How to give a cat a bath gives many cat owners a hard time. Because my cat seems to be afraid of water and will become hysterical whenever it touches water. But rather than saying that cats are afraid of water, it is better to say that cats are afraid of the insecurity of being unable to control the situation when they are deep in water. So how to eliminate cat owners’ insecurities and master the correct bathing posture?

Do cats need a bath:

In fact, cats are very clean animals. We will find that our cats clean their fur all the time. From a health perspective, if there are no special needs or conditions, even if a cat does not bathe for a lifetime, it will not necessarily affect its health (except for special breeds).

Although cats have a natural instinct to keep themselves clean, sometimes they need help from us. Some cats will make a mess in the litter box, make themselves a little dirty when feeding, or have parasites or tangled hair, etc. They all need our help to clean themselves up.

So when you think it’s time to give the master of the house a bath, what should you prepare in advance?

Preparation for cat bathing:

1. Improve the cat’s acceptance of bathing:

· Let the cat become familiar with the bathroom environment in advance

If the cat has a better understanding of the bathroom environment before taking a bath and knows that this place is not threatening to him, he will be relatively docile when taking a bath. You can allow the cat to explore the bathroom 1-3 days before bathing, and give the cat its favorite snacks at the time and place where you are preparing to bathe.

· Let the cat get used to the sound of water

The sound of water after turning on the shower head and the appearance of the water column are the sounds and images that the cat needs to accept before taking a bath. It should be noted that if the cat wants to run away because of timidity after opening the shower head, remember not to grab it with your hands, as this will make the cat more afraid of taking a bath. The correct approach is to try it a few times and let the cat adapt slowly.

2. Prepare things for cat bathing

· Shallow baby bathtub

· Ladle cup

·Absorbent towel

· Special shampoo for cats

· Several ping pong balls (spare)

·Cat snacks cut into small pieces (spare)

· Bottle caps(Backup)

Bathing process:

1. Clean the cat’s ears with a cotton swab before putting it in the water

Use a cotton swab dipped in warm water to clean the cat's ears. Be careful to only clean the visible parts of the ears. Do not try to clean the ear canal, as this will easily injure the cat.

Note: When bathing a cat, pay special attention to preventing water from entering the cat's ears and eyes, so as not to damage the cat's hearing and vision.

2. Fill the basin with warm water and put the cat in it

Pour warm water into the basin, the water temperature is about 40℃. The water depth should be about 1-2 centimeters, too deep will make cats scared. If the cat reacts too violently when you put the cat into the water, you can put a few ping pong balls and bottle caps with cat snacks in the water to attract the cat.

3. Pour water on the cat starting from the feet

After the cat adapts to the water environment, slowly pour water on the cat's body with your hands or a cup. The parts must start from the feet. After the cat has no inappropriate reaction, pour the water toward the back thighs, buttocks, waist, and finally the head. If the cat wants to leave midway, it means the progress is too fast, and you must go back to the step where the cat did not respond and start over.

4. Apply shampoo

After the cat is wet all over, you can start to apply shampoo, rub it for a while and then use a cup to scoop warm water to rinse away the foam. It is recommended to use a cat-specific shampoo. When choosing a cat shampoo, try to choose an odorless and mild type. Human toiletries are not suitable for animals and may even cause harm to cats.

5. Dry your cat to prevent colds

After rinsing, use an absorbent towel to dry the water droplets on the cat’s body. After bathing, dry the cat's body as soon as possible. If you want to use a hair dryer, please avoid being too close to the cat, the temperature and wind speed should not be too high, and do not blow in one place to avoid burns.

Note: Cats may be afraid of the sound of hair dryers. You can put the cat in a cage and use a hair dryer to dry it outside. If your cat is too resistant to the hair dryer, do not force the hair dryer on. If it is winter or when the indoor temperature is too low, please avoid bathing the cat, otherwise the cat will easily catch cold, unless there is heating.

Things to note when taking a cat bath:

1. Bathing frequency

Cats are clean animals, and generallyIt won't be too dirty. So don’t bathe your cat too frequently.

Cats under six months old: bathing is not recommended. Kittens have low immunity and are prone to catching cold when bathing.

Long-haired cats: wash once every 2-3 months.

Short-haired cats: wash once every 3-4 months or even half a year.

2. Can a new cat take a bath

Cats that are new to the home are not familiar with the environment. Taking a bath can easily cause fear in the cat and affect the relationship between the cat and the new owner. It is recommended that after the new cat arrives home, it will take some time to become familiar with the new environment before bathing. If you are an adopted stray cat and you are worried about fleas and other problems, you can take it to a pet shop to give it a bath before bringing it home.

3. Newly weaned kittens

Newly weaned kittens have just left their mother cats, their body resistance is weak, and they are prone to illness after bathing. It is recommended that kittens should not be bathed until they are three months or half a year old.

4. If the cat has special conditions

If the cat is suffering from catnip, taking a bath may cause the catnip to spread. Therefore, it is not recommended for cats with catnip to take a medicated bath. The previous article (Portal: Treatment and Prevention of Cat Moss) has introduced in detail how to take medicated baths for cats suffering from cat moss.

In addition to suffering from diseases, if the cat is pregnant/lactating, or has trauma, it is not suitable for bathing. Cats that have just been vaccinated have low resistance and are prone to catching colds when bathing. It is recommended to wait 1-2 weeks after all vaccinations are completed before bathing.

5. After taking a bath, it can help the cat brush its fur

When the cat's coat is 70% to 80% dry, you can use a brush to brush the hair. At this time, part of the fallen hair will be brushed off to prevent the cat from licking it in the stomach and forming hair balls that will affect digestion.

Taking a shower, using the bathroom, getting wet and applying shower gel... these things that seem normal to us are quite a challenge for cats. However, as long as cat owners master the correct bathing posture for their owners, they don’t have to worry about cat owners getting angry.