The Cat Bath as Martial Art? Not Necessarily

If you have a longhaired cat, the best way to prevent mats is to groom regularly and to bathe her from time to time. Before you bathe your cat, remove any mats from her fur, as bathing will only make them worse. Here are a few suggestions to make bath time a bit more pleasant for both of you, whether you have a long-haired or short-haired feline.

Use Lukewarm Water - Test it with your elbow as you would for a baby.

Use a Hose with a Spray Attachment - Lowering your cat into standing water is NOTrecommended for most cats.

Put a Rubber Mat in the Sink or Tub - This will help your cat feels more secure with solid footing.

Warm the Shampoo to Room Temperature - Don't freak kitty out with a sudden shock of a cold. And perhaps most importantly.....

Use a Shampoo Labelled "Safe for Cats" - Some dog-only shampoos are actually very dangerous for your cat.

I have rescued persians and himalayans and I can tell you that they DO NOT like the hose AT ALL!
The best way for me is to fill the tub with water up to thier tummy and use your hand for the rest (or a cup) You let me turn that hose on and I will have scratches up and down my arms and these kitties dont mind a bath!

True, but if you first spray the "hose" into your hand to defray the initial burst, they don't mind it so much. I'm assuming your talking about the hose on your kitchen sink, and not the garden hose??? The best tip I can give on bathing a cat is to start getting them use to it as young as possible...like the day you bring them home if your a buyer and if a breeder, start them out at about 6 weeks of age. If you do that, it's a piece of cake....

Actually I was talking about the hose in the tub..I think mostly its the sound the hose makes because before I even start to spray them with it...just turn it on they try to get outta the tub. It's a small one that hooks to the faucet.
....the garden hose that is funny..ha ha

My cats love getting baths. Yes, they are odd. They also prefer being lowered into the water to having the water level rise while they're in there. They also like being sprayed with Frontline.

Mimi -~-~ http://am-pugs.com -~-~ "When we stop learning we die."

IF YOU START BATHING CATS AT A YOUNG AGE THEY WILL BECOME USE TO BEING BATH

~DON'T WORRY ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBORS TOOTH PICK IN HIS EYE UNTIL YOU REMOVE THE PLANK FROM YOUR OWN EYE!~

Actually that isn't always the case but in general yes. But when you have a handful of kitties that were bred to death and never washed you find out pretty fast how to get them to adjust.

I had a few cats that used to hang out with the dogs, and when we took the dogs down to the creek, the cats would jump right in to swim with the dogs, and we never 'trained' them or got them used to it either. I think they were part tiger or something.

~*No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care*~

http://www.angelfire.com/psy/chic-k-rat/index.html

~*Rats will always be your best friend, even if you don't have treats.*~

I think the same holds true for the hose in the tub...unless it's a really big one...as far as the garden hose...I was just kidding...

My cats got used to it because I have a daughter who couldn't see why the cats couldn't get baths right along with the dogs - and she never got scratched or bit.

Mimi -~-~ http://am-pugs.com -~-~ "When we stop learning we die."

I suggest if you have an adult who hates to be bathed an old groomers tip. Try a delicates laundry bag with a plastic slip knot to close it. The slip knot allows quick access if the cat simply wont calm down and the net bag allows you to both bath and view every part of the cat. This is of course only for sprayer bathing not regular dip baths since the cat cant just jump and run away. Iv never been bitten or even scratched when using the cat bag method so I highly recommend it.

Brandie