How to Help Your Cat Keep Clean

Posted by Jeanne on February 12, 2009

Bathing a cat is an experience to be avoided. Ordinarily, she is quite capable of bath herself. The rough pink tongue does most of the job directly and moistens the forepaw for cleaning the face and hard-to-reach spots behind the ears. Occasionally, however, owing to a skin irritation or other emergency problem, a bath may be prescribed. The water should be lukewarm and shallow, and the soap mild and unmedicated (unless the vet says otherwise). Theoretically, the cat is placed in the water, thoroughly soaped (careful around the eyes!), spray-rinsed, wrapped in a towel, and briskly rubbed until dry.

This is all easier said than done. Be careful! You will very likely end up with some long, red skin irritations of your own.

For all practical purposes, brushing a cat is the best way to assist her own efforts. Use a stiff-bristle brush – not wire – on her coat a few minutes each day. It will remove loose hair and dried skin, which not only makes kitty feel fine but keeps her from swallowing too much hair as she cleans herself. A good way to help shorthaired cats get rid of loose hair is to wet the palm of your hand and stroke the cat about 50 times. The moisture will pick up the loose hairs. And cats won’t object to it as they might a brush.