How to bathe a cat

[Andara Bledin]

Speaking of cats and streams of water, we used to have a cat that would chase the water sprinkler.

It was the kind that would use the water pressure to spin.

The dogs were all terrified of it, but he'd chase that sucker for all he was worth.

^-.-^

[thansal]

One word:
Sedation

When I was working for a vet I would regularly be given a cat that had been sedated for some other reason and told to go wash it. That was probably one of the oddest parts of that job :P

[LillFilly]

[Dasota]

I have given 2 cats baths in my lifetime, neither ended well for me.

One was my grey tiger Iggy, after I moved back in with my parents are a short first try of living on my own. My roommates were disgusting and as such, Iggy had poop stuck to his paws, so I figured I'd give him a one time only bath just so he could have a clean slate so to speak in the new house and then keep himself clean.

I've never felt so bad for a cat who was trying to kill me before or since, if only because I never had tried to bath a cat before, and I think I accidentally waterboarded him once or twice while trying to keep him from clawing and biting me while trying to rinse the soap off of him.

It ended with me crying and bleeding and him covered in cat liter since the box was kept in the bathroom.

The 2nd time was with our old old old long haired orange cat Spats. Poor thing was 19 and couldn't really keep herself clean, and my dad had given her quite a few baths over the years, and she was fairly chill. Would just meow the most pitiful mournful meow and look pathetic in the tub.

So one day I notice she had quite a bit of gunk and dirt on her back again, so I thought I'd be nice and bath her. And it went just like expected. Mournful meow/howling from her, but not doing a damn thing to get away or react. After the bath though, I picked her up in the towel, and had tried to be careful in not trapping her or wrapping her completely in the towel, but somehow got her completely wrapped up except for her head, in which she bit my forearm and gave me one lovely through and through puncture wound. and two other small ones which didn't connect.

After both of those times, I don't give cats baths anymore.

As for the facet, we had a very "regal" black and white tuxedo cat who would love to go into the tub after someone had showered and drink from the facet and get the top of his head all wet.

[AlmightyALT]

My husband had to bathe his step fathers cat once.....

It had managed to get fleas and needed a flea bath. Mr ALTs house had a shower with glass shower doors. So he filled the bath so that it was just a bit over the cats belly, added the flea stuff, a 'special' ingredient... and tossed the cat over the top of the glass doors. Cat did enough failing to work up a lather and get itself throughly washed. So then Mr ALT cracked the door and held the cat at bay with an old towel as he popped the drain and turned the shower on, then sneaked his hand out and closed the door again.

Did I mention the cat was snowy white?

And that 'special' ingredient?

GREEN FOOD COLORING

While his stepdad was upset... eventually the cat... LOVED it. Have you ever tried to be a bright white fluffy cat stalking small things in a green yard? Never caught a thing. After the dye job though it was catching things left and right. Eventually it returned to being white, but for a while there... it was at the top of the food chain.

[Mishi]

When I was working for a vet I would regularly be given a cat that had been sedated for some other reason and told to go wash it. That was probably one of the oddest parts of that job :P

Yes! Though that was actually a semi-regular part of my old job, along with *ahem* shaving them.
Most of the poor darlings would be so out of it... right up until the first drop of water hit them. Then they would go berserk! They loved being dried and brushed though, which seemed to somewhat appease them.

[Sonoma]

My Himilayan loved to drink out of the bathroom sink. So, for his 5th birthday, I spent $60 on a drinking fountain for him. He wouldn't use it - got more use out of the box that it came in. Fortunately, my new kitten got started with the fountain at an early age, so he uses that, rather than the bathroom sink.

Regarding bathing them, my Himilayan would occasionally have to have his rear end washed (the joys of a long haired cat). The only way I could safely do it was to hold him like a football, tucked up under my arm, with the offending end exposed so I could get him wet. Minimal blood loss, but he did not enjoy the experience.

[fireheart]

Yes! Though that was actually a semi-regular part of my old job, along with *ahem* shaving them.

We've constantly joked that if someone shaved my grandmother's cat (British shorthair...those guys are freaking HUGE), there'd be nothing left since he's mostly fur. And he sheds like CRAZY. (he loves a good backscratch and tummy rub, so whenever we're over, he'll rub up against us to try and get us to give him a backscratch)