Pet-owners are incessantly concerned about their pets’ health and hygiene and often tend to go overboard while trying to provide them with everything best. But is there a necessity for such excessive preparation? When it comes to personal health and hygiene, most pet animals will have the inbuilt ability to take care of themselves such as by licking themselves to keep their fur clean. Similarly, there are times when the cat-owners also face a dilemma on whether to bathe their cat or how often they should be doing it. This blog will address all the unanswered questions that cat-owners have about bathing their cats in detail.
Table of Contents
Can We Give Baths to Cats?
Yes, cats can have baths as it will not pose any danger to cats’ life. But cats don’t need to bathe unless it is needed. For example, when they are covered in dirt or if it has been a long time since they were groomed. Because cats can clean up themselves pretty well by licking their fur – this way they will remove all the matted fur and feel more comfortable than while being bathed. Hence, it’s advisable to bathe the cats every 4- 5 weeks, which will keep them healthy and clean.
Necessities for Bathing a Cat
Few essentials are needed while running a shower for the cats. These necessities can be bought upon consulting a vet as it will yield better results.
- First and foremost, a wide tub filled with luke-warm water is essential. Anything too cold or too hot will only add to the cats’ dislike for cats and make them more stressed.
- Mild shampoo, which is designed especially for cats and does not contain any harsh chemicals, for harsh exfoliating chemicals might pose a danger to the cats’ health. The cats might end up developing skin allergies & rashes and even lose their fur rapidly in severe cases.
- Gloves – It is also imperative to prioritize cat-owners health and hygiene when so many precautions are taken for the cats. Gloves will serve as protection from contracting any disease or infection while washing off the cats.
- Two or more dry towels will be needed to pat-dry the cat after the shower. Bathing cats is always a messy activity, and more towels are required to clear up the mess created.
- A comb or a brush for brushing out the knots and matted fur of the cats.
It is better to get the shampoos, soaps, or conditioners for the cats after consulting the veterinary doctor to avoid any health or hygiene complications later on.
How to Give Bath to Cats
Since most cats dislike the idea of bathing, they put up a fight to escape, which serves as an added pressure on the cat-owners. The cat-owners will have to prioritize the comfort of the cats while bathing, and it is done by taking proper care and precautions before it.
- It is imperative to ensure that the water is luke-warm and gentle movements are used while applying the shampoo onto the cat.
- Must refrain from washing the cat’s head while bathing them, for it may lead to complications if the water/ shampoo gets lodged in the ears or the eyes.
- The cats must be patted dry with a towel immediately after the shower to prevent them from catching a cold.
- A brush/ comb specifically made for cats can be used to run through the fur to remove any knots or matted hair.
By just following these few steps, the bathing-process of cats should become easy. But if the cats put up a bigger fight by biting or scratching while taking bath, it is advisable to take things slower, give time for cats to get adjusted, and then go to the vets to get them checked.
Why Should You Bathe Cats?
It’s well acknowledged that almost all cats share a mutual dislike for baths, which only makes things more difficult for the cat-owners. Although cats don’t require frequent baths like other pet animals, it is important to bathe them when necessary. Some situations which demand a show are when they start stinking, when they come in contact with any toxic substance, when they are covered in dirt, or when bugs start swarming their bodies. A bath becomes even more of a necessity when the cats especially have long matted hair or when there is heavy shedding of fur. It will help in washing away any possible disease or infection and in promoting hygiene.
Ways to Keep Your Cats Clean:
There are many other alternative ways to keep your cats clean and healthy without having to force them into a tub of water. There are a few non-water techniques that will do the job, such as clipping their nails! It is always the nails, which are the filthiest as they use them for digging anything, and everything and dirt get accumulated there. Secondly, it’s by brushing through their fur to remove knots and knotted fur. Execution of these two steps alone will be enough, most of the time, to ensure the cleanliness of the cats.
Exceptional cases – Giving a Bath to Pregnant Cats
Cats tend to get stressed and grow anxious when they are forced into taking a bath, and cats are even more sensitive when they are going through pregnancy. Hence in those situations, it is recommended to contact a veterinary doctor before taking things into your hand. Pregnant cats are prone to more risks because of which usage of chemicals ( shampoos and soaps) and warm water are generally avoided. And if the cat-owners feel that a bath is needed, then at the most they can gently brush the cat’s fur while bathing and do nothing more than that. But everything must be done with caution and care when it comes to pregnant cats.
Conclusion
We can conclude that cats don’t need baths, and if they are given one, it must be made as pleasant and safe as possible.
Keeping your cat’s health and hygiene in check all the time will promote their overall wellbeing. But there is not much to be done from the cat-owners’ side as the cats are pretty good at doing self-grooming. In case of any doubtfulness, it is always recommended to approach a veterinary doctor before going by it.
