Hi, I’m Dr. Karyn! Read my introduction to learn more about me and meet my five funny cats: Clutch, Cyril, Alex, Zelda, and Zazzles.
Cats are known to love grooming, often devoting several hours of their day to grooming, so we don’t need to bathe them very often. However, sometimes this unfortunate task is unavoidable, and while some cats really enjoy getting wet, most prefer to stay clean in the bathtub or shower. Dirt or grease comes off of Clutch’s snow-white fur more easily, so he receives the occasional bath, which, like most things, he goes through with very little protest, making him the perfect model for a demonstration. Zelda, on the other hand, is more flighty and doesn’t even like to brush her teeth, so I wasn’t too keen on bathing her, but the cats sticking to her long furry pants put her in the line of fire at bath time.
This means I can show you how to bathe a cat, plus how to bathe a cat that is likely to put up a lot of resistance.
Preparation is Key
Suppose your bathing session turns out to be a disaster – by expecting the worst, you will hopefully be prepared for all eventualities. I’ve found that cats settle in quicker if you put them in a tub of water and get them as wet as possible – if they think they can get away without getting wet, they’ll have a harder time escaping, so choose a deep sink or bathtub for your scene.
You should choose a small, enclosed room, with few jumping or hiding places, so the bathroom is likely to be the obvious choice. Move any bottles, jars, or other objects off shelves and surfaces where they might fall in a mad scramble, and make sure the window is secure.
I recommend trimming your cat’s nails before bathing to help reduce the damage they can cause if things get nasty. Make sure you have everything you’ll need as far as the basin/tub, but you shouldn’t need much in the way of supplies.
- a non-slip mat, towel, or mat to place under the tub – slippery surfaces can be almost as hard on your cat as water.
- shampoo for cats – eg. Hepper Oatmeal Shampoo
- 2-3 large bath towels
Place a towel on the floor to soak up that water mood spill
Prepare a ‘drying room’ for your cat to rest at the end – make sure it’s warm and free of drafts.
Get the Water Temperature Right
Whether you’re using a hose attachment, a faucet, or a pitcher, it’s important to have the water temperature right. Remember that a cat’s body temperature is slightly higher than ours, so the water should be warm, but not hot. Make sure you run the water long enough to know it doesn’t get hotter while showering.
If you are using a hose-type attachment, be careful. While Clutch had no problem with the hose, Zelda’s initial struggles caused an upset that resulted in me squirting her with the shower hose. It didn’t improve his experience!
Fill the tub so that it is deep enough to reach halfway up your cat’s body. This will allow you to immediately submerge most of them in water.
Prepare to Read
Once you’ve checked that you have everything you need, it’s time.
Pick up your cat with confident hands, but don’t hug them tightly against you. When they see the water, they will likely try to escape, usually by climbing on top of you. Use the secure hold I showed you in the How To Safely Restrain A Cat video; this will allow you to more easily maneuver them in the water without having to remove their claws from your clothing or skin!
Place them quickly, but gently, in the water, taking care to keep their head and ears dry. This is when the worst of the struggling will occur, so be careful with the teeth and claws, but try to maintain a confident, firm hold. Immobilizing the shoulders and guiding the hind legs on a towel or mat in the tub should allow you to keep them in the water.
Keep Everyone Safe
The aim here is to show your cat that you mean ‘business’ by being confident, without using too much force – friendly but firm. If they think they can get away, they will, but if they believe you’re in control, they’re more likely to fight.
Although I try not to let my cats run free, if they become overly stressed, panicked, or aggressive, don’t be patient. No bath equals emotional or physical trauma for either of you.
The Easy Part
Once your cat has (hopefully) calmed down a bit and accepted that this bath is going to happen, use a pitcher or shower hose to wet them from the neck down, and lather up some shampoo. You can use your hand or a cloth to wipe their face, but make sure no shampoo gets into their eyes, and no water gets into their ears.
Make sure you rinse them thoroughly and start draining the water from the tub. Try to wring excess water from their fur, and lift them onto a waiting towel, or bring the towel to them. Give them vigorous drying, a large amount of praise, and take them to a warm room to recover.
They will forgive you
From time to time, we all have to do things our cats won’t like, but if you’re patient, firm, and friendly, they’ll get over the trauma of getting wet. What upsets our cats the most is when we yell, panic, get angry, or get upset – this is what they will remember, so this is what you should avoid.
You can see in my video that Zelda didn’t have a good time, but in the end, she calmed down a lot, and I can’t honestly tell you that she was on my lap that night.
So be confident, be safe, and be prepared to get wet!
