Bathing a cat..

[elssa]

I accidentally spilled a little melted (cooled) butter on my cat's back last night..  Today, the vet said to get some Dawn (which they put on birds to get oil off) at the store, but when I went, all they had was Dawn Ultra and stuff with heavy fragrance, no plain Dawn, so I got something else (Green Way Eco-Friendly Dish Detergent) but now am worried to use it, as I just noticed it says to keep away from pets and children.  I have Johnson's Baby Shampoo, but the vet said that probably won't get the butter/grease out of her coat.  I got out what I could of the butter with warm water and a towel, but there is still a coating of the butter there on the back.  

Any suggestion much appreciated!   

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Butter won't hurt your cat if he/she ingests it, so I'm betting he/she will clean himself up by simply licking it out of his fur. 

.  It may take awhile, or not

 

[elssa]

Thanks for your reply  Well, some of the butter landed on Simone's lower neck as well as the back, so it's still a little sticky there where she can't reach around.  I'm glad to hear a little butter won't hurt her, but thinking I should try to get it off somehow.  The vet tech suggested Dawn...

 

[stephenq]

Baby shampoo would be fine, or really any mild dish soap diluted with warm water and then rinsed off, or a pet shampoo.

 

[elssa]

I do have baby shampoo here.. Any tips on the washing process?  I've never done this before.  Thanks  

 

[catspaw66]

First, make sure your medical insurance is up-to-date.

What I would probably do is this: Use a damp cloth with just a little bit of Dawn on it, stroke Simone's back with the cloth like you were petting her. Then use another damp cloth to rinse the fur. Use a warm fluffy towel to dry the area. There is no need to completely bathe Simone if there is just a small area that is sticky.

Prepare the cloths where the cat can't watch you putting WATER on them. The idea is to outsmart Simone. Use the old bait-and-switch to your advantage. Then when you are done, give her a couple of treats.

 

[bigperm20]

Most kitties would hate having butter spilled on them for about 3 seconds. Then they realize they have a treat on their backs.

Regardless, there are many videos on YouTube about how to do this properly. If you use dawn, it needs to be the regular light blue colored product. If I remember correctly Ultra is a dark blue color. It may be the same, but I have always been told to use basic Dawn.

I think I would wash her in the kitchen sink and use the dish sprayer on low pressure. Just look it up on YouTube, and choose the best method. You will want to have help from a friend or loved one. Also make sure to get all the soap off of her.

Another thing to try first is unscented non toxic baby wipes. I use them on my cats especially my long haired kitty.

 

[bigperm20]

Did you end up bathing her?

 

[Anne]

This guide has a few tips about bathing cats - 

Bathing Your Cat - A Battle of Wills?

 

[catspaw66]

Any of my ladies that had butter spilled on her would get bathed by all the other ladies. Many times. Until the butter aroma was gone.

 

[bigperm20]

Any of my ladies that had butter spilled on her would get bathed by all the other ladies. Many times. Until the butter aroma was gone.

That's what I'm saying... In my house a kitty getting butter spilled on them is a GOOD thing.

I think the OP took off on us. Oh well, maybe she/he thought we were weird...

 

[catspaw66]

I think the OP took off on us. Oh well, maybe she/he thought we were weird...

You mean we are NOT weird? I take pride in being weird. People tell me I am not normal, and I tell them Thank You.

 

[bigperm20]

You mean we are NOT weird? I take pride in being weird. People tell me I am not normal, and I tell them Thank You.

LOL! I kind of like moving against the grain myself.