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untanuta asked in PetsCats · 1 decade ago

Can you bath a cat?

i remember putting our dog in the bath when we were children....obviously not with us literally!!!

Can a cat have a bath with cat shampoo if it does exist?

Update:

sounds like i need to armour then!!!

35 Answers

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  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    You can buts I would not recommend it unless the circumstances are extreme. Its very very painful. My cat fell in the bath once and the pain that I went through when I retrieved her was unspeakable. You might like to read this http://www.dogstory.net/bath_a_cat.htm

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    I have bathed many of my cats for various reasons, some like it, some tolerate it and most of them absolutely hate it. The first thing I do is clip the tips off their claws with a small pair of nailclippers, being very careful not to cut into the quick (the pink part of the nail) This saves my hands and arms from scratches, and does not harm the cat. I then run warm water in a basin or in the tub, just until it is about 4 inches deep. Then with no water running, I dip the cat in the water to get it wet, if the cat resists, I restrain it by the scruff of the neck, while lathering it with the other hand, then back into the water for a rinse, and into a WARM dry towel to dry off. once they are towel dry, they can finish the job. If it is cold, put the cat in a wire crate and gently bllow it dry with a hairdryer through the wires of the crate. Don't let the cat stay wet too long, especially if it is a young kitten. They need to be dried as soon as possible to keep them from getting sick.

  • 1 decade ago

    You can but be sure you wear long gloves. There are cleaning clothes that will work a lot better and they make them for cats. You can also get cat shampoo.

    To bath a cat, but down a towel in a sink and put your cat on the towel. The slowly fill the sink with warm water. Do not get the water in the ears as this will be the end of the bath, if you even get that far.

  • 1 decade ago

    You can get cat shampoo at wal-mart or anywhere else. Don't use anything else besides that because other shampoos can irritate their skin. Not all cats need to be bathed, believe it or not. It depends on how well they clean themselves. My BF has had an indoor cat for over a year and has never given her a bath. She has 2 inch long fur with no mats, no dirt (even close to the skin!), and doesn't smell. She cleans herself very well. Some cats are no good at cleaning and need baths. Good luck on that one. I'd buy long rubber gloves so you don't get all bloody.

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  • 5 years ago

    Well cats do need to get occasitional baths I give my indoor cat a bath once a month;they do still get a little dirty even indoors!!Good luck they hate baths.Close the bathroom door,put only a little bit of water and don't put them in the bathroom while it's running they get to tense also bring a toy or treats or food to keep them occupided some.Once again good luck!!! : )

  • 1 decade ago

    Yes. Cats get baths too. They usually don't like it and need to be introduced to it as a kitten but adults can have a bath to. It will take atleast 2 people. One to restrain and one to wash. They make cat shampoo and you can get it at the local petsore. Good Luck

    Source(s): Vet Tech Student
  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    There is cat shampoo available, but generally cats do not need baths. They will clean themselves. However, one time I took my cat to the vet and he was so scared he peed and pooped in his carrier and got all filthy. We had to bathe him and he was NOT HAPPY. Only do it if it is necessary and use pet specific shampoo. If you don't have any and your local stores don't carry it, do not use any or use very mild baby shampoo that has been slightly watered down. Make sure to rinse it COMPLETELY out of your pet's fur or it will dry their skin and can cause irritations. Make sure you have help. Your cat is going to fight against you. And do not force your animal. If your cat struggles and you try to restrain it he can be injured in the fight. BE CAREFUL!

    Most pet stores are also starting to sell animal wipes. These are kind of like baby wipes, and my animals didn't seem to hate these so much. They didn't like it, but they at least let us clean them without fighting...

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    yes. keeps fleas down and stops them getting too funky. run the water before you grab the cat as the noise of running water can be disturbing to some cats. have a plastic bowl for rinsing ready. having a flexible shower hose is useful also. if you are trying to get rid of fleas use deeper water but remember if your cat is infirm or the bath is slippery the deeper water might freak him out a bit. also watch the temperature, needs to be just right or you will get a panting overheated cat or a freezing miserable one. i use regular people shampoo as like people food, it is better regulated. you can take them in the shower too which is often easier but it depends on how much the cat trusts you, is used to water etc. towel dry thoroughly and give them a warm place to dry out. some will tolerate a brush and blow dryer which can be done outside if you live in a house...that way loose fur gets blown away. another reason to dry thoroughly is that if he has to lick himself dry for 40 minutes he will injest a lot of fur and may get a furball. you may also give them a treat when bath time is over as cats like to eat after 'adventures'. eventually you will get better at bathing your cat and your cat will get used to it and see it as a way of you showing you care. yes your cat will be fine without ever having a bath but if he lives in your house you may want to have him wash as do you.

  • 1 decade ago

    You should not ad there is no need for it! Cats clean themselves. If however there is some specific problem (they are really dirty or have fallen in a substance you don't want them to lick off), you can bathe them or better clean them with a wet cloth, because they really don't like being bathed.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    of course!! I mean you are suppose to bath a cat like 2 times a year or if it came from outside and it got mud on it...LOL...Cats dontt really like water so its a hard job but suprisenttly some cats do enjoy water so you just have to see...Also you can go to like a pet store and you can buy cat shampoo. your really dont suppose to bath a cat with human shampoo becouse its bad for them..i have a cat and she has her own shamppoo too.

    good luck!

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    I would only recommend bathing a cat in an emergency. such as having something spilt over it which was difficult to remove. Cats do not like being bathed, and usually grooming gently with brush and comb is all they need

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