Cat Owner's Manual › Chapter 6: Cat Grooming › Bathing Your Cat ›

Cat Bathing Instructions, Part II

6. Drain sink. Using a wet cloth, apply a small amount of the shampoo to the cat's face, scrupulously avoiding the eyes, ears, and mouth. Then remove using another wet cloth. Do not pour or spray water on the cat's head.
7. With the sink still drained, apply special cat-formulated shampoo to the feline's body. Gently work it in. Remember the tail and waste elimination port.
8. Refill the sink with tepid water and rinse. It may take several sink refills to achieve full shampoo removal. Some cats may tolerate a spray nozzle or being positioned under the tap. However, do not pour or spray water on the feline's head. Note: If effective shampoo removal is a problem, mix 1/2 cup (118 ml) vinegar with 2 quarts (1.8 l) water, then ladle this over the cat's body. This will strip any remaining soap residue. Be sure to rinse with clean water after this application.
9. Blot fur dry, then place the feline on the floor or a counter. Shorthaired cats need only a vigorous toweling, followed by some time in a warm room. Longhaired cats require a thorough combing and, perhaps, a blow-dry.

EXPERT TIP: When employing a blow-dryer, always use the lowest heat setting. Begin with the torso by aiming the nozzle against the lay of the hair. Then move to the legs and neck. To avoid curl, make sure each section is totally dry. Save the tail, stomach, and back legs for last, because contact with these areas can upset felines. Discontinue if the cat becomes agitated.

CAUTION: Keep the cat in a warm place until its hair is completely dry.

Comments (8)

Comments for This Page (8)  |  Post a Comment

If I did the instructions given for my cat, it would be a disaster. I am strongly against filling water to shoulder level and placing my elderly cat into the water. We all know that some cats donnot like water, a natural thing I am told, and this level of water could be a wreck waiting to happen. My suggestion is to keep the water level as low as possible but yet functional to accomplish task at hand,for the cat's safety. So the ideas for the bathing of a cat should be that just ideas, and in the end the method that is used to bathe your cat should take in consideration the cat that you are going to wash.

purred by Dorothy King on Apr 24, 2008 AT 6:47 pm PDT

2 people found this comment helpful.

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When I last bathed my cat, he FREAKED OUT with only 1.5 inches of water in the sink. However, he was totally okay with the spray nozzle. Well... he was still miserable, but not panicking. So I drained the sink, wetted him down with the spray nozzle, lathered him up, then rinsed him off really well again with the spray nozzle (making sure to avoid his head and face at all times). It ended up being less traumatizing than I was anticipating.

purred by Elaine Van Der Wall on Apr 29, 2008 AT 12:03 pm PDT

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I would never fill the sink up to the shoulders. Put about 3 inches in the sink and use the sprayer, If you hold it close to their body and dont see the water shooting on them they should be ok, wet them good, shampoo, rinse a couple times and voila.. clean cats!

purred by Debra Pietrowski on Apr 30, 2008 AT 1:47 pm PDT

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HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! This is really funny -- anyone who has ever tried to bathe a cat knows better! Just an inch or two and they FREAK OUT, who could dunk a cat?!?!?!? AND do it again to rinse????

purred by Laney McLean on Jun 10, 2008 AT 11:04 am PDT

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Sounds like the author hasnt tried this with a good variety of cats. My purebred has had regular baths since he was a kitten (he is 3yrs old now). But if I was to try the above steps and dunk him to get him wet from the start, I would endup needing stitches. Like Elaine says above: Get a sprayer. A sprayer of the type found in your kitchen sink - and using said kitchen sink as the bathing site is probably a good idea too. But the main key to rinse, rinse, rinse, rinse and get all the shampoo out of the coat. With a large enough container you MIGHT get by with dunking for the final rinse.

purred by Jon Paynter on Jun 12, 2008 AT 1:02 pm PDT

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Wow! I have two indoor cats that bathe 6-8 times a year. I have always used a sprayer. My cats do okay in a standing shower with a removable nozzle. If I tried to dunk either into water, I don't think my hands would work anymore!!!

purred by Ashley Constance on Jun 16, 2008 AT 11:03 am PDT

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I thought it would bite me by doing this but it is worth trying thank you

purred by Brittany Pauls on Aug 14, 2008 AT 3:33 pm PDT

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My indoor medium hair gets washed a couple times a year and the best way we have found is in a shower, with a removeable shower head. Low to Medium water pressure makes her the least upset and we make sure not to get her head or ears wet. If you have a shower curtain, this may not work; however if you have glass doors that slide shut, the cat will not be able to escape.

purred by Iris on Aug 20, 2008 AT 3:21 pm PDT

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