My Bestfriend

We all know that cats clean themselves. But sometimes, they need a little help from us to give them a proper bath especially if they are infested with fleas or played too much outside. My friend and cat lover, Shaun Olmstead, shares tips on how to give your kitties a proper bath without the scratches and bites.

A word of advice: consider trimming your cat’s claws beforehand to reduce your risk of getting scratched. It is important to adopt a calm, positive attitude before and during the bath to help ease your cat’s anxiety.

Take your cat into the bathroom and close the door and keep it closed until you are finished.

Fill the bathtub with enough lukewarm water to cover your cat’s paws. Gently set your cat in the tub. Give your cat free rein in the bathtub using minimal restraint, but gently hold on to the back of her neck if she tries to escape.

Apply lubricating eye ointment (available from your veterinarian) or a drop of baby or olive oil to your cat’s eyes to prevent irritation from the shampoo.

Scoop water in a plastic cup, and pour it over the cat until her fur is wet, making sure to avoid her eyes.

Apply a regular shampoo made for cats, or a flea shampoo if needed, and rub it into the cat’s fur. Use caution around the eyes.

Hold your cat under the faucet or scoop clean water over her to rinse. Be sure to remove all soap when rinsing, since cats will groom themselves and ingest anything left on their fur. Quickly pat or rub your cat dry with a towel.

Comb through your cat’s fur to spend quality time together as she dries, then give her a special treat such as catnip or kibble for a job well done.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS