Washing a Cat - Some How To Tips

Why on earth would anyone want to wash a cat? you may ask. It sounds like a situation fraught with danger! Well, surprisingly, cats can get just as dirty or flea infested as dogs and sometimes you have no choice but to either wipe them down with special wipes or to bathe them. Wiping is relatively easy but washing is not. A word of warning though, cats' fur contains special oils to protect and "waterproof" it so never wash your can more than once a month.

Preparation is the key to washing your cat.
Collect everything you will need so that you don't have to abandon the
operation part way through and risk the cat escaping up the nearest
tree. Essential supplies are two large, absorbent towels, shampoo and
conditioner especially formulated for animals, a sponge and a shower
attachment, if you don't have one built in. Failing the shower, use a
mug or jug for rinsing with clean water. A non-slip mat is also a good
idea.

The bathroom basin is probably the best place to wash your cat
as keeping the cat contained in a bath will be more difficult and will
mean you either kneeling or bending over in a very uncomfortable
position.

Close the bathroom door to prevent escape
and put the non-slip mat in the bottom of the basin. Run a few inches
of warm water and gently put your cat in it. Stroke the cat and talk
quietly and reassuringly, waiting for him to be calm before you begin
the actual washing part. When you think it's appropriate, start to wet
the cat either with the shower attachment or if that seems to be
frightening the cat, use the jug or mug instead. Do not pour water on
the cat's head, ears or face - we'll deal with that
later.

When the cat's fur is damp, apply the
shampoo according to the instructions on the bottle. Gently massage the
shampoo into the fur and if the cat can forget that he's soaking wet,
he may actually enjoy it.

When the shampoo has lathered up, rinse it
off very thoroughly, taking great care that it is all removed. Any
residue may cause severe skin
irritation.

When you're absolutely sure that the shampoo
is rinsed out of your cat's fur, apply the conditioner in the quantity
stated on the container and rinse it out thoroughly. The use of
conditioner isn't strictly necessary with a short-haired cat but if he
submits to being bathed with good grace, you may as well use
it.

Once your cat's body is clean, dampen your
sponge and use it to carefully wipe down his face. Pay close attention
to the area under his eyes.

To finish, wrap the cat in one of the towels
and very gently rub his fur to remove most of the water. Using the
second, dry, towel, continue to dry his fur until the towel is quite
damp. By this time, the cat should be able to complete the job himself.
If the cat is long-haired, you can try using a hair dryer on the lowest
setting, if he will tolerate it. You must keep the dryer moving or you
risk burning the cat's skin.

If you approach the exercise of washing a
cat with organisation and sensitivity, it should be a not too
unpleasant experience for both yourself and the
cat.

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