How to Clean a Cat

Unlike dogs, cats are incredibly fastidious animals that generally do not require human intervention in the area of grooming or cleaning. However, there are exceptions to every rule and sometimes cat owners must find ways to clean their little fluffy friends. If your cat is too fat, disabled by illness or arthritis, or otherwise unable to clean itself, it’s up to you to keep the animal clean. Here are some suggestions for how to get it done.

Things You'll Need

  • Grooming comb
  • Grooming brush
  • Soapy water
  • Pure water
  • Warm, wet washcloth
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Instructions

    • 1

      The simplest way to clean a cat, if forced to do so, will be with warm, wet washcloth. Use soap only if necessary to break up dirt or oily substances on the cat's fur. Otherwise, water on a warm washcloth will be enough to assimilate the gentle washing of the cat’s tongue as its natural cleaning tool. Never apply soap directly to the cat. Instead, if soap is required, mix the soap into a bucket of warm water. Gently go over the cat’s skin as many times as needed to remove dirt and oils from the cat’s coat, leaving it in the shape it would be in if it licked itself clean.

    • 2

      Sometimes mats develop in a long haired cat’s coat that cannot be addressed by them, or by comb. These mats must be cut out. Using scissors, very carefully cut the mat out at the base of the mat, and brush the hair lightly with a pet brush to finish cleaning the mat.

    • 3

      There may be cases of severely dirty cats, such as the cat that accidentally turns a bucket of motor oil over on itself (yes it happens) or the cat that finds itself at the exhaust end of an unfriendly skunk, If this kind of accident happens, you will need to soak the cat more thoroughly in order to clean it. Never submerge the cat into a tub of water. It’s cute in photos but in real life it could result in extremely painful and sometimes dangerous retaliation. Instead, find a surface, such as a countertop on which the cat has nothing to grab hold in order to control its own movements, place one elbow at 90 degrees tight against your side and tuck the cat’s head in so that it is faced into the dark spot created by your bent elbow. This is a safe place for a cat, as they generally think that if they can’t see you, you can’t see them. Then very gently, pour warm water (or tomato juice, in the case of a skunk attack) over the cat’s exposed coat and brush out knots and oils, and dirt with a bush. Do this very gently so as not to alarm the cat. Rinse upon completion, with warm, agent-free water.

    • 4

      In severe cases or in cases where your cat does not trust you enough to allow you to be it’s safe zone while it is being cleaned, you may need to take your cat to the veterinarian to have it cleaned. In rare instances, the cat may need to be tranquilized while the cleaning process is underway.