Cat Bath Tips
Bathing a Cat Made Simple

The truth is, most cats dislike water, but good care should include an occasional cat bath! If you have not trained your cat since kittenhood to enjoy a bath, this could prove to be an interesting exercise!

As show-cats need to be in tip-top condition, they will enjoy regular baths, but generally speaking, if you maintain a regular cat grooming routine, your pet cat will require a bath less frequently than their show-cat counterparts.

If your cat does have an odor, is soiled or has a serious parasite infestation, or is simply in need of a wash and cat skin care - here are some essential guidelines for a cat bath.

Bathing Guide or Cat Bath Tips

• Clip your cats claws before bathing... trust us on this one! For additional information on claw clipping visit cat nail care.
• A thorough brush or comb before their bath is recommended
• Using a medium-sized basin, quarter fill it with luke-warm (tepid) water, 37 °C or 98.6° F
• Lower your cat into the water, but do not dunk its head in the water.
• Slowly pour water onto your cat's back avoiding the head, ears and eyes.
• Saturate the fur with water and then apply the cat shampoo and massage to form a lather.
• It is important not to use shampoo intended for humans. Human shampoo can be harmful to your cat if ingested and it can change the pH of your cat's skin causing itching and even dermatitis.
• Rinse your cat thoroughly and repeat shampoo process.
• Give kitty a final rinse and ensure that you remove all the soap in the final rinse. (You will need to change the water to make sure its soap-free).
• Remove your cat from the water and gently rub them down with a soft towel.
• You're almost done. Wrap your cat in a dry towel and keep it warm.
• If your cat is accustomed to a hairdryer, then gently blow the fur dry using medium heat, not hot.
• Generally, cats don't like the sound of a hairdryer and they certainly do not like air blowing near their eyes and ears, so avoid this area.
• If you are not comfortable using the dryer (or if it upsets your cat), rather place your kitty in a warm, sunny room until it is dry.
• When your cat is dry, brush your cat as you would during a normal cat grooming session.

You're done - that's bathing a cat in a nutshell.

Time to change into dry clothes!

Related Cat Grooming Pages:

Cat Care - an overview on the basics of cat grooming

Cat Grooming provides insights into the 'tools' required for efficient cat care

Cat Hair Care and 10 easy steps to caring for Longhaired and Shorthaired cats

Cat Eye Care - general eye health and details on Persian cat eye care

Cat Nail Care provides a guide to caring for cat's claws

Cat Dental Care and tips on caring for your cat's ears and nose