At Melvin and Stephanie's request, I demonstrated the fine art of bathing a reluctant kitty during my visit to see Bombay and Bangles last week.
Here are Melvin's shots of me soaping up and scrubbing down a very squirmy Bangles.
Step 1: Hold the cat securely in front of you and pour warm water all over his body carefully, but quickly, taking care to avoid his ears and face
Step 2: Scrub him down with kitty shampoo all over thoroughly
Step 3: Rinse his body well with water
Tip: If the cat begins to fuss, hold him firmly by the scruff of his neck
Step 4: Rinse again to make sure all the suds have been washed out for he will be giving himself a good lickin' all over
Tip: Dry him with a towel and make sure that the fan and air-conditioner have been switched off. You don't want him catching a chill
And here is Melvin's first attempt at bathing a cat. And Bombay is it.
Step 1: Beg cat to hold still in your wet, slippery hands
Step 2: Beg and plead with the cat some more
Step 3: Discuss bribes, like food treats or new toys, with the cat while massaging it
Step 4: Shower him with praises on his sexy, lithe body
Tip: Choking the cat will never help. It will remember. So will its claws
Photos courtesy of Melvin & Stephanie
~5-Cat Style
20 comments:
Would like to make some suggestions. Before the cat is in the bathroom, prepare the following necessity.
1) Mix the shampoo and water in a small pail first. It is easier to wash their body. Cats will freak out when something is poured on their body.
2) Fill up a pail of warm water enough for rinsing.
3) A dry towel for drying.
4) No running water when the cat is in the bathroom. It stress them more.
5) Lightly rub the mixture of shampoo/water on the belly first, then legs, then the body. Avoid the ears and face.
6) Use the wet towel to clean their faces, eyes and ears.
7) Blow dry the cat. They catch cold easily. If not, towel dry thoroughly. Do not use the fan to do the drying.
Ideal time to bath any pets is in the afternoon. Use warm water, never cold water.
Read this somewhere. If your cat has mites/fleas and you are trying to make them die using flea and tick shampoo:
1. Wet them starting from neck then down to the body and legs and then finally the tail. This will force the fleas to move from the neck down to the tail. If you do it the other way round or ching chai wet it, it will force the fleas to congregate at the only dry area, ie, its head and face. Yucks.
2. Some order when you shampoo it and when you rinse it.
Some kitties are allergic to mites and they will groom and groom until bald patches appear. I was advised to bath all cats (whether allergic or not) in the household once a week continuously for 4 weeks to get rid of the mites and their eggs. Fur mites have a life cycle of 20+ days so doing it over a month or so should help rid those yucky things. Frontline will also help. And this procedure seems to be working for my kitties.
Hi Moglee,
Thanks for sharing. :)
The good thing is that I've been bathing these kitties so frequently since they were 3-weeks-old, they are now quite used to the sensation of water and shampoo being poured on them. They remain quite calm actually.
They just don't enjoy being wet and having to be scubbed for too long. That's when they get fussy. But I've told Melvin not to worry... with more practice, he'll be able to bathe them more easily and much quicker.
Oh, and the other tip I shared with Melvin is to keep talking to the cats in a calm, soothing voice. I find that it really does help reassure them that they are in good hands.
~5-Cat Style
Hi KXNC,
Yes, to bathe a flea/mite-infested cat that way would make perfect sense.
How then should we clean the face thoroughly to make sure the fleas/mites there are killed too? Will a wipe-down be good enough?
~5-Cat Style
If the kitten is less than 2 months old, use flea comb. You can sprinkle some flea powder and comb it down. If there are too many fleas, spray frontline and rub the body. Comb it down. After that, thoroughly clean it with a wet towel. Towel dry. Use the flea comb everyday.
Fleas powders or frontline cannot get rid of fur mites. Use Hansen System Shampoo - Send them fleeing. It is a natural formula. It works to rid fur mites and fleas too.
Frontline is medicated but effective, maybe too strong for kittens. Ok for adult cats. Alternatively, Accurate drops is non toxic and effective.
A weak kitten may not be able to take it if we bath it with flea shampoo. If not done properly, it can catch cold and dehydrate in the next few hours. It needs emergency treatment. To prepare first aid treatment, mix honey + warm water + a litte bit of salt, feed it with a syringe or nurser bottle. Wrap the kitten with a towel and hold it against your chest. Keep rubbing the body until its warm. Be prepare to hold it for some hours. Bring to vet first thing when you can.
And when you feed the kitten, hold it straight up, not curl like a baby. Once it finishes a bit, rub the kitten till it gurps.
You bathe them when they are 3 weeks old?!!! I would not advise to bath them at this age. I knew of kittens who died from pneumonia after showering when they are less than one month old. Their bodies have not built up their immune system and their lungs cannot take it. If one wants to bath them at this age, ensure that they are thoroughly towel dry. Wrap it with a dry towel and you hold it against your chest for warm for at least an hour. Constant rubbing on the body helps too.
Alternative is use dry shampoo powder. There is one with natural ingredients in Honey or Rasberry fragrance. Its fine powder makes the kittens very clean. Lightly brush it down to remove excess.
Hi Moglee,
The first bath was necessary then. When they came to me, they were very dirty. So after they settled down well enough for about five days, I gave them their first bath. But I was always very careful to be sure that they were warm. None of them caught the chill from a bath during their 3 months with me. :)
~5-Cat Style
But I agree that at such a young age, their health is fragile and we need to be extra careful with them.
~5-Cat Style
For fleas and all other creepy crawlies on on pet feline, i prefer to use revolution...very effective
Can bath kittens below 1 month old but just have to be sure the room is warm and there is no draft at all. And also to dry them up very quickly. I had the same experience as 5-Cat Style before and he is doing alright.
ok...i will shut my mouth from now onwards.
Hi Moglee,
Here is where we all share our varied experiences with one another. Hopefully, someone will pick up something valuable from another person.
There certainly is no personal attack intended on anyone.
~5-Cat Style
Flea powder and frontline should not be used on a cat under 2 months old, Moglee - it is dangerous at that age.
This was a fun read, especially with the pictures. I had a cat allergic to fleas, flea collars, flea sprays, flea powders and all other flea treatments available. He lived 1973-1987, so no Frontline or Advantage, and he'd probably have been allergic to them! I had to wash this 17-pound cat once a week for a couple years. I used a hand-held sprayer in the shower. He complained but tolerated. I'd use the hair dryer a bit (he didn't like it), towel dry him thoroughly, then let him out into the house where he'd find a warm patch of sun to groom himself properly. Poor, sweet boy didn't like the bath but always came to me later for purring lap time because he felt better.
Moglee, sorry if you misunderstand my comment.
I do agree with you that as far as possible not to bath too young kittens as they are generally weaker in the first few weeks. But sometimes no choice especially if you have resident cats at home or if they have soiled themselves terribly or if they have skin problems cos of urine stains (like my case).
If bath chop chop and use common sense like no fan etc, still can bath them lor. Best if do in a room with all doors and windows closed using a small pail. They are smalm enough to fit in a small pail.
Hi 5-flyer, I also don't know what to do with the face when they have mites/fleas. I was hoping that Frontline can help kill those pesky little things in areas where our flea bath cannot reach.
Hi!
Such beautiful pictures and so many sound advice. Now I feel like a cat expert already. Really must be fun keeping cats. When I was much younger I used to fear cats so much so that I have never touched them but now I have a different opinion of them.
Warmest Regards,
Catmummy
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