, 2015

I'm thinking it's only toxic to them if the eat it? But being the over-protective momma that I am, I assume that any residue on their fur will be promptly licked off. I don't know to what extent it is toxic -- actually fatally poisonous, or just tummy upset? So, to put caution first, I avoid exposing them to it at any level until I learn more about it. I just know it was on the 'toxic plant' list posted by the ASPCA.

I guess I need to do more research on that and possibly even call the Animal Poison Control Center.

For those of you who don't have the number, this is the 24/7 emergency hotline in the U.S. (888 - 426- 4435).

stewball · Oct 11, 2015

Fyllis said:
I'm thinking it's only toxic to them if the eat it? But being the over-protective momma that I am, I assume that any residue on their fur will be promptly licked off. I don't know to what extent it is toxic -- actually fatally poisonous, or just tummy upset? So, to put caution first, I avoid exposing them to it at any level until I learn more about it. I just know it was on the 'toxic plant' list posted by the ASPCA.

I guess I need to do more research on that and possibly even call the Animal Poison Control Center.

For those of you who don't have the number, this is the 24/7 emergency hotline in the U.S. (888 - 426- 4435).

You can Google is aloe poisonous for cats. That all and it'll tell you exactly.

fyllis · Oct 11, 2015

Stewball said:
You can Google is aloe poisonous for cats. That all and it'll tell you exactly.

Aloe, in and of itself, is very toxic to cats. I am just curious about 'how much is too much'. After all, if you wipe a cat down even with just a damp paper towel, they lick and groom themselves. So, how much aloe is actually on these wipes and if they lick themselves clean, is their enough aloe residue to be harmful? When I read the package and it had aloe listed as an ingredient, I immediately tossed it back on the shelf - Forget THAT! I will not intentionally subject my cats to anything that might harm them or make them sick!

Mamanyt1953 · Oct 19, 2015

Fyllis said:
Having been around cats all my life and owning two 18 month old boys, I thought I had just about experienced it all! NOT!

I had just settled down in the corner of the couch to read my book when Kricket (my Maine Coon) jumps in my lap. He was emitting a fairly potent aroma from his derriere and when I investigated, I realized he was in desperate need of 'personal care'! He has long, shaggy hair and I do my best to keep him 'man-scaped' on a weekly basis, but I must have slacked a bit because he had some definite residue clumped in his fur.

*sigh* This was going to require a bath, for sure.

Kricket gets bathed about every 4 to 6 weeks to reduce shedding and he has always done very well during his previous baths. So, why would this time be any different, right?

I'm ready - He's ready. Here we go!

Kricket in the bathroom - check

Door closed tightly - check

Keeker is out in the living room in a deep nap - check

Placed treat on vanity - check

Towel in the tub to prevent him slipping - check

Towel at side of tub for drying - check

Water at correct temperature - check

Water at low velocity - check

Folded rug in front of tub for my knees - check

Shampoo within reach - check

Place Kricket in tub - check

Pre-brushed tangles to prevent matting - check

Slowly spray him down and apply shampoo - check
If this were Hekitty, just after Shampoo withing reach, I would have to add "Cell phone with 9-1- dialed within reach. I've never met a cat more determined not to be bathed. I did give her regular baths as a kitten, thinking that she would eventually get used to them. However, when she got big enough to make her displeasure known with a 2" gash requiring stitches to close, I finally gave up. I must, however begin clipping her claws. Pray for me. I've been gently massaging her feeties and stroking the claws themselves to get her used to them being handled. HALP!

CAT-astrophe!

fyllis

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margd

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newmamaof3

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stewball

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betsygee

Just what part of meow don't you understand.

plan

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Mamanyt1953

Rules my home with an iron paw

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