Cats | Pet Lover Blog

It is important to know how to bathe your cat. Cats generally to a fine job cleaning themselves, however, they my need a little help from time to time. In this case, it is important to know how to properly give you cat a bath.

Giving a cat a bath can be a little trick since most cats are not fond of water or getting wet.

There are dry bath products available on the market today to avoid the traditional bath altogether, however these products are better used to keep your cat clean and healthy rather than get them clean after a roll in the mud.

The dry bath products are generally a leave in treatments great for eliminating odor. A dry bath is a great idea for keeping you cat clean. It will usually not effect their current flea treatment because no water should be needed to wash it away. Always read the labels before using these products. They are safe to use on cats, but may contain different ingredients that you or your cat could be allergic to.

Dry bath products are great, but what do you do when your cat homes home late at night, covered in mud, paint, or something incredible messy and possible toxic? Lets face it, cats get into trouble sometimes.

You probably won’t want to let them come in the house and lay on your floor or furniture, and, unless you know what your cat is covered in, probably should not let them sit in the mess all night, or try and clean it themselves. You should never let your cat ingest a foreign substance if possible.

When this happens, hopefully on a rare occasion, you will want to know how to give your cat a bath.

If you’re very lucky, this may not be much trouble. Your cat might like the water. But if you have a normal cat like the rest of us, things could get pretty interesting.

When you’ve decided to give your cat a bath, you should get them a special kitty shampoo. The regular shampoo you use everyday may have harsh perfumes or chemicals that could be harmful to your cat. If this is not available, try and do the best you can with just water in an emergency. It may not be as easy, but this should get most of the muck out of your cat’s fur.

By this time you should be well aware of your cats temperament. You will know if your cat will fight you and how hard he or she will fight to get away from bath time. So take every precaution necessary to protect yourself and your cat. After all, most cats are equipped with an effective defense. Claws!

If you have a leather jumpsuit or bird handling gloves, then you’re set. Of course, most of us don’t have these types of armor and they are not necessary to get the job done. Rubber gloves are suggested, but long sleeves are a must! Personally, I’ve found that a thick, durable fabric like denim or even a thick cotton work just fine. Just make sure, what ever you wear, that it can’t be penetrated too easily by your cat’s claws.

The size of your cat, and intensity of his or her frenzy, should determine your bath space needed. You may be able to get away with using your sink for small cats and kittens. If not, use your bathtub and keep all doors closed. If you have a glass shower door, it’s not a bad idea to climb into the tub with your cat and keep that door closed too.

Stop! Before you throw you cat into tub of water, remember they will, most likely, be frightened.

When you attempt to give your cat a bath, chances are, your cat will know that something’s up even before you begin. Your cat may be frightened by the sound of running water, or the splashing sounds in the tub or sink. It’s usually not the best idea to run the water over your cat like a shower. This could startle your cat and cause him or her to spring into action and try to run away from it.

The best way I’ve found is to draw a shallow bath and have a cup handy to pour water, slowly onto your cat in order to wet him.

Maintain control! You are the master of your domain and don’t let your cat think otherwise in this situation. While hogtying your cat is not recommended, you will need to restrict his movement somewhat. This might take the effort of two people for unruly cats and may take some force. Whatever you do, please don’t hurt your cat!

Once you have control of your beast, and the water is ready, complete the procedure as quickly as possible.

Wet your cats coat thoroughly and lather him up with his own special shampoo. Do the best job you can; don’t forget the feet, tail and stomach. Always use extra special care when washing your cats face! Shampoo may not be needed in this area, and be very careful around his eyes.

Once your cat is soapy, start to rinse. Using the same, gentle pouring motion with your handy cup and the water in the tub rinse your cats fur. You may want to have a reserve of fresh, clean water for rinsing. Try and use your fingers to break up any matting and wok through thick coated areas. Rinse well, drain the tub, and you are almost done.

Now it’s time to dry your cat. Drying your cat shouldn not take as much effort as it seems. You will not be able to get him completely dry, so do your best and your cat, and time, will gladly finish the job.

When you let your cat out of the sink or bathtub, keep him in the area. Your cat will most likely want to shake first, just like dogs, and then gently, but with enthusiasm, rub your cat with a towel to rid him of excess water.

Your cat will begin to lick himself dry. You can them leave your cat in the bathroom until he’s dry, or let him out whenever you feel is best you, your home, your furniture, and your cat.

In order to simplify this process, here is a step by step guide on How to give a cat a bath:

Get cat shampoo

Suit up! Protect your body from potential injury.

Draw a shallow bath (warm, not hot or cold)

Restrain your cat

Wet

Lather

Rinse

and Dry

The last thing you should know before giving a cat a bath is not to be intimidated. It may not be as simple as one, two, thee, but it’s not impossible and you’ll both feel better when it’s over.

Angela Coyle is an avid cat lover, and owner of Hercules the cat, Murteza Abyssinian, Mango, and many others throughout the years. She is also currently an editor at http://www.cat-care-cat-information.com

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According to the most recent Synovate pet survey (Sept. 2005), conducted in nine markets across the globe, the UK and the US were shown to be the two absolute leaders in pet ownership. Specifically, three-quarters (75%) of the UK respondents were pet owners. Since cats are low maintenance, independent, and affectionate, they fit in well with urban working lifestyles and have become the favorite pet for million of pet-owners over the last 30 years. But although cat-owners are familiar with the sight of a cat wondering the city streets early in the morning and then returning to its owner’s residence to rest and eat, statistics reveal that cats are lost, stolen or abandoned and need owners who are caring and also willing to devote time to monitor their “free” lifestyles.

