• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Pawesome Cats helping cats live happy, healthy lives

Pawesome Cats

helping cats live happy, healthy lives

  • Home
  • Cat Health
  • Cat Behaviour
  • Life with Cats
  • Raw Feeding
  • Cat Breeds
You are here: Home / Cat Health / How to Survive Bathing Your Cat

How to Survive Bathing Your Cat

By Pawesome Cats | Updated on 18/02/2023

72 shares
  • Share15
  • Tweet
  • Email

Cats generally groom themselves but there may be times when you will need to give your cat a bath, such as when your mischievous kitten gets himself into a sticky or smelly situation or to treat a skin condition or flea problem.

Some breeds such as the Sphynx or Selkirk Rex are also naturally prone to an oily skin so may require regular bathing to ensure their skin remains supple and healthy.

Whatever the reason for bathing your cat, here are some tips to help make bath time as stress free as possible for both of you.

Get everything ready first

Decide which room you’ll use to bath your cat – it needs to be warm and with a door to prevent escape, so the bathroom or laundry is usually ideal. The first step is to ensure that you have everything set up in the room ready – you’ll need a rubber mat for the tub so your cat doesn’t slip, lots of towels, pet shampoo, a plastic cup and a shower hose connected to the tap.

Avoiding scratches

Trim your cat’s claws with clippers first, to minimise your risk of getting scratched. You may also like to wear a long sleeved shirt or jumper to put a layer of protection between your arms and your cat’s claws.

Cats generally groom themselves but there are times when you will need to give your cat a bath, follow our tips and make bathing your cat stress free | How to Survive Bathing Your Cat
Image: Pawesome Cats

 

Choosing the right shampoo

Make sure that you select a pet shampoo designed for cats. Human or dog shampoo can dry out your cat’s skin or contain ingredients that are toxic to cats.

Medicated shampoos may be recommended by your vet if you are treating a skin condition (such as ringworm) or flea problem, and these often need to be left on for 5-10 minutes. Don’t leave your cat unattended during this time – your cat is likely to lick himself and these products can cause gastrointestinal problems and other health issues if they are ingested. We’d also recommend that you wear gloves.

RELATED:  Why Should You Microchip Your Cat? PLUS Microchip FAQs

Scheduling the bath

Timing is everything. Schedule the bath when your cat is calm and happy. If your cat is agitated or energetic, playing with a toy beforehand can use up some of that energy and help settle him down. If you cat enjoys being brushed, you can brush his coat first to help him relax; the added bonus is that you’ll remove any loose hairs and knots in his fur.

Putting your cat in the tub

Your tub should already be set up with a non-slip mat and the shower hose connected to the tap. Ensure that the water temperature is lukewarm (test it first to make sure it’s not too hot and not too cold) and use the shower hose to gently wash your cat down, avoiding his eyes and ears. If you don’t have a shower hose you can use a plastic cup.

Lather the shampoo in your hands working from head to tail in the direction that the fur grows, making sure you wash under the belly and neck too. Use a damp cloth to gently wash your cat’s face.

Cats generally groom themselves but there are times when you will need to give your cat a bath, follow our tips and make bathing your cat stress free | How to Survive Bathing Your Cat
Image: Pawesome Cats

 

Make sure you rinse your cat thoroughly. This is where the shower hose comes in handy – it is quicker than using a plastic cup and much easier to reach under the belly and other places. Ensure that you have rinsed off all the soap residue otherwise it can irritate your cat’s skin.

When you remove your cat from the tub wrap him in a large towel and rub him down to remove as much water as you can. Your cat will also want to shake off the excess water. After your cat is towel dried you can leave him in a warm room to dry naturally or if your cat will tolerate the hum of the hair-dryer you can blow dry his fur on the lowest possible heat setting.

RELATED:  How to Get Your Cat to Swallow a Pill

It often helps to talk to your cat during bath time, as the sound of your voice can have a reassuring effect. When bath time is over and you have both survived, make sure you give your cat lots of praise. You can also give him an appropriate food treat as a reward.

Have you bathed your cat and lived to tell the tale? Please share your stories below.

Cats generally groom themselves but there are times when you will need to give your cat a bath, follow our tips and make bathing your cat stress free | How to Survive Bathing Your Cat

72 shares
  • Share15
  • Tweet
  • Email

Filed Under: Cat Health, Wellness

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jackie says

    09/05/2019 at 5:42 am

    My husband and I have been bathing Ella, our 6 1/2 year old tabby, since she was a kitten. What helps is that if you start to bathe them as a kitten, they’ll be used to it.

  2. Luna C. Lupus says

    12/01/2017 at 11:17 pm

    Ha, we had a cat years ago and I wish we would have had this article at the time to help us with the bathing. It was a nightmare! It took a lot of patience and taking it slow, but we kept her bathing at a minimum.

  3. Val Silver says

    12/01/2017 at 10:10 pm

    I had two cats. One tolerated baths. The other LOVED baths and water. He’d jump up on the shower window whenever he’d hear me turn on the shower.

