Bathing a cat?

I will be bringing home my fat kitty, Harriet on Tuesday! Woohoo!

However, she smells. Bad. Real bad.

She's lived in the shelter for ... well, a really long time. Maybe a year? And she's so fat she has trouble cleaning herself so she smells just awful and needs a bath before she comes home.

Does anyone have any tips on giving a cat, who is known for being "sassy"?

I ordinarily wouldn't bathe a cat, but she smells quite ripe. Blech!

Paige

i can tell u from experience it is not going 2 be easy. i worked 4 a groomer 4 a while so i can give you detailed instructions... just PM me.

If she has been in a shelter for so long the trauma of a new home may be enough for the time being. As an ex animal nurse, I would try this option first, if she will let you, use a damp sponge and stroke her down with it. The other option if you are feeling brave is to use a wire frame basket (so that you are well out of claw reach) and lower it into a very shallow luke warm bath using a gentle shower attachment. I really would suggest the first option, at least until she knows you and her surroundings, even wrapping her in a damp warm towel might reduce the aroma a bit. The biggest problem is getting them dry. My two cats quite enjoy a little sponge in the sink especially when they have got a bit messy. GOOD LUCK!

Deni, thanks for the tip. That's exactly what I did and she's mostly stink free and wasn't too stressed. I dare she liked it b/c she too fat to clean her hind end. We wipe her little booty, but don't really groom anything else.

Glad it helped, is she a long hair? if you can't get a comb through her stroke her wearing a rubber dimpled finger glove, it's brilliant for picking up the dead hair (works a treat on clothes and furnishings too!) if you make the grooming part of the 'giving her affection routine' sounds like she may well get to like it.

Lots of toys that make her run around, rolled up paper and screwed up tin foil suit mine and a good quality light cat food should get the weight off, they don't get much exercise in homing centres.

Glad she's settling in

I agree that your cat will be stressed from being in the shelter and it is best to wait a little while before trying to bathe. I've always waited a couple of months or more before giving mine their first bath. But since the first bath, I've bathed my cats regularly for years and don't have much trouble with it. There are a lot of tips on my website on the grooming page but here are a few if you decide to bathe in the future:

Place a rubber mat in the bottom of the sink (or tub). I use a sink because cats feel more secure in smaller spaces. The mat keeps them from slipping and sliding, which is frightening for them when they don't have that control. Be prepared before bringing the cat to the bath. Have water ready before bringing the cat to it. Running water is what scares them quite a bit. I keep a rubbermaid tub of warm water with a couple tablespoons of vinegar in it for the rinse. It helps get more of the shampoo out and restores the pH balance of the skin.