Tips on Bathing My Crazy Cat

Some cats never need you to give them a bath because they are usually good at keeping themselves clean. Reasons to give your cat a bath are to keep its coat clean if your cat is not doing a good enough job itself, to reduce parasites and to help anyone in the household who is allergic to cats, according to the Pet Place website.

  1. Start Young

    • If you intend to give your cat frequent baths, it is best to start when your cat is a kitten or as soon as you get the cat. This will help accustom your cat to the process, which should reduce the fear and anxiety that can accompany a cat in the bath. This fear can make your cat appear "crazy."

    The Right Conditions

    • Prepare for the bath. You don't want to put your cat in the tub or sink and discover you forgot the shampoo, for example. Brush your cat before you bathe it. It's a good idea to play with it first to tire it out some. You also may want to have someone helping you. Bathe your cat in a room where you can close the door. The room should be warm. Bathe your cat in a sink or a basin with water. Have towels nearby. Use a plastic cup to scoop the water onto your cat to rinse.

    Extra Supplies

    • You don't have to use anything other than pet shampoo and water to bathe your cat. But if you plan to bathe on a regular basis, you might want to consider getting some extras from your veterinarian to make the bath more pleasant for your pet. You can put eye ointment around the eyes to protect it from the soap. You can use a wetting agent, which allows the water to soak into the coat faster. Use a medicated shampoo to keep fleas away. Apply conditioner after the shampoo to make it easier to comb the coat. Vinegar is useful to cut through soap that won't come out. Clean the ears with a cotton swab.

    Calm the Cat

    • Firmly hold your cat and submerge it up to the shoulders. Make calming sounds or talk to your cat to calm it down. Before you do anything else, get your cat calmed down as much as possible by taking your time and being gentle. If your cat won't calm down and is behaving in a crazy, terrified way, take the cat out of the bath, dry the cat off and let it go. If your cat does calm down, you can continue with the bath.

    The Process

    • Once your cat is calm and wet, drain the water in the sink. Continue to speak to your cat, while keeping a firm grip on the cat. You don't want your cat to get away at this point. Shampoo the head. Use a washcloth around the face, being careful not to get any soap in the eyes or mouth. Rinse the cloth and wipe the soap off. Never pour water over a cat's head. Shampoo the body. Fill up the sink again with warm water up to the middle of the cat. If the running water scares your cat, take it out and put it back in after the sink fills up. Rinse, using a cup, until all the shampoo is gone.

    Drying

    • Blot the fur with a towel. That is enough for a short-haired cat. Long-haired cats need you to comb out the hair. You may want to use a blow dryer on long-haired cats, too. Start front to back. Cats are not very tolerant of a blow dryer on their backsides, according to the Pet Place website.