  4. The Daily Pip says

    12/01/2017 at 2:11 pm

    Oh goodness, Rosie would not be pleased. I did have to bath my cat Tommy in his senior years. He had some trouble cleaning his back end in his final year and occasionally needed a butt bath. In his younger years, I imagine he would have put up a fight, but he was pretty mellow at the end.

  5. Rebecca at MattieDog says

    12/01/2017 at 1:10 pm

    We’ve never had a kitty as a family member, so it is always so interesting to me to learn more about cats. I fostered a little kitty back in my college days and he was so sweet, just followed me all over, including the shower – and she never seemed to mind it!

  6. Kama says

    12/01/2017 at 12:48 pm

    My cats get baths. They hate them, and give me looks of disgust, but they’re very well-behaved for them (I think it helps that I bribe them with their favorite treats).

  7. sadieandco says

    12/01/2017 at 11:59 am

    Thankfully, we have not had to bathe the Rooster yet. Great suggestion to ensure his nails are trimmed first!

  8. Ruth Epstein says

    12/01/2017 at 11:46 am

    Interesting post and I never knew you should bathe cats till a couple of years ago as I would have bathed my three cats that I had at the time

  9. Tonya Wilhelm says

    12/01/2017 at 11:12 am

    Great post. When I rescued my cat, he went in my fireplace, no worry, no fire. So, he immediately had to have a bath. I was pleasantly surprised how well he did. I guess I had a keeper. 🙂

  10. Joely Smith says

    12/01/2017 at 9:44 am

    Great advice! I agree about a CAT shampoo and not using human shampoo! We have one cat that is obsessed with the shower and bathtub but we have to be even more careful with her because we do not want her to lose her adventures creeping into the shower after we walk out. It is a fun thing to watch, she enjoys it and we would hate to cause a fear of something she enjoys. I admit, we rarely bathe our cats, but when we do, we are very soothing, and careful with them. Loved your article!

  11. DashKitten says

    12/01/2017 at 9:24 am

    We have shared this a LOT. There are time when you need to bathe a cat (jokey posts aside) and it is critical to get it right.

    Thanks for this.

  12. Beth says

    12/01/2017 at 9:05 am

    I have known that I should give my senior cat a bath for a while, but I’ve been hesitating. Thanks for these tips, I plan to give him his first bath soon!

  13. amyshojai says

    12/01/2017 at 8:37 am

    Yes, I used to regularly bathe Seren-Kitty and just assumed I’d get just as wet. I like the “dunk” method, too, with a bucket of warm water. Dunk the cat, set her out on a towel to suds, and when finished, dunk again to rinse (several buckets or bowls may be needed).

  14. thebrokedog says

    12/01/2017 at 8:20 am

    I never thought about the challenges associated with bathing a cat before! I’ve only bathed dogs and, while they don’t necessarily enjoy it, I never have to worry about scratches. Power to you! 🙂

  15. Sonja says

    12/01/2017 at 7:22 am

    So glad to have dog. He hates hates water but still. I also believe people bathe their pets too often so maybe pets are like “enough already!” 🙂

  16. Kelly says

    12/01/2017 at 7:21 am

    This sounds very much like getting Miss Edie ready for a bath. I just can’t imagine bathing my cats, maybe if I started them when they were kittens. Great tips, especially the nail trimming before hand!

Primary Sidebar

  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Latest Blog Posts

ginger kitten with arched back and upright tail on grass lawn

8 Reasons Why Cats Arch Their Backs

25/07/2023

coconut in shell with ground coconut and oil

Coconut Oil for Cats: Is It Good or Bad?

18/07/2023

tabby cat standing in blue litter box

What Does It Mean When a Cat Can’t Pee? 

11/07/2023

ginger and white cat with curved tail

Why Do Cats Wag Their Tails?

04/07/2023

tabby white cat eating from white bowl tongue out

Why Is My Cat Always Hungry? 10 Possible Reasons

27/06/2023

newborn kitten with eyes closed in human hands

Fading Kitten Syndrome: How To Recognise The Signs

20/06/2023

ginger cat digging in litter tray

Is Your Cat Allergic to Litter? How to Tell

13/06/2023

close up of ginger cat sneezing

Why Is My Cat Sneezing? 10 Possible Reasons

04/06/2023

Footer

Disclaimer

All articles are based on our personal opinion and experiences. Information on this site should not be considered a substitute for professional veterinary advice, care and treatment. If your cat is unwell and you are concerned for any reason, please contact your veterinarian immediately. Unless otherwise credited, all images and content are copyright to Pawesome Cats.

Affiliate Disclosure

Pawesome Cats is a member of affiliate programs that provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products sold online including the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Associate the owner of this site earns from qualifying purchases. For more information, refer to our Disclaimer page.

Privacy

This site may collect anonymous demographic information when you visit our site, click on a link or leave a comment. For more information, read our privacy policy.

Quick Links

About   |   Contact   |   Subscribe

Copyright © 2023 Pawesome Cats - All Rights Reserved.

72 shares