HOW TO BATH A SMALL CAT

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How to bathe a cat without dying in the attempt? It's possible? You are right! The truth is that, although cats usually carry very good personal hygiene, occasionally it will be necessary to bathe them. And although we all say that cats hate water, they can be bathed at home without putting up a circus! We promise you, we help you.

Prepare all this before you start

Before entering the battle of bathing a cat, you have to prepare everything, so then the process will be something more comfortable. If you are going to give your cat a bath you need:

Find a warm place, preferably with a door to close and not escape
Sink or sink
Towel
Plastic cups
A cube
Ointment to protect the eyes from soap
Shampoo for cats
Optionally, conditioner for animals
Physiological serum and gauze to clean your ears
Combs and brushes
Dryer

You have it all? We start!

How to bathe a cat, step by step

You have finished the hardest part! Now you just have to dry your cat (with a dryer or only with a towel, but make sure it is very dry) and comb again. It will be clean and beautiful!

Now you know how to bathe a cat, did you think it would be so easy? The most important thing is to be patient and not force your cat if you see that he is scared. If you are scared today, you will dare another day!

BATH A KITTEN

Even so, there are certain circumstances in which your kitten may need a bath, either for a specific cause (diarrhea, accidental dirt), by veterinary prescription to react to any pathology, or simply because you have habituated it. In any of these three cases, it is convenient that you choose the best time for the bath, which will be the one in which your kitten is calmer and shows lower level of activity.

Cat puppies can bathe for the first time after 2 or 3 months. The bath frequency changes depending on the breed (long or short fur) and the ambient temperature. In periods of excessive heat, bathing can be done every ten days. In winter, at most 1 time a month.

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO BATH A SMALL CAT

- It is recommended that you carry out the activity with the help of someone. Your kitty will be nervous and will tend to scratch and escape.

- If your kitten has long fur, brush it before wetting it to eliminate possible dry knots.

- For your kitty's bathroom, use a baby bathtub and place a rubber towel or mat on its surface. In this way, you will ensure that your kitty does not slip and feel safer.

- Fill the bathtub slowly and with warm water.

- Have a soft kitty shampoo, a rinse bowl and a couple of towels on hand.

- Hold your kitten delicately but firmly. Put it in the tub and wet the fur while you caress it. Prevents water or shampoo from rubbing the head, eyes or mouth.

- Apply the shampoo following the instructions for use, and then rinse your kitten with plenty of water.

- Then gently remove it from the tub and wrap it in the first towel, gently rubbing it to absorb moisture. Just dry it with the second towel.

- If your kitten is long-haired, you will need to use a dryer and a brush. Keep the dryer away from the skin and with the air in the "cold" position. Brush it when it is completely dry.

- After bathing, examine the water in the tub to see that there are no parasites such as fleas or ticks. If you see parasites, consult your veterinarian and apply the recommended treatment.

Cat puppies can bathe for the first time after 2 or 3 months.

Tips before starting the bath

Trim your cat's nails. To minimize the damage that our cat can cause in a time of fear or stress, it is advisable to trim the nails. If you have never done so, it is preferable that they be trimmed by a professional, since inexperience can cause us to cause damage to our feline, even causing it to bleed.

Brush your hair. The fur of our feline can suffer from knots, it will always be easier to untangle these knots with still dry hair, so we will avoid pulling it during the bath and we will make the bathing experience as relaxing as possible. Take special care behind the ears and neck, they are usually the most prone to knot areas in the fur.

Everything ready and at hand. During the bath we should not leave our cat in the bathtub for a single moment, it is very likely that when he sees himself he will only be scared and can escape, so before we start we must make sure we have everything within our reach: shampoo, towels, toys, treats, brush, dryer.

Warning: The shampoo must be specific to catsIt would be totally harmful to use our or our dog's shampoo.

Bathtub or container already with water. The sound of the water falling through a tap can scare our cat and stress it, which is why before bringing our cat to the bathroom area, we must have the bathtub already with the water ready to start.

The water should be warm, not too deep, that our cat may be standing or sitting and the water does not approach the neck, otherwise it would be scared.

At the bottom of the bath we must put a non-slip mat and on top of it it is advisable to put some small towel where our cat's legs will go, in case at any given time our cat has a small scare and removes his nails, which can nail them something and relax again.

Some toy in the water It will help our cat to associate bath time with a game and we can bathe it quickly and easily.

