Do you bathe you cat?

Discussion in Pets started by Ich bin Gia • Aug 26, 2012.

  1. Ich bin Gia

    Ich bin GiaMember

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    Okay this may sound like a strange topic, but my sister and I both bathe our cats once a month. They are outdoor cats and they do not mind the baths because we have been bathing them since they were kittens. My friend thinks we are bonkers and says there is no need to bathe a cat because they clean themselves. Do you think are we acting crazy and that we should leave the cats be? We are used to having dogs by the way.
     
  2. DrowningGirl

    DrowningGirlMember

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    Cat's do indeed clean themselves. I have two cats and I have never bathed them. They are perfectly clean, though occasionally I do need to clean a dirty paw from the littler box. I could be wrong, but it is my understanding that once cats are bathed they stop bathing themselves. So, you may not want to stop at this point since it might result in stinky cats since they are not used to having to clean themselves. Maybe with your next cat wait to see if they need bathing before doing so.
     
  3. Adeal4u

    Adeal4uActive Member

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    You should bathe the cats if they're outdoors because it prevents ticks and fleas. I've bathed my cats when they go outside because they could bring something in the house. I do it as a precautionary measure, but it's not weird at all. I wouldn't bathe them if they stay indoors all the time because that just makes no sense. They're not too fond of water, but it's better safe than sorry.
     
  4. DrowningGirl

    DrowningGirlMember

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    You can simply put a flea/tick collar on a cat to prevent ticks and fleas. Regular bathing will not get rid of either of them. It would have to be a special, medicated flea and tick bath which is full of chemicals.
     
  5. steph84

    steph84Active Member

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    My cats are also outdoor cats and they get really dirty so I have to give them baths too. I send my eldest cat to the groomer's because he likes to bite and scratch. It gets pricey, but it's worth it.
     
  6. Linky

    LinkyExpert

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    To be honest, it sounds insane...in fact, it pretty much is. Cats clean themselves and others too, actually...it seems. I am definitely not a 'cat person' but then again...neither am i a 'dog person'. I prefer having no pets but then again...yeah, so that is pretty much why you should not bathe your cat.
     
  7. sandooch

    sandoochActive Member

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    I only bathe them if I see fleas. I use a flea shampoo and let it sit on their fur for 5 minutes before rinsing them. While we are waiting for the shampoo to kill the fleas, I am taking off as many of them as I can find. My cats hate the whole process and cry all the way through it. But after they are dry, I then apply some Advantage flea medication to kill any I missed or that the shampoo missed.
     
  8. kalasin

    kalasinMember

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    I only ever have once, and that's because our new shelter cat had fleas and passed them on. That one experience was like the seventh circle of hell. If she ever needs a bath again I'll pay someone else to do it.
     
  9. Pocs

    PocsActive Member

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    I'm a dog person, cats are so into themselves, they make difficult pets in my opinion. Of course not every cat is the same, so you may have a very nice kitty. I currently don't have a cat, but I have in the past. They clean themselves as stated before, so I never saw the need. My daughter how ever gives her kitty a bath, monthly. I have never witnessed this, but she says Lumpkins loves a bath.
     
  10. Ich bin Gia

    Ich bin GiaMember

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    Well yes, my concern was the cat dragging in unwanted things from the outdoors such as fleas and ticks. I heard flea collars were bad, so I would not use that. As it is my cat will not allow a collar, but she does not mind the bath at all. It worried me when you said that if you start bathing a cat that they will stop bathing. I also laughed because I thought of smelly cat from the show Friends :D I do however notice my cat bathing herself still, so I do not think that will become a problem.
     
  11. Ich bin Gia

    Ich bin GiaMember

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    My cat is not very nice. I had a dog before that for 16 years, so I was used to a lot of love, walks and slobber :D After the loss of my dog, I figured maybe it would be easier to get a cat before getting another dog to help ease the pain of the loss. So, I got this kitty and my friend named her Lady Gaga..such an appropriate name for this cat LOL! She is nocturnal, so she plays with this toy mouse all night. She knocks it down the stairs and chases it down and drags it all over the house and it is rather loud. I thought just shutting my bedroom door would keep the noise away, but no. The cat began to meow at the door and this was not something I could ignore because it would not stop. Then she began playing a game where she bites my toes while I am trying to sleep. (I sleep with my toes sticking out of the covers) She thinks it is fun, but I am actually trying to sleep. I think all this is going on cause she is in her kitten stages. She can come and go as she pleases, but she is indoors at night and wow is she ever annoying. The only good thing I can say so far, is that she is getting friendlier (I can finally pet her without being clawed) and she does not mind the baths. If she did, I would have to take her to the groomers too like someone above mentioned. I am glad some of you do not think I am nuts hahaha :)
     
  12. Adeal4u

    Adeal4uActive Member

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    I'm not sure if they will stop bathing, but I'm sure they will get used to the idea. I'm not saying all the time, but it doesn't hurt every now an then. I saw that episode of friends that was a funny subliminal message in that song. :D
     
  13. Methrend

    MethrendNew Member

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    I've had my cat for 17 years now (since I was 3!) and we've not once bathed him. He cleans himself quite often and is generally never very dirty. He is also spends the majority of his time outside.

    We do check him for fleas and ticks, but we use a treatment on him to prevent them so we rarely find any. If we do, it's often only a few, so we pick them off manually and treat him again - bathing won't help with getting rid of fleas, as a few people have stated above.
     
  14. LeonJugah

    LeonJugahNew Member

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    Seeing as how cats clean themselves routinely I never saw the necessity of bathing my cats. The only time I bother bathing them is after I bring them back from visits to dirty and muddy places. My cats seem to get pretty upset and agitated when I attempt to bathe them. As for fleas and ticks I found that regular visits to the veterinary more than adequate in preventing them from becoming a serious problem.
     
  15. Esperahol

    EsperaholActive Member

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    I pity you the experience, but I don't think you weird. I would wash them too if I decided to inflict them on myself.
     
  16. nash22

    nash22Active Member

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    My aunt has an outdoor cat, I swear this cat hates water and I just hate to see him lick his self because he eats everything he sees. One day I just got soap and water and dump it on him, he hates water and she can never bathe him because runs away.
     
  17. etc

    etcActive Member

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    IF the cats you have are used to it then it must be okay to bath them. Most cats however don't like being wet. There are lots of cats in our neighborhood and I see no one ever bath them. Cat's furr by the way are always falling so maybe they'll go bald if you do it every week :D
     
  18. Devonte

    DevonteNew Member

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    This topic doesn't seems to be awkward rather very interesting. I consider it a public service message for
    cats owner those are not interested in this activity. But I think bath once a month is not too less. :)

    Log In

     
    #18Sep 19, 2012
    Last edited: Sep 22, 2012
  19. Belindafierce

    BelindafierceMember

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    I bathe my cats about once every 3 months or so. They are indoor cats but my girl seems to have a slight flee and dandruff problem. I've had to change the soap I used to bathe them with several times until I found something a bit more natural for them.
     
  20. sidney

    sidneyWell-Known Member

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    I did try bathing my cat several times before, but the last time I did it was way back in 2009, that was a full bath, complete with soap in our bathroom. He puked water afterwards, due to his body being exposed to the cold water, so after that I never gave him a full bath again. But I did enjoy the time that my cat smells like soap, and I can notice the difference when stroking his fur, it feels "light" and clean. Right now I just wipe his body occasionally with a damp cloth with soap when I think he's kind of dirty already. :)
     
    #20Sep 22, 2012
    Last edited: Sep 22, 2012