Tips To Make Bathing Your Cat Easier

Bathing your cat is not going to be one of the easiest things you've done. Generally cats do not need baths. They keep themselves very clean. You need to bathe your cat if it has something stuck in its fur that it can't get rid of or if you have a show cat.

Here are some tips to make bathing your cat an easier task.

Get the bathing area ready before the actual bath. It is better to wash your cat in the kitchen sink or a bath tub. Make sure that the room is warm. Shut all the windows and doors. Keep aside a few warm towels, cat shampoo and conditioner and a hair dryer. Lay a non-skid mat where the cat is going to stand.

Always groom the cat before a bath. Brush its fur and untangle any knots or matted hair that you find. This will relax the cat and get rid of excess dirt and loose hair. Talk to it gently and constantly. Fill the tub or sink with about 2 or 3 inches of water. The water should not be too hot or too cold. Put your cat in it. If you have a person to help you with bathing your cat, the process would surely be easier.

Work the shampoo in the cat's fur till it forms lather. Rinse the shampoo off thoroughly. If your cat has been fine till now, you could apply conditioner into the fur and leave it for a few minutes. Rinse the conditioner off as well. Don't leave any residue of shampoo or conditioner.

Once you have finished bathing your cat, you have two options of drying. You could use a hair dryer or let the cat dry off naturally. If your cat is used to the noise of the hair dryer, then you can use it. Put it at the lowest temperature and move it around the cat's body constantly, till the fur is left slightly damp. If your cat is scared of the dryer, then wrap it in a warm towel and blot off the extra water. Repeat this procedure about 2 or 3 times. By then, your cat's fur should be almost dry.

While bathing your cat, avoid wetting its face. Don't try to clean its eyes or ears at the bath time. You can do that later. Once your cat is dry, you can comb or brush its fur to help it settle back in place.