Finally, relax!. You already have everything ready, all at hand and all insured, in a room where calm and harmony reign, just go for the kitten to start the bath. But if you go after him, the cat notices that you are tense, scared and afraid, it will have been no use to have the most relaxed and prepared room in the world, since your cat will notice that tension in you and be infected with it.

So, take a deep breath, relax and go happily for him, just as if you were going to play, he will notice that positive and cheerful energy in you and will happily go to take his bath.

The cat's bathroom step by step and some tips

Cat entrance to the bathtub. You better than anyone know your cat, so you will know what fun tricks you can get into the water (toys, treats, a game, etc.) go testing and trying to get your kitten into the water naturally.

If you do not get this naturalness, you can take it and let it in little by little, without pressure, without obligation, without fear.

A trick to be able to catch a cat in a relaxed way is to catch its skin that is on the neck, called cogote. When you take it through this area, the kitten will easily move to where we need it.

Wet the cat very slowly. Once in the water we will begin to wet it little by little, without hurry. If the cat gets scared, it doesn't matter, we'll let him relax for as long as he needs. It is preferable not to bathe him this first time but that he had that first contact, to feel obligated and scared and we can never bathe him again.

If everything goes correctly, we continue with the bathroom. We should never wet above his neck, the head should never be introduced underwater, it would cause him too much terror.

So if we already have a well wet body, we will take the cat shampoo and with gentle massages we will wash our kitten in the direction of hair growth. Once everything is soapy, we will gently take the warm water and rinse our cat calmly and patiently, without leaving any trace of shampoo.

Take special care that you do not drop shampoo or eyes, ears, nose or mouth, it could cause some infection.

Now we have his face, since we have not wet it during the bath, but do not worry, you can wash your face with a moist cloth, that easy, our feline companion will not oppose these caresses of a soft damp cloth for his face.

After bath,

Towel drying. Take the towel and drain all the water you can from your hair, gently with movements similar to the caresses we normally give.

If your cat is short-haired and is in an area where there is no cold current, at this point, it can already dry itself.

Dryer drying. But if your coat is long or semi-long and the dryer does not scare you, we will take it and with a soft, warm air we will begin to dry your hair with the help of a brush while we comb your hair in favor of the direction of the hair's birth.

On the contrary, if you do not accept the dryer, we must continue to towel dry as much as possible.

Other recommendations

Alternative to the bathroom. If our cat flatly refuses to be bathed and there is no way to convince him, there are alternative ways to clean a cat such as using dry shampoo that can be applied with a cloth and thus be able to wash our cat.

Bath frequency. We can bathe our cat whenever we want but not do it more than twice a month.

Routine since childhood. If you have your kitten since childhood, even if he does not need it because it is very clean, you can get used to it from small to the bathroom, it is easier to teach a young kitten not to be afraid of the bathroom than an older cat.

Rewards. Reward your kitty always: with treats, with caresses, with pampering, with words, whatever it is, positive reinforcement for behaving well, will make you relate each bath process with something good and fun>

If you want to read more articles similar to Bathe my cat at home - Tips and products, we recommend you enter our Beauty Tips section.

Is it necessary to bathe your cat?

It is not difficult to realize that the majority of cats flee in fear from the water, although there are some breeds or a few particular cats that find it fun and even enjoyable. In fact, Many veterinarians recommend not to bathe cats unless strictly necessary, and always after they have reached at least three months of age and have been given their vaccinations, since a bath could easily make them sick.

However, you may have never bathed your cat because he has not needed it, but that as an adult a situation that implies that you give a good bath yes or yes, how can it be:

It has fleas and you need to give it a bath with a special shampoo to fight them.
In his pranks his hair has been impregnated with some substance that cannot be licked, or that would be dangerous if he did, such as paint, grease, gasoline, and so on.
The cat has ringworm.
Its coat is long and you need to bathe it to keep the mantle clean and untangled.
He has suffered heat stroke.
You have any allergies or skin infections.
It is a sick animal that has stopped bathing.
You have picked up an adult stray cat and you need to give it a bath to have it at home.

No matter what the reason, giving your cat a bath can be traumatic for him and for you if you do it the wrong way, so we will propose several methods to make the process more enjoyable for both of you.

