Safe Soaps for Cats

For the most part, the cleaning of a cat should be left to the cat itself. Cats tend to be fastidiously clean and can take care of most of their cleaning needs themselves. However, if your cat spends a lot of time outside, or has entered its senior years, it may not be able to clean itself as well. Giving a cat a bath should be done cautiously (always trim their nails prior to giving them a bath) and with shampoo. There are a number of veterinarian-approved cat shampoos available to use.

  1. Commercial Cat Shampoos

    • There are a number of commercially produced cat-specific shampoos that are safe to use on your pet. The shampoos can be general in nature, or target a specific issue, such as flea infestation or dry skin. These are available at your local pet store or a number of online pet retailers. Another product to consider when using commercial cat shampoos is a cream rinse conditioner, which can add luster to your cat's coat and help eliminate coarse, dry fur.

    Baby Shampoo

    • Human shampoos, for the most part, are too harsh for a cat's sensitive skin. The chemicals and scents that are added to human shampoo can cause skin issues in your cat, such as causing dry skin. The human shampoos are generally stronger than a cat shampoos, and can strip essential oils that are needed in a cat's fur. The only human shampoo that is considered safe for cats is baby shampoo, which has milder detergents and less chemical structure and should not irritate your cat's skin. Consider only washing a small area of your cat's fur to see if there is any kind of reaction prior to giving the cat a complete bath with baby shampoo.

    Liquid Dish Soap

    • Similar to human shampoo, most liquid dish soaps, while fine for your dishes and car, are generally not safe for your cat. Liquid dish soap also has a number of chemicals, such as dyes, that can irritate the skin of your cat and cause an allergic reaction. The only liquid dish soap that is considered cat-safe is made by Dawn, which is made by Proctor & Gamble. Only one specific version of Dawn -- Dawn Original Formula -- is considered to be safe to use on your cat. Again, similar to the baby shampoo, wash only a small area of your cat's fur to see if there is any kind of reaction.

    Homemade Shampoos

    • Although not soap in the purest sense, there are a number of household products that can be used to "shampoo" your cat's fur. Pantry items such as baking soda, oats, bran and corn meal, or a mixture of several of them, can be applied dry to your cat's fur to absorb excess oil and dirt and even act as a deodorizer. Vinegar can be added to a mixture of Dawn liquid soap and water to create a disinfecting shampoo that can even target a flea infestation. Similar to regular shampoo, always rinse your cat thoroughly when using homemade shampoo.