I'm not sure if this best fits the grooming or breeders section, but I am going to enter my little girls in a cat show. I've been told that I must wash them to a sparkling shine (and something about using the hairdryer - we'll cross that bridge later). I have heard of some shampoo for pets that has a blue color which supposedly "whitens the whites." Does anyone know the name of this potion? Or have a good suggestion? I have also been told to use Palmolive. Do you think it is safe?
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Best shampoo for show kitties?
- Thread starter luvmybirmans
- Start Date
I was told Dawn dishwashing liquid was best for a Persian as it has a very gentle degreaser. Call breeders in your area and ask what they use and where they shop to get it. Many will spend a fortune on items purchased "on line" for their cats and swear by them.
As for the blow dryer...I use an inexpencive shop vac with the hose in the exhaust side. This will actually blow the water off the fur. The cats dry faster and cleaner. Make sure to get the longest hose you can and place the end of the hose directly against the skin when possible.
A vinigar and water rince is supposed to give the kitty a fuller coat, I believe the mix is 50/50
Good luck with your show!
As for the blow dryer...I use an inexpencive shop vac with the hose in the exhaust side. This will actually blow the water off the fur. The cats dry faster and cleaner. Make sure to get the longest hose you can and place the end of the hose directly against the skin when possible.
A vinigar and water rince is supposed to give the kitty a fuller coat, I believe the mix is 50/50
Good luck with your show!
G
ghostuser
Guest
Although we are truly newbies as exhibitors, all of one show under our belts, our Grand Champion Turkish Van having been neutered, having come to live with us and now embarked by us on the Premiership circuit. we have had advice in this respect from those who know much more than we do about the subject.
We would think that the answer to your question is largely dependent upon the breed of your cat, the nature and attributes of its coat, and its coloration.
Our Van is of course fundamentally white. The breed is a long-haired. The Van also has an unusually oily coat, possibly attributable to its being "the swimming cat?"
Putting all these attributes together the advice we have received from breeders of nationally distinguished Turkish Vans with respect to bathing them is:
a. First a 50/50 mixture of a good shampoo and "Goop." The latter is typically used by mechanics for cleaning their hands of oil and grease. That is why you buy it at an auto parts store. We of course use "white Goop" rather than the possibly more common "orange Goop." The Goop is more effective for cleaning the natural oils from the coat than is shampoo alone.
b. Next is rinse, rinse, rinse, rinse and rinse some more. When you believe that all the soap is rinsed out, then rinse, rinse, rinse and rinse some more.
c. For the white cat such as our Van the next step is a special shampoo formulation like "E-Z Groom Crystal White Shampoo." We understand that there are counterparts for other colors. This brand is mixed in an 8:1 ratio, water to E-Z Groom. The mixture is heated to a temperature which passes the people-mother's "drops on the wrist test." The cat is soaped down and is immobilized, in a towel or such, before rinsing, for say 5 to 8 minutes. If immobilization is impossible, as in the case of Samwise, our hyper-active feline, put him, soaped down, in his carrier for the 5-8 minutes.
d. Then repeat step b. above. Rinse, rinse, rinse, rinse, and rinse some more.
e. Then comes the white vinegar/water rinse, designed to eliminate all traces of soap. We suspect that 50:50 is rather a strong mix. You do not want your cat to smell like a pickle.
f. Then, once again, repeat steps b. and d.
The use of a hair dryer receives mixed reactions. Samwise will not permit one to be used, which settles the question in our house, so he gets a good toweling until he escapes our grasp, and he finishes drying naturally.
We would stress that the above exercise is designed for our long-haired white cat with an oily coat. This mode, we understand, is used by many Persian breeders. For specific advice with respect to your cat we would recommend that you contact a breeder, or breeders, of your breed of cat. There are many little tricks out there which are used by experts.
We have attached a photo of Samwise giving you an idea of what he looks like after step f.
All the best, and we hope you have the best of success as an exhibitor. This is a marvelous hobby.
Jim & Ann
G
ghostuser
Guest
Doggone -- forgot the photo. Let's try again.
Aww Poor sam!! that's so sad, lol
For our show Persian kitties - we use lots and lots of dishwaher. I wouldn't use any type of human shampoo or conditioner on your kitties. We also use a shampoo for pets called Dermaleen. Good luck.
I forget off the top of my head what the shampoo we use on Aiko is.. I have been told that ones used for dry skin provide more moisture to their coat. Aiko hates the bath sooooo much, but bring out that hairdryer afterward and she'll stretch out on the floor exposing her belly with a biiiiig stretch. She Loves it!!!
I know you all are talking about Persian's/Show-Cats but I figured, what a better bunch to ask my bathing question.
My cat is a Tuxedo/Feral (I think that's the same, I'm new to the cat world.) He has major shedding and dandruff BUT he's an All-InDoor cat. Is there any shampoo/conditioners that would fit his needs. Sabastian(my cat), thanks you in advance.
I did take a look at the Earthbath line and it's seems pretty good. Natural products I believe are the healthiest and hopefully the most effective.
~erick
My cat is a Tuxedo/Feral (I think that's the same, I'm new to the cat world.) He has major shedding and dandruff BUT he's an All-InDoor cat. Is there any shampoo/conditioners that would fit his needs. Sabastian(my cat), thanks you in advance.
