Bathing a cat is no easy feat. Cats hate water and will do almost anything to get out of it. Add soap and the issue becomes even worse. However, with some preparations and patience, it doesn’t have to be impossible.
When you are going to bathe your cat, make sure you have everything you need prepared before you go and find the cat. Everything should be within arm’s reach – much like bathing a baby. Select shampoo (special cat shampoo or baby shampoo), a towel (a large, fluffy one that the cat can’t escape from), a comb, and a location for the bath. The room should be fairly small and enclosed, where the cat can’t get away from you or hide easily. It should also be reasonably warm, so the cat doesn’t get cold after its bath.
Bring your cat into the room once you’ve got everything set up. You can bathe a cat in a large sink or in an actual bathtub. Whatever you choose will get full of hair, so make sure it’s easily cleaned! Run the bath water with your cat in the room (unless the cat would be less upset if you brought him in the room with the water ready; it depends on if he’ll hide when he hears the water running).
When the bath is ready, pick up your cat and gently lower him into the water. It should be no more than two inches deep – too much and the cat will be very scared. Hold the cat with one hand, and use your other to begin scooping water over the cat (you can use a wash cloth or a small cup for this, but using your hands only may reassure your cat, because he’ll feel like he’s being petted).
If your cat begins to get very upset as he gets wet, you may need a second person in the room to help you. Some cats will try to scratch or bite if they are threatened (not all cats will), and you may need one person to hold the cat and the other person to wash. If your cat tends to scratch or bite when distressed, ask someone else to come in and aid you before you even start. You will not be able to avoid scratches or bites if you have only one hand to hold the cat.
Once the cat is wet, pour a little bit of shampoo on his back. Then, begin to massage it into the fur. Don’t forget about the legs and tail. Don’t put the shampoo too high on the head or at all on the face; the cat will wash these areas himself. If you must wash his head or face, use a washcloth – gently – to do it.
Most cats will begin to get very upset about this time, and you’ll need to hold them even more carefully. Stop what you’re doing if you have to and hold the cat with both hands and reassure it. If the cat calms down some, one hand may be enough to keep the cat from leaping out of the bath.
Then, rinse your cat off. Use one hand to hold and one hand to pour water over the cat. Make sure that you get all of the soap out of the fur; otherwise the cat will lick it out later. Once you are sure that your cat has been rinsed, gently lift him out of the bath and straight into a large, soft towel. Wrap him up in it and sit down with him.
In this towel, the cat will not be able to struggle anymore. Hold the cat for awhile and try to calm him down. Think about having a second towel there if the first is not very large or absorbent; the cat’s fur will be very wet, and it will quickly seep through the towel. If necessary, wrap the cat in a second towel.
Once the cat is calmer, gently unwrap the towel, and rub the cat dry. Don’t let the cat go until it’s mostly dry. You may need to use a blow dryer to dry the cat (warm air only, on low, and keep it away from the cat’s face). Once the cat is mostly dry, use the comb to gently comb through the cat’s fur. This is especially important if the cat’s hair is at all long.
When the cat is dry and combed, let him go and clean up the bath. A cat only needs to be bathed once a month, if at all. Cats should only be bathed if they get into something messy that they should not clean themselves (oil, lots of dirt, etc.), or if they are unable to clean themselves. Older cats who develop arthritis may be unable to clean themselves, and should therefore be brushed daily and bathed monthly. See your vet if you have any questions.
