Get Your Cat to Tolerate a Bath

Cats aren’t big fans of getting wet, and giving a cat a bath can result in an angry feline and lots of cat scratches. In fact, cats can groom themselves continuously throughout the day and don’t need to be bathed every week. If your cat’s coat appears oily, discolored or smelly, it’s time to give your cat a good soak in the tub. There are several steps you can try to avoid cat scratches and help your cat tolerate a bath.

Steps

Preparing Your Cat for a Bath

1. Begin bathing your cat when she is a kitten. Introduce your cat to the water when she is still a kitten so she can get accustomed to bathing.
   • You should also let your cat get used to being in the sink or the tub a few weeks before you bathe her. Put her in the sink or tub with her favorite toys. Add some treats or catnip and let her sit in the space for five to ten minutes. This will help her associate the location with positive things and not be so spooked by the idea of a bath.
   • Once your cat gets used to sitting in the sink or tub, fill it with an inch of water and put some toys in the water. Play with your cat around the sink or tub and encourage her to sit on the edge and play with the toys in the water.
2. Brush your cat’s coat well before a bath. Do a thorough brush of your cat’s coat to remove dust, debris and loosen tangles, especially if you have a longhaired cat. A dry tangle is much easier to comb out than a wet tangle and will prevent your cat from getting irritated during the bath. Brushing your cat’s coat will also remove any matted fur, which can trap soapy residue on your cat’s skin and cause itchy, flaky patches.
   • You should also cut your cat’s nails before bathing her so you won’t get scratched and your cat won’t get her nails caught on your clothing or a towel during the bath.
   • You can also put cotton in your cat’s ears to prevent any water from seeping in, and apply eye ointment in each eye so these areas are not irritated by the soap. If your cat won’t let you come near her ears with cotton, skip the cotton in the ears and be sure to dry her ears well with a cotton ball after the bath.
3. Prepare your bathing area so the bath is quick and painless. The best way to get your cat to tolerate the bath is to bathe her quickly and efficiently. Gather the necessary supplies for your cat’s bath ahead of time at the sink or tub. You will need:
   • A pair of rubber gloves
   • Cat shampoo: Do not use human shampoo as human skin is a different pH to cat skin and it will dry the cat's coat out. If in doubt which cat shampoo to use, oatmeal is always a good choice as it is mildly moisturizing.
   • A large pitcher with a spray nozzle that has a gentle setting for rinsing
   • A large towel
   • Cotton balls
   • A small cloth
   • Avoid using a spray nozzle that is noisy as this will distract and irritate your cat. Use a spray nozzle on the gentle setting, attached to the tub or the sink. If you use a blow dryer instead of a towel to dry your cat at the end of the bath, make sure it has a low heat setting so it doesn’t burn your cat’s skin. Most cats enjoy a rub down with a towel over the loud roar of the blow dryer.
4. Place a towel at the bottom of the tub or sink. To avoid getting scratches on your arms or hands, give your cat a towel to sink her claws into instead. Make sure the towel is secure so it won’t slip when your cat digs her claws into it during the bath.
   • You can also place a window screen at a 45 degree angle inside the tub or sink to give your cat something to hold onto.
5. Ask someone to help you restrain your cat during the bath. If possible, enlist the help of your partner or a friend to assist you during the bath. Ask the person to gentle hold on to your cat by her scruff as you start to bathe her, using very little force so she is not uncomfortable or in pain.

Bathing Your Cat

1. Close the bathroom door. Keep your cat from escaping from her bath by closing the door of the room with the sink or the tub. Fill the sink with two to three inches of lukewarm water. Never use hot water, as cats can overheat easily.
   • Put on the rubber gloves to protect your hands and to keep the bath sanitary.
2. Hold your cat by the scruff of her neck. Speak gently to your cat in an assuring tone as you place her in the tub or sink. Hold her by the scruff of her neck so she stays still, or have an assistant do this. If your cat has front claws, hold her with her back to you so you cannot get scratched.
   • Stroke your cat with one hand as you wet her neck and head with the water. Keep the water out of her eyes to avoid irritating them. Wet her back, legs, and hind end until she is sufficiently wet.
3. Work the shampoo into your cat’s coat. Make sure you clean her back, neck, chest, belly, tail, legs, and paws. Lather her coat well so you remove all the dirt and debris.
   • Most cats dislike getting water splashed in their face. Use a damp washcloth to clean your cat’s face and head to avoid any scratching or complaining from your cat.
   • At this point, you can use cotton balls to clean inside your cat’s ears if she will let you do so.
4. Rinse your cat’s coat until it is free of any soap. You may need to rinse her several times to ensure all the soap is removed. Leftover soap will irritate your cat’s skin, so rinse until you don’t see any more suds or soap on her coat.
5. Dry your cat with a towel or a blow dryer. Most cats enjoy a good rub down with a towel after a bath. Use the towel to dry your cat from head to tail. Try to absorb as much water as possible with the towel, as your cat will likely try to shake off any excess water and this could lead to puddles of water in your bathroom or kitchen.
   • If you prefer to use a hair dryer to dry your cat, never use the hot setting as this can burn your cat’s sensitive skin. Set the dryer to the warm setting and the low noise level.
   • Reward your cat for a successful bath time with a treat, as this will remind her that bath time can be a positive experience.
6. Consider a professional groomer if your cat will not tolerate baths. If your cat shows a strong dislike towards bath time, despite your attempts to make her comfortable, you may want to consider bringing her to a professional groomer. The groomer can then bathe your cat for you, saving you from cat scratches and stares from an angry cat.

Related Articles

• Bathe a Cat
• Bathe Your Cat With a Damp Towel

Sources and Citations

See also

• Determine Why Your Cat Does Not Groom Itself
• Bathe a Cat
• Trim Your Cat's Nails
• Clean Your Cat's Ears
• Give a Kitten a Bath
• Check Cats for Fleas
• Groom a Persian Cat
• Brush a Cat
• Make Your Cat's Fur Soft and Shiny
• Bathe a Sphynx Cat

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• Clean Kittens
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