I did take a look at the Earthbath line and it's seems pretty good. Natural products I believe are the healthiest and hopefully the most effective.
~erick
The shedding is due to the season, Erick, But the dandruff is probably caused by having once been a feral (feral means that he lived out doorss only and wasn't owned by anyone ever.) he wasn't on the best foods. He probably has a rather dry coat right now, too, yes? My only suggestion is to brush him regularly and have him on a high quality or premium cat food, such as nutro or petguard, royal canin and the like. This should improve his condition. there is a certain amount of protein and fat that help maintain the cats coat and skin and perhaps when you got him he wasn't getting that. How long have you had him?
Well, here's the story....ready....lol!
He was found by my ex-girlfriend as a kitten taped to the windshield of a car. Which to this day I find NUTz! Nice world we live in, huh? Anyway, when we broke up the cat got attached to me and being that she also had a tabby(her original cat), she asked if I'd like to have him, so here I am today, a cat owner. He has such a great demeanor that you can't help but love him. He'll be five in May.
Ok.. getting back on track... this is the diet routine at the moment. I feed him 1/2 a can of Purina Pro Plan in the morning and leave out a full bowl of the Purina Pro Plan(Indoor Cat Formula) dry food the remainder of the day. Does this sound good? He eats the food like crazy. Once in a while i'll give him some fresh Turkey or Tuna Fish as a treat. If I can improve on this diet, I'm up for suggestions. I've also tried to give him some supplemental oils and vitamins but he won't touch it. NOT EVEN mixed in with the food. He's always on to me.<LOL> So, I figure if I can get him on the right track as far as the diet is concerned and perhaps bath him from time to time with the right products, I can keep him happy and control the shedding and dandruff.
Any advice is appreciated.
~erick
He was found by my ex-girlfriend as a kitten taped to the windshield of a car. Which to this day I find NUTz! Nice world we live in, huh? Anyway, when we broke up the cat got attached to me and being that she also had a tabby(her original cat), she asked if I'd like to have him, so here I am today, a cat owner. He has such a great demeanor that you can't help but love him. He'll be five in May.
Ok.. getting back on track... this is the diet routine at the moment. I feed him 1/2 a can of Purina Pro Plan in the morning and leave out a full bowl of the Purina Pro Plan(Indoor Cat Formula) dry food the remainder of the day. Does this sound good? He eats the food like crazy. Once in a while i'll give him some fresh Turkey or Tuna Fish as a treat. If I can improve on this diet, I'm up for suggestions. I've also tried to give him some supplemental oils and vitamins but he won't touch it. NOT EVEN mixed in with the food. He's always on to me.<LOL> So, I figure if I can get him on the right track as far as the diet is concerned and perhaps bath him from time to time with the right products, I can keep him happy and control the shedding and dandruff.
Any advice is appreciated.
~erick
Hummm
My Turkish Vans keep themselves clean. I thought about entering Erissa in the Premier class and basically expected to show up at the last minute with a self cleaned cat. Her fur has that nice angora rabbit fur feel to the touch. The oil in the fur helps it feel like a Turkish Van, I am not sure why a judge would favor a cat that had been "acid washed" in vinegar over the natural feel of the TV coat. Is it because they are not familiar enough with the breed?
Erissa would show very well physically with the breed standard. However, it was determined that since most judges are not really familiar with the Turkish Van breed standards stong suggestion that they keep all four feet on the judging table, she would remain at home. You can pick up a TV. Yet a Judge disregarding the TV Breed Standard to the point of trying to do the long stretch in the air with Erissa Van Dearful, would likely result in deep pools of Cat Judge blood.
So, it was decided she would be happier at home.
My Turkish Vans keep themselves clean. I thought about entering Erissa in the Premier class and basically expected to show up at the last minute with a self cleaned cat. Her fur has that nice angora rabbit fur feel to the touch. The oil in the fur helps it feel like a Turkish Van, I am not sure why a judge would favor a cat that had been "acid washed" in vinegar over the natural feel of the TV coat. Is it because they are not familiar enough with the breed?
Erissa would show very well physically with the breed standard. However, it was determined that since most judges are not really familiar with the Turkish Van breed standards stong suggestion that they keep all four feet on the judging table, she would remain at home. You can pick up a TV. Yet a Judge disregarding the TV Breed Standard to the point of trying to do the long stretch in the air with Erissa Van Dearful, would likely result in deep pools of Cat Judge blood.
So, it was decided she would be happier at home.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #12
Thanks to all. We went to the show and I really enjoyed it (Leila and Genie seemed inconclusive on the experience). I learned that the vinegar thing is to eliminate soap residue. Goop and dishwasher soap eliminate all oils. One comment - the cats at the show all looked so big and really fluffy. Even though I followed the cleaning advice (and mine didn't look as good), I don't think it ends there. The winning cats seemed to know that they were Beau-TI-ful. I swear one girl champion was really working the table (preening and stretching in the right ways). We'll give it another try to two (after they recover from spaying surgery). Another plus from attendance - I met some really nice people from the local cat club.
