How to get your cat to like their bath time

by Akshay Mirchandani

Cats don’t like getting wet, and giving a cat a bath can result in them getting really angry which means lots of cat scratches for you. In fact, cats usually groom themselves continuously throughout the day and you don’t need to be bathe them every week. Here are several steps you can try to avoid cat scratches and help your cat to at least tolerate a bath, if not like it:

  1. Start when they are young

Introduce your cat to water in a tub for a bath when they are kittens itself so that they can get accustomed to bathing. You can also let your cat get used to being in the sink or in the tub a few weeks before you actually bathe them. Put them in the sink or the tub with their favourite toys. This will help them in associating the location of the tub or the sink with positive things and not get scared by the idea of a bath.

2. Brush your cat’s hair well before the actual bath.

Do a thorough brushing of your cat’s coat to remove any kind of dust, debris and tangles, especially if your cat has long hair. Brushing your cat’s coat thoroughly will also remove any matted fur, which end up trapping soapy residue on your cat’s skin and cause itchy, flaky patches. You should also try to cut your cat’s nails before bathing them so that you won’t get scratched and your cat won’t get their nails caught on a towel. You can also try putting cotton in your cat’s ears in order to prevent any water from getting in, and apply eye ointment in so these areas are not irritated by the soap you use.

3. Prepare your bathing area and keep the bath quick

The best way to get your cat to tolerate his bath is to bathe them as quickly and efficiently as possible. Keep the necessary supplies for your cat’s bath ahead of time at the sink or tub: rubber gloves, Cat shampoo, a large towel, cotton balls, and a small cloth. Most cats enjoy a rub down with a towel over the loud roar of the blow dryer so use a towel instead of a blow dryer while drying them after their bath.

 

 4. Hold them by their scruff and then bathe them in the tub

When you take your cat for a bath, hold your cat by the scruff of their neck and speak gently to your cat in an assuring tone as you place them in the tub or sink. Stroke your cat with one hand as you wet their neck and head with the water. Keep the water out of their eyes in order to avoid irritating them. Wet their back, legs, and hind end until they are sufficiently wet. Rub shampoo on them and rinse after and then try them in a warm, fuzzy towel.

 

We don’t guarantee that your cat will absolutely love their bath times but they will start tolerating them if you follow the steps that we mentioned. For any other queries, contact us straight away!