Despite the cat's self-cleaning abilities, it can get dusty, and the fur can become greasy and need care, and sometimes a bath is necessary. Bathing cats without stressing them out can be hard, but it's not impossible if you follow a few key principles. Here's how to give your cat a bath without any hassle.
Preparation steps:
1. Trim your cat's toenails. Even the mild-mannered cat immersed in the water can burst into a wild side and fight back hard. In order to minimize the possible damage to you, you should have its toenails repaired before giving it a bath.
2. Comb the fur. Don't ignore this step. You should groom your cat before bathing to get rid of any knots in the fur.
3. Buy cat-specific shampoo. You can buy it from a veterinarian or pet store. Check carefully to see if the instructions apply to your cat, and dilute with water if necessary.
After bathing, wipe the water off the cat's body in time. Before drying your cat in the dryer, allow the towel to absorb as much water as possible from your cat's body. If the first towel becomes too wet, change to another dry towel until the cat is dry. Towels can be heated in a dryer, which many cats love.
You can also use a brush to remove any knots on your cat's body, which is especially effective for long-haired cats. If a cat goes outside before it's completely dry, its damp fur can easily pick up dust and become even dirtier.
Rewarding cats is a must. If you want to bathe your cat next time, you need to give them a positive message. Give them their favorite cat food or other treats. Combine a bath with a treat and your cat will look forward to the next bath.
You also appreciate it by petting the cat, telling him what a great cat he is. When the bath is over, give it enough attention. It may feel vulnerable and frightened, but your encouragement can make all the difference.
Things to pay attention to:
1. Cats should not take a bath when they are in poor health. Kittens under 6 months old are prone to get sick, so generally do not bathe; cats over 6 months old should not take too many baths, generally 1 to 2 times a month.
Because of the skin's oil, it has a protective effect on the skin and fur. If you take too many baths, it will cause a lot of oil loss, the fur will become rough, the skin elasticity will be reduced, the cat's beauty will be affected, and it may also become an incentive for skin diseases.
2. A cat's ear is a very easy place to store dirty things. If it is not cleaned frequently, it is easy to be infected with ear mites.
After being infected with ear mites, the cat will feel abnormal itching in the ear, and can't help scratching and shaking its head, which looks very painful. Many cat owners clean their ears frequently to prevent ear mites.
However, if the cat's ears are too clean, the protective layer in the ear canal will be lost. When the ear canal has no resistance to bacteria and dust, it is more likely to get sick.
Therefore, excessive cleaning of cat ears is not recommended.
3. When owners see dust or hair in the cat's nose, they can't help but use a cotton swab or tissue to clean it up. In fact, the cat's nose has a "self-cleaning" function. If it is cleaned manually, it is likely to damage the cat's sense of smell and immune system, which is very harmful to the cat. Therefore, when the cat's nose is dirty, the owner can help them clean occasionally, but it is not recommended to over-clean, and sometimes it is healthier to be dirty.
