Bathing a cat.

@misty99 (736)
July 4, 2008 5:39pm CST
Any cat lover?Please help.The cat's been with us for how many weeks and I only bathe her twice ever since,my goodness!!!!!!Why?The first time i bathe her I got a deep scratch on my neck.Imagine me starting to be afraid on this cat.Yesterday was the second.....this time we almost got electrocuted!We were in the bathroom door closed.She's all drenched,jumped on top of the washing machine,i grabbed her and at the same time she grabbed the machine's wire still in the outlet.I don't like this experiences anymore.Is it fine to tie her while bathing or will she have the same defense and scratch me again?BTW i noticed her tummy is big,and felt her nipples protruding...is she pregnant?I don't have any idea, a friend gave her to us and no info regarding it was said.If she is pregnant will it be very hard for me to clean her?
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12 responses
@zeny_zion (1283)
• Philippines
17 Jul 08
we have the same experience, they hate water i think. what i did everytime i gave a bath to my cats is like this. i put them inside the cage and sprayed water with soap on it. i'll let it dry a little so the medicated soap will absorb by their fur and wash it later. that's what i do to 2 big guy cats i have. the little one i bathe her by holding. she's not a problem when bathing. she's a nice cat.
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@misty99 (736)
17 Jul 08
That's one great idea.I was also thinking...what if we tie her so she won't get far.Actually we tried bathing her yesterday...it's my husband who does it and he received lots of scratches on his hands and arms.I'll tell him to invest on some cat cage or tie for the next bath.Thanks for dropping by.
@maquisa (316)
• Philippines
10 Jul 08
i remember when i was in my elementary days, i bathe a cat and i feel sad when i saw her feeling cold even if i try to put her in sunlight...im just curious about what i have heared that cat doesn't take a bath and if you bathe a cat a rain will come LOL....i really don't have idea how to distinguish if the cat is pregnant nor have worms i just want to share something.
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@misty99 (736)
17 Jul 08
You're quite naughty also when you're young.I got worried actually after giving the cat a bath,she's trembling and i use blower to dry her but kept on running away from me.I've heard that saying from my grandmother before
@diansinta (7544)
• Indonesia
10 Jul 08
Hi misty99, try bath her with wet towel. that prevent you from scrach.
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@misty99 (736)
17 Jul 08
Thanks for the advice diansinta,thanks for dropping by.
@mcat19 (1357)
• United States
5 Jul 08
As everyone has said DON'T BATHE YOUR CAT. If you watch her, you will see her licking herself all over. That's how cats keep themselves clean. You don't have to participate in this procedure at all, ever. I have had cats all my life and never bathed one of them. You won't need to bathe the kittens either. If she is having trouble cleaning herself because she is big from being pregnant, you can use a soft towel and wipe her butt. We did have to do that for one of ours who had bad diarrhea. If you think she is pregnant, please take her to a vet as soon as possible. She needs to be checked. Thank you for giving this cat a home and caring so much.
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@misty99 (736)
10 Jul 08
So they get diarrhea also,lol.I will bring her to vet asap.Thanks!
• Lubbock, Texas
5 Jul 08
Me? Bathe a cat? Not on your life! I like all my parts and cats have a tendency to try to tear some of my parts off if I make them get wet. Not to worry. Cats keep themselves clean. Give her a good brushing, she'll probably like that. It sounds to me like she's pregnant. Just feed her and appreciate her independence. If she develops a strong odor a visit to the vet may be in order.
@misty99 (736)
10 Jul 08
Got lesson learned there.....thanks for the advice beaddoodler.
• United States
5 Jul 08
I was wondering about why you would need to bathe your cat... were you asked to by your veterinarian? I can't remember any particular point in time for the entire 13 years I've had a cat that we've bathed him. Of course, he's an indoor cat, so he doesn't get mussed up or quite as dirty as an outdoor cat would (if that's what your cat is), but I still find this topic very interesting.
@misty99 (736)
5 Jul 08
It's my first time,we usually have dogs and i bathe them everyday.Should i be punished for it?lol.I just thought she had to be cleaned everyday because she really smells after poop.Thanks!
@TerryZ (22076)
• United States
5 Jul 08
Hi misty I would suggest you dont bath her again it sounds like she is pregnant. I use to be groomer so if you want her clean take her to the groomers its much easier on you and her.
@babystar1 (4233)
• United States
5 Jul 08
Oh my you cant bath cats. cats dont like water. Cats keep themselves clean by themselves. now if you have a dog you can bath dogs, not cats.
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• United States
4 Jul 08
Hi Misty! Is there some health reason you need to bathe the cat? Cats are very good at keeping themselves clean. Unless they are getting into something that's making them dirty, there's really no reason to bathe a cat and it can actually be harmful for their skin. I've had 6 cats and the only time I ever had to give a bath was one accidentally fell into some mud and one got sick and had bowel trouble. If her belly is getting big she's either pregnant or has worms. If you don't know anything about her it might be a good idea to take her to a vet for a check up just for safety sake. Hope that helps answer your question hon, good luck with your new cat.
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@misty99 (736)
5 Jul 08
That's one great help. I really don't know these things,this is the first time we had cat in the house.Actually she is the second,the first was one month ago,he ran away and never came back.So there's no need for me to bathe her everyday, not until she gets really dirty.Thanks for the help.
@wendyloo (184)
• France
5 Jul 08
I have never bathed a cat or know of anyone who has. Unlike dogs I think cats look after themselves...
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@TessWhite (3146)
• United States
5 Jul 08
Why would you want to bathe a cat? Unless it falls into a huge mud pit, it shouldn't ever be necessary. I've had cats for years. Right now 5 of my cats are 8 years or older and I've NEVER bathed them. They take care of that themselves. Cats are nothing like dogs. Dogs need regular baths since they do not groom themselves like a cat does. If you are unsure as to why the cats belly is so large you should take it to a vet. It could be pregnant, or it could have worms. Oh and if it is pregnant, don't bathe her or the kittens. She will take care of that herself also.
• United States
5 Jul 08
the reason why she keeps jumping is because cats are afraid of water. and cats really clean themselves. so i wouldnt try and bathe her anymore just let her clean herself.