Bathing a sick cat

[momofseven]

Iggy's been in the hospital for a full week and just came home yesterday. (He has a ruptured ear drum) :-(
Anway, he reeks!!! Our vet said it would be ok to give him a bath, but I'm afraid of stressing him out any more than he has been, and I'm especially fearful of getting water in his ear.

Is there anything I can use to help him smell a little better until he starts grooming himself again? I've been brushing him to help cut down on his shedding, but he smells like pee!

Thank you!
Diane

 

[dragonlady]

The urine can burn the skin. It may take two people to keep him in the sink, but, he will feel much better for it! I use a blow dryer to dry and again you may need 2 people to hold him! HINT trim nails first!lol

 

[hissy]

Hi Mom-

Get some dry towels cycling in your dryer and have someone stand by to be able to hand you a towel and also keep the others cycling. Get a bucket, and fill it with warm water measure it so that when you put Iggy into the bucket, only his bottom half gets wet. Wash him quickly inside the bucket- this helps him to not fight you- as they normally grip the lip of the bucket with their claws (trim claws first) and the water stays warmer and keeps him warmer then it would in an open sink or bathtub.

Have your kids/hubby hand you a hot towel to dry him off, dry him off quickly and then ask for another warmed towel, dry him, another one and wrap him up and cuddle him until he stops trembling.

As stressed as he is, I highly recommend you do NOT use a blow dryer on him. The warm towels would be so much better, and it comforts them. If you have a cat carrier, put it near the heater (but not to close) pile warm towels inside and put him in there, and cover it with a blanket- leaving a gap for air.

Poor Iggy- I hope he feels better soon.

 

[momofseven]

Thank you so much!
Warm water??? Cool water? (I've never bathed a cat before)

 

[hissy]

You want warm water, not to hot. Use your elbow to test it to see if it is not to hot. Hot water will freak him out- warm is best and cold is a no no. With his ruptured eardrum, you want to be careful and not bathe his head or neck and risk getting water into his ear. Poor Ig!

 

[angelzoo]

I've bathed many cats, in many different places, YES trim their nails before hand and don't wear any clothes that are important you you! LOL.

Keep lots of warm big towels handly. You should use at least 2.
I normally use the same temp of water as you would for a baby. Not scalding and not too cold. Whatever you bath him in, put something on the bottom so he can have more traction, be it a bath matt, or a folded up towel in a bucket, it will make them feel a little more secure. I also wouldn't go with the hair dryer this time, those can freak a cat our more than the bath itself.

Make it quick, painless, talk to him in a soothing voice while you do it. When your done, blot him quickly and gently with one big towel to get off all the sopping stuff, and then cuddle him up in another dry towel and hold him for a while until he's more calm. When you let him out of the towel, keep him in a room where he has a litter box, and if possibly the warmest room in the house so he can continue drying.

Oh if at all possible, if you use the bathtub or sink try not to leave the water running while he is IN there, the noise of the spashing water itself can often be the most horrifying part of the bath. And face the cat away from you during the bathing, cats can do very unexpected things with the jumping, and the claws and the... well, you get the idea!


Oh yeah, about his ear, if you have to wash his face and neck, was it with your hands or a wash cloth gently, so there isn't actually any water being pour on or around his ear.

I heard some people place cotten balls in the ears during bath time to prevent water. But I've never done it.

 

[momofseven]

I knew I came to the right place to ask such a question.

I'll try it tomorrow when the sun's out too so he can lay in that when we're done.

Thanks again!

 

[hissy]

Good Plan Mom- Good luck!

 

[barbb]

I just used this advice for my Lulu with IBD, now small cell lymphoma, she is on leukeran and the other IBD protocols but it is not working. Anyhow we gave her a bath and altho we could not get the mattings out, it is better than it was. She will go to the rainbow bridge soon :-(