How to Give a Cat a Bath

How to Give a Cat a Bath

By: Kitty Angell

Bathing is an important part of the grooming process for some cats, but many are able to keep themselves quite clean and may never require bathing. For others, bathing keeps the coat clean, reduces parasite infections and can even make life easier on those who are allergic to cats.

For cats whose lives will include frequent baths, start bathing as early in their lives as possible. This will help get your cat used to the process. There are many methods recommended to bath a cat. Some people bathe their cats with just warm water and a safe pet shampoo. Others recommend additional products to make the bath more effective. Here's how to give your cat the ultimate bath:

Items You May Need

To start, here's a list of items you may want to use, all of which are readily available or can be obtained through a groomer's supply catalog or your vet's office:

  • A warm roo
    m to work in, preferably with a door you can close
  • A sink with running water or a basin and a water source
  • Towels - to dry cat off
  • Plastic cups - to scoop water for rinsing
  • A bucket
  • Eye ointment - protects the eyes from soap
  • Wetting agent - lets the water soak through the coat more quickly
  • Medicated shampoo - helps repel fleas
  • Regular pet shampoo - cleans coat
  • Tearless baby shampoo - for the cat's head since eyes can be irritated by regular shampoo
  • Conditioner - to make the coat easier to comb
  • Vinegar - to cut through any remaining soap
  • Degreaser - to degrease the coat
  • Q-tips - to clean ears
  • Otic solution - to clean the ears
  • Grooming combs and brushes - to comb out fur before and after washing
  • Blow dryer - to dry fur

    Steps to Bathe and Dry Your Cat

  • Arrange all the necessary items around your sink or basin. Make sure the air temperature is comfortable.

  • Brush the cat's coat thoroughly before the bath to brush out any undercoat.

  • First, hold your cat firmly and apply eye ointment, which you can get in groomer catalogs, to protect them from soap. This keeps the soap from getting in your cat's sensitive eyes.

  • Fill the sink with tepid water and, if possible, use around three capfuls of a wetting agent like Shaklee's Basic H, which is non-toxic. This substance reduces the surface tension of a liquid, therefore making it easier for the water to soak the coat.

  • Hold the cat firmly with both hands and partly submerge her until the water is around her shoulders. Her fur should be soaked all the way down to the shaft and the hair should start to part. Speak gently to the cat as she may be agitated. Make sure to calm her as much as possible before continuing. It's important that she doesn't view this as an awful experience. If your cat becomes extremely anxious or terrified, do not continue. Towel dry her as best as possible and let her go. If your cat seems to tolerate this first part of bathing, continue to the next step.

  • Drain the sink. Keep the cat in the basin and speak soothingly to her. Hold her firmly as you don't want a wet, irritated cat jumping out of the sink and taking off for the living room. Always maintain a firm hold on the cat and keep an eye on her in case she tries to make a break for it when she feels she's had enough.

  • Start the shampooing using only a mild, tearless shampoo on the cat's head. Put a small amount on a wet washcloth and gently wash around the eyes, mouth, cheeks and forehead. Then rinse the cloth and go over the face to remove the soap. Do not get water in the cat's ears and never pour water over the head.

  • After you wash the head, if your cat has an extremely greasy coat, apply a de-greaser to the body. Fast Orange is a non-toxic de-greaser that can be found in supermarkets. Liberally spread it throughout the coat and then rinse. Don't use it on the head.

  • Next, start shampooing the cat's body (the sink is still empty at this point). Ask your vet or look through pet grooming catalogs to find a shampoo that fits your cat's coat description.

  • Rinsing off the shampoo is extremely important. Fill the sink again with tepid water up to the cat's middle. You may want to remove the cat while filling the sink. Some cats can be quite frightened by nearby running water. Use a cup or dish hose to rinse off the shampoo with clear water. Stay away from the head and eyes. Repeat the rinsing process at least two or three times. If there is still residue, continue rinsing.

  • If the cat's coat needs a conditioner, empty the water out, apply the conditioner and rinse it out as you did for the shampoo.

  • Add a ½ cup of vinegar to two quarts water in a bucket. Scoop the water out with a cup and use it to rinse out the cat's coat. This will remove any traces of soap residue.

  • Rinse one more time with tepid water and drain the sink.

  • While the cat is still in the sink, clean the ears with a soft Q-tip dipped in otic solution, a non-toxic ear-cleaning agent.