General tips for bathing an adult cat

With any of the methods you choose to bathe your adult cat for the first time, you should follow the following tips to make the bathing experience satisfactory:

You must be calm at bath time. Any symptoms of stress or concern in you, any predisposition for things to go wrong, will be easy to detect by the cat and put him on guard.
Find someone in the family to help you bathe your cat, between two it will be easier.
Throughout the process you must be affectionate, talk to your cat with sweet words and never force the situation.
Keep everything you will need on hand: two towels (one for drying and one for the cat to scratch), the special cat shampoo, some containers, a hair dryer, a kennel (carrier).
You will have to have the necessary time for the bath, since it can take an hour, depending on what it costs to convince the animal that everything is fine.
Make sure the whole environment is calm.
Pet the cat So you can relax.
Whether you bathe it in a bucket or basin, sink or bathtub, it must be large enough for the cat to fit, but do not fill the container completely with water, just enough so that it reaches the belly of the animal.
The water must be warm, more towards room temperature than cold or hot.
At the end you should dry the animal with a towel and then apply a dryer with low temperature, away from the cat's body so as not to burn it. If you are afraid of the dryer, place the animal in the kennel and let the air from the dryer pass through the door. In this case, use goodies, or any other snack, to prevent the cat from relating the carrier with something negative.
If there are shouts and scratches from the animal, be patient and understanding. Opt for a quick bath.
Never wet your eyes, ears, nose or head, take a bath from the neck down.
Add your favorite toys at the time of bathing your adult cat, so that he feels safe and interprets it as a fun and positive activity.
Avoid using the direct water jet from the tap, as the force of this will scare the animal.

When you have all these things in mind, you can proceed to try one of these methods.

In the bathroom

Whether in the bathtub or the sink, first prepare all the utensils you will need and have the water ready for when the animal arrives. Start moistening your hands and running them through the cat's fur little by little, always attentive to your reaction. Remember that this is the first time you bathe your adult cat, so it may be altered and try to scratch you. Then, follow the steps below:

On the edge of the bathtub, punch bowl or sink, place a dry towel so that your cat can hold on to it and scratch it if necessary.
Without stopping to caress it, the person who is helping you can distract him with a toy while you pour some water with a container.
If the cat is disturbed, be firm but delicate, without forcing it. Massage the coat with the shampoo and then rinse thoroughly.

When you have finished bathe your adult cat, proceed to dry with a towel and dryer as explained in the previous section. If it is impossible to use the dryer, remove as much water as possible with the towel and let the animal finish drying only in a warm room. Be very careful: this is only viable in hot weather, never during the winter, and always making sure that at the end of the day the cat does not remain wet.

A quick bath>

For cats more difficult to bathe, it is better to apply faster methods, so we present this. To carry it out, you will need three punch bowls or buckets, one with soapy water and two with single water. In all three, remember to fill just enough to fit the cat and use warm water.

When you have everything ready, what you will do is quickly put the cat in the bucket with soapy water, avoiding the head, and rub so that the shampoo takes effect. Then, go to the next bucket, where you will remove all the shampoo, and finish rinsing in the last container.

Dry in the same way as we explained in the previous sections to prevent the cat from getting wet.

Use an atomizer

Get an atomizer or sprayer that makes the least amount of noise possible, as this sound usually scares felines. Then, fill the sprayer with soapy water, hold the cat by the upper fat it has on the neck, as mothers do, and sprinkle the fur little by little.

Massage the cat's hair for the shampoo to take effect and quickly remove it in a bucket with warm water.

Dry bath

There are products to clean the hair of cats that are applied dry, get advice on the most appropriate according to your case and the needs of your furry friend's fur. Do not skimp on expenses when it comes to a product of this type, remember that the cat will lick.

With these recommendations we are sure that you can bathe your adult cat and get it to look very clean. The first time is usually more complicated, but the best is turn the bathroom into a routine, with some established steps that the cat can remember and recognize, so that the uncertainty of not knowing what is happening does not stress it. And if you want to provide an extra shine, do not miss our article in which we show you the tricks to brighten your cat's hair.

Also remember that in normal situations it is not usually necessary to bathe your cat unless its fur is long, because the work they do with their tongue is enough. Consult with your veterinarian about the needs of your cat's fur so that he recommends the best.

And after the bath?

Once you have managed to bathe your adult cat and dry its fur, you should proceed to brush it to remove dead hair That could have remained. Depending on the type of hair your cat has, you should choose one type of brush or another, as well as follow specific brushing routines. If your cat is short-haired, check our article on brushes for short-haired cats, while if it's long-sleeved, don't miss the post in which we show you the brushes for long-haired cats.

Brushing the cat frequently is essential to prevent our home from being impregnated with hair but, above all, not to encourage the formation of hairballs in your stomach. When licking, the cat accidentally swallows dead hair that we have not removed, generating the dreaded balls and producing the appearance of arcades to try to expel them. Offer your cat the best care and you will have a healthy and happy animal by your side.