Cats are not for nothing famous for their cleanliness, because there is hardly any owner of a cat who did not get his pet to wash at least a couple of times a day. Nevertheless, the owners often have a desire to bathe a cat. Here for such owners this article will be useful.
Why bathe a cat?
Just like that, there is nothing to do, or cats should not be bathed for leisure activities. There must be serious reasons for this.
1. Preparation for the exhibition
The exhibition is an important event in the life of the pet and its owner. Before the show, the pet may need water procedures and even styling to make it look appropriate.
2. Heavy pollution
There are situations when your pet is exhausted more than usual. For example, a cat climbed under a closet and decided to collect all the dust there or played with a child painting with paints, or, in the end, you decided to make repairs in the apartment, but there were no uniforms for protecting the four-legged assistant’s wool, and he is now in whitewash or paint. In such a situation, it is better to help the pet and bathe him in the bathroom than to wait until he can cope on his own.
3. Ticks or fleas
If a cat goes outside or communicates with other animals that are often on the street, then he is at increased risk of catching fleas or ticks. In this case, it is better to consult a veterinarian and treat the animal with special means. Without a thorough wash here, too, can not do.
Can I bathe kittens?
On this issue you can hear different opinions. At any age, bathing for a cat is stress. Nevertheless, if there is an urgent need for swimming, it is better to do it after six months, at this age the kitten is already strong and will endure this test more persistently. This advice in no case applies to animals up to six months old that you picked up from the street, since in such a situation it is better to immediately bathe the kitten and take it to the veterinarian.
When you can not bathe a cat?
There are several contraindications in order to refrain from bathing the cat. They are mainly associated with the health of the animal:
- If you see that the animal is sick (for example, the cat has red, watery eyes, a runny nose, a lethargic state, he sneezes), it is better to wait for his full recovery and then proceed to water procedures.
- If the animal is experiencing a postoperative period (after a month has not yet passed), then you also need to refrain from bathing. Firstly, tap water can easily infect an unhealed scar. Secondly, an animal that has recently experienced extreme stress does not need to be immersed in this state again. It is wiser to wait with a bath until the pet is completely restored.
- Pregnancy is also an unfavorable time for water procedures, since bathing will lead to extreme stress, which is undesirable in such a period.
Preparation before swimming. What do you need to know?
- The water temperature should be 32-36 degrees.
- It is necessary to draw water into the bathtub to a height of 10-15 centimeters so that the water touches the tummy, but does not exceed the middle of the side of the animal.
- At the bottom of the bath, you need to put a rubberized rug or towel so that the cat’s paws do not slip and he feels confident.
- Be sure to feed the cat 5 hours before bathing and remove food from its reach so that you do not have unpleasant surprises during bathing.
- After swimming, be sure to return the food to its place. Animals are not much different from people, they also need to seize up stress.
- Pre-remove all excess jars and tubes from the pet’s reach, otherwise he may begin to grab onto everything he sees. It is better to prepare in advance to avoid possible injuries or even greater fright from the noise that these jars will emit when they fall.
How to prepare the animal for swimming?
It is necessary to prepare an animal both physically and mentally.
On the day of the planned bathing, the animal should not be stressed. If you see that the animal is excited or, conversely, suppressed, it is better to abandon this venture and postpone the "bathing day" next time.
Before swimming, you should definitely think about protecting the eyes and ears of your pet. You can purchase special earplugs or use cotton pads. It is advisable not to wash your hair at all, since the coat is short there and the cat will do this task himself. Be sure to cut off all the tangles and comb the wool before washing, otherwise after washing the crumpled wool will be impossible to comb, it will have to be cut.
Bathing process
Prepare everything necessary for bathing beforehand. Lay a rubber mat on the bottom of the bathtub, fill it with warm water. Take the cat by the withers and keep it at arm's length, so that he could not catch his claws on your t-shirt.
We put the animal in the bath on the mat, while holding it firmly by the withers. Even if it seems to you that it has calmed down and relaxed, do not loosen your grip. It is advisable to put the cat with its muzzle in the corner of the bathtub, so it will not see the path to retreat and will cease to break out.
Wet the coat gently and apply shampoo with gentle movements. With the same stroking movements, distribute it throughout the body, without soaping the head, and lather.
Rinse the shampoo thoroughly, make sure that nothing is left on the coat. In no case should the shampoo remain in the body, otherwise you cannot avoid poisoning.
Dry cat
After you have completed the water procedures, wrap the cat in a terry towel (it is the terry that best absorbs water).
Pre-close all windows and doors so that there are no drafts in the apartment. Put the cat in a warm, dry place. To dry faster, you can also use a hairdryer.
Do not let the animal go outside and do not sit on the windowsill so that it does not catch a cold.
After thorough drying, it is best to comb the cat with a special comb so that the hair does not remain tangled after washing.
That's all, we learned how to properly prepare the cat for bathing, how to wash and dry it, how not to bring the pet to a nervous breakdown the next time we decide to bathe it. Guided by this article, it is possible to easily and without stress for our pets to carry out this procedure, which seems complicated at first glance.