  • Next, blot her fur with a dry towel and take her out of the sink and place her on the floor or a counter top. Continue to towel dry her. A single-coated or dense shorthaired cat only needs a good towel-drying and can be placed in a warm bathroom until she is completely dry. A longer haired cat needs to be combed out and blown-dry.

  • The longer the coat, the more important it is to brush out the fur. The conditioner you applied should make this process easier.

  • Dryers are a matter of preference, but they are useful for longhaired cats. Oster makes a table dryer that many breeders use. A Superduck Dryer is a little less costly and works well. You can find these in various groomer catalogs.

  • If you use a dryer, dry the upper body by blow-drying backward against the lay of the hair. Work along the sides, forward to the front legs and up the neck. Each section should be totally dry before moving on or the hair will curl. The tail, belly and back legs should be done last because cats tend to have a lower tolerance in these areas. This way, if there is going to be a disagreement, it will come at the end of the grooming session.

    Voila! That fuzzy, greasy kitty is now a well-groomed lovely feline.

     
    Printable Version
     
    Have a Pet Question?
    Send Your Pet Question to Dr. Jon
    and His Staff of Veterinarians Ask Dr. Jon
    Dr. Jon's Newsletter
    Yes! Send Me the Latest Health Information, Pet Tips, Pet Stories and more...
     
     

    Related Articles

    • 1 Top Medical Reasons To Groom Your Cat

      Keeping your cat healthy means paying regular attention to bathing, grooming and brushing, but grooming does more than just make your cat look and smell nice. Here are the top medical reasons why it will...

      Read MoreRead More
    • 2 Combs and Brushes for Your Cat

      You can keep your cat from having a "bad hair day" by regularly brushing and combing his hair; cats have many types of coats, but all of them need to be brushed and combed to keep them from developing...

      Read MoreRead More
    • 3 How to Clean Your Cat's Ears Safely

      Cleaning ears may look easy but it is more difficult than you think and can result in a ruptured eardrum, pain or lacerations of the canal. You can clean your cat’s ears safely if you follow these steps. ...

      Read MoreRead More
    • 4 Safe Ways to Remove Mats from Your Cat

      Removing hair mats is fraught with potential complications. Many mats are firmly attached to the skin, so you must be extremely careful not to cut the skin as you cut off the mat. Begin by brushing and...

      Read MoreRead More
    • Related Articles
    • 1Combs and Brushes for Your Cat

      You can keep your cat from having a "bad hair day" by regularly brushing and combing his hair; cats have many types of coats, but all of them need to be brushed and combed to keep them from developing...

      Read MoreRead More
    • 2How to Clean Your Cat's Ears Safely

      Cleaning ears may look easy but it is more difficult than you think and can result in a ruptured eardrum, pain or lacerations of the canal. You can clean your cat’s ears safely if you follow these steps. ...

      Read MoreRead More
    • 3Safe Ways to Remove Mats from Your Cat

      Removing hair mats is fraught with potential complications. Many mats are firmly attached to the skin, so you must be extremely careful not to cut the skin as you cut off the mat. Begin by brushing and...

      Read MoreRead More
    • 4Top Medical Reasons To Groom Your Cat

      Keeping your cat healthy means paying regular attention to bathing, grooming and brushing, but grooming does more than just make your cat look and smell nice. Here are the top medical reasons why it will...

      Read MoreRead More
     

    Over 10,000 Veterinarian Approved Articles

    Dogs & Puppies
    Cats
    Related Articles
    • 1Combs and Brushes for Your Cat

      You can keep your cat from having a "bad hair day" by regularly brushing and combing his hair; cats have many types of coats, but all of them need to be brushed and combed to keep them from developing...

      Read MoreRead More
    • 2How to Clean Your Cat's Ears Safely

      Cleaning ears may look easy but it is more difficult than you think and can result in a ruptured eardrum, pain or lacerations of the canal. You can clean your cat’s ears safely if you follow these steps. ...

      Read MoreRead More
    • 3Safe Ways to Remove Mats from Your Cat

      Removing hair mats is fraught with potential complications. Many mats are firmly attached to the skin, so you must be extremely careful not to cut the skin as you cut off the mat. Begin by brushing and...

      Read MoreRead More
    • 4Top Medical Reasons To Groom Your Cat

      Keeping your cat healthy means paying regular attention to bathing, grooming and brushing, but grooming does more than just make your cat look and smell nice. Here are the top medical reasons why it will...

      Read MoreRead More