Help! Bathing OutDoor Cat!

I have two adult Cats that are outdoors. It's time for them to have a yearly Bath. I have never given these two guys a bath before so this will be a first. My other cat Leo is use to baths, since he's been getting them since he was a kitten. ( just once a year )

Does anyone have some helpful hits as how to go about bathing the out door cats? I know they're going ot scratch the hell out of me!!!

I thought about just holding one in my arms and have my mother wash their coat and stuff.. I mean, I'll get right in the tub with them fully clothed and all.. lol

Help! I need some tips! Any helpful hints for washing an adult cat for the first time??

You mention a 'yearly' bath . . . is there any other reason rather than the fact that it is a 'year' for them to have a bath? Cats are generally 'self-cleaning' and don't require baths the way that dogs do. Generally, if you bathe a cat it is for a specific reason such as flea treatments, or removing something toxic/sticky/oily from the coat, or a skin condition or preparing for a catshow or ome other such stuff.

If the cat has no specific reason, then the cat really doesn't need to have a bath. You will save yourself and the cats a lot of wear and tear by not bathing the cat just for the sake of an 'annual' bath.

Kathryn

IMO, Kathryn is right.
All my cats are outdoor and were originally strays/ferals. I've bathed them only when absolutely necessary and never been scratched.
I use a pail of warm water and a plastic bowl for wetting and rinsing. I don't confine them to the bathtub (which is impossible anyway). I gently wet them and at the same time praising them for being so good. Shampoo and gentle massage (they love this part). Rinse and towel dry. I carry them out of the flooded bathroom wrapped in their towel and let them dry and groom themselves the feline way.

Bathing Barn Cats Course 101


Catch cat, wrap in towel, clip nails
Deposit cat in bathroom where bath will happen
Apply betadine to cat scratches, then neosporin
Put on long sleeved shirt
Put on second long sleeved shirt
Place dry towels in dryer set heat to medium and turn on
Get large bucket
Fill bucket up just a little bit with warm water
Place bucket in sink if the shower head reaches to the sink from the bathtub.
Pick up cat, put her rear legs into the bucket. Scruff her neck before she explodes out of the bucket turning over the bucket and flooding the bathroom.
With one hand gently scruffing neck, use the other hand to get the kitty wet.
Apply a few drops of Dawn liquid detergent
Soap gently and as thoroughly as possible
Kitty should be gripping the lip of the bucket, not the arm
Allow kitty to turn over bucket.
Lift kitty out and into the sink, and rinse off
Avoid the teeth and claws
Leave sopping wet kitty to run around madly in the bathroom because you forgot to bring in the towels first. Open door a few inches and scootch outside.
Grab the towels
Open the door, and watch wet teed off kitty shoot past you under your legs and take off down the hallway.
Try to catch kitty as she runs over the top of your bed, your chair, your dresser, then scoots under the bed trembling from fear and cold.
Look under the bed to see where she is
Treat the scratches as she lunges for you, her tormentor
Grab a towel and slide under the bed toward her
Holler at the kids to go and get Pop, because you are now stuck under the bed, and the wet kitty has climbed your drapes and is now on top of the curtain rod.
Try to apologize to family as the lift the bed to untrap you.
Approach wet, shivering kitty carefully, and duck when she tries to land on your head.
Open the door and let her outside into the yard, she can dry off herself, she is after all a cat, and they are meticulous groomers!

Mary Anne, that is hilarious!

Originally Posted by Kathryn41

You mention a 'yearly' bath . . . is there any other reason rather than the fact that it is a 'year' for them to have a bath? Cats are generally 'self-cleaning' and don't require baths the way that dogs do. Generally, if you bathe a cat it is for a specific reason such as flea treatments, or removing something toxic/sticky/oily from the coat, or a skin condition or preparing for a catshow or ome other such stuff.

If the cat has no specific reason, then the cat really doesn't need to have a bath. You will save yourself and the cats a lot of wear and tear by not bathing the cat just for the sake of an 'annual' bath.

Kathryn

Click to expand...

Oh Kathryn yes! They have feees..im so tired of seeing them scratch and itch. I feel so bad for them. I am giving them a yearly bath for fees.

If your cats have fleas, they also have tapeworms, and they need medication to get rid of the worms from the vet. Once they have been dosed with droncit, then treat them with Advantage flea treatment. You can buy the large size (dog) Advantage and use that. It will save you money and last quite awhile. You do not want these cats to have tapeworms. Baths do not kill fleas anyway, they only stun them.

Here is the breakdown for the advantage

http://www.lisaviolet.com/cathouse/advantage.html

Originally Posted by hissy

If your cats have fleas, they also have tapeworms, and they need medication to get rid of the worms from the vet. Once they have been dosed with droncit, then treat them with Advantage flea treatment. You can buy the large size (dog) Advantage and use that. It will save you money and last quite awhile. You do not want these cats to have tapeworms. Baths do not kill fleas anyway, they only stun them.

Here is the breakdown for the advantage

http://www.lisaviolet.com/cathouse/advantage.html

Click to expand...

Oh thank you Hissy.. I had a feeling my old cat might have a tapeworm..*sighs* I have to take them all into the vet at the end of this month so I'm going to see what I can do !

Thank you for all the help.

No problem. I have one feral right now that will be getting tapeworm treated and flea treated on Tuesday. He hardly comes around so when I do see him- he is one of our best mousers, it is always a good idea to check him out, and he has tapes.