Thus, in order to minimize the chances of you ever having to file a missing cat report and to provide to all cat-lovers out there a short list of the things one should know and do before his or her independent companion decides to migrate and explore the unknown, we have collected the following tips you should carefully read, keeping in mind that you should not get discouraged or panic if your cat actually disappears. By following our advice and keeping yourself organized and prepared at all times, the chances are that you will be reunited with your lost friend again soon.

- Keep an action checklist in a visible location, along with the current phone numbers of emergency contacts, like individuals and organizations you will need to call in case of emergency.

- Always remember to have a rubber (elastic) collar placed around your cat’s neck portraying an identification tag (ID) that will display the cat’s name and your current home and/or cell phone number.

- Over the years, there has been evidence that cats are stolen for laboratory use, for the fur-trade, or are killed by malicious, sick individuals. Moreover, pedigree cats may be stolen to serve an order. Thus, prior to having to deal with any unfortunate event, register your cat to the available services of your area. In most cases registration can be completed online and you will save precious time if something actually happens. Then, have the attached tag display its registration number. You can find it again sooner by using the number on the tag. It can be its ticket home.

- For real security, consider putting a microchip implant to your cat or tattooing it and register the chip’s number with one of the registries in your area.

- Ensure you have recent and reliable color photos of your cat and be sure you note unique markings or characteristics, such as scars. You have to take shots of both sides of your cat’s body, as well as its face (portrait).

- Write and frequently update a short, simple and clear description of your cat and have it stored in your computer’s memory -along with the recently taken photographs- in order to create posters and flyers if your cat gets lost / stolen.

- Search and save the webpages of your local animal control authorities and “lost and found” online registries for immediate retrieval.

- Make sure you have the local pet authorities’ phone numbers on your “emergency contact list” and check them frequently for any updates. Also, keep a copy of a recent local street map along with this emergency contact list. In case you need to coordinate a search unit this map will be the first thing you will need to distribute.

- Create a “lost kit” in case your cat should ever run away. The copies of its current photographs, some pre-made flyers, a flashlight, the phone numbers of animal control centers, the police, the vet, a couple of its favorite items in order to be placed outdoors and delicious canned food can be included in this kit. When you are on vacation and hire an animal sitter, this kit will contain everything needed if your cat is lost while in someone else’s care.

- Avoid letting your cat roam free if you cannot rely on his/her recall. You have to keep in mind that cats are not eager to appear when you call their name. We recommend you to keep your cat always indoors unless it is adequately trained.

- Do not leave your cat unattended in the car/van and always transport your cat in a safe carrier suitable for cats.

- Be wary of strangers expressing an interest in your cat. Watch out for suspicious characters. Your cat is your responsibility. Remember not to leave your cat with friendly strangers.

- Have in mind that a spayed or neutered cat is less likely to wander off. Although this process may not be something you want to perform, it might be one of the things that can keep your cat safe.

- Make sure that your companion is up to date on his/her vaccinations. Animals able to run free or staying at a shelter are at higher risks of being exposed to diseases. See your veterinarian about the recommended vaccines for your cat.

Kadence Buchanan writes articles on many topics including
Pets, Computers, and
Health

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Cats need only be provided with decent shelter, food and water and they will be quite healthy most of the time. Like any other living thing, however, they can get sick and can come down with anything from a minor cold to a major ailment.

As a responsible pet owner, you want to make sure you feed your cat premium cat food so he can be his healthiest and also watch your cat closely for signs of sickness so that you can get him to a vet right away. Hopefully most ailments will be minor, but in some cases getting your cat expedient veterinary help can be the difference between life and death.

Some things to look for include:

Your cats coat - is it full and shiny or dull and patchy? Is he shedding abnormally? If so get your cat scheduled for a vet visit.

Behavior - is your cat acting sluggish and not eating? Any change in behavior warrants a trip to the vet as it is better to be safe then sorry!

Diarrhea or vomiting - If your cat is doing either of these for more than a day, I would get him to the vet as soon as you can.
Coughing - Some cats routinely cough up hairballs, but if your cat is coughing for no reason then you should have this checked out.

Swelling or lumps - when you pet your cat, take the time to feel around for any unusual lumps or swelling.

To insure that your cat doesn’t fall victim to disease, you should make sure he has all of his vaccinations as recommended by your vetrenarian. The most devastating but easiest to prevent disease that affects cats is infectious enteritis, or feline distemper. This is a virus disease that strikes quickly and leaves little time to enact treatment.

Feline Leukemia or FeLV is another deadly disease that can be prevented through early vaccinations. This disease poses no threat to humans but can be spread between cats. These days, it is treatable and some cats can live a long life with Feline Leukemia although you would want to be very careful to keep them away from other cats so as not to spread the disease.

One health problem in cats, particulary those that go outdoors is worms. A cat with worms usually has a lackluster coat and can either have a large appetite or none at all. There are many kinds of worms, and cats are susceptible to all of them. Cats can get worms from lice or fleas or in the organs of the rodents that the cats eat. Typically the cat ingests the eggs which mature and attach to the intestinal walls. Feeding your cat a bit of garlic every once in a while can protect him against worms.

Keeping your cat happy and healthy is really a simple matter of caring for him properly and making sure he gets the appropriate veterinary care. Make sure your cat gets all the recommended vaccinations and you give him the proper treatments to repel fleas and other pesky pests. These simple steps will keep your cat happy and healthy for a lifetime!

Lee Dobbins writes for ePet Pet Center where you can find lots of articles on cats, dogs, fish, birds and ferrets.

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