How to safely bathe a cat? Historically, most cats don’t like water, so bathing kittens is not a good idea. But kittens can get pretty dirty and may need a little help from you to clean up. Kittens’ self-care skills are not as developed as adult cats, and since litter box messes are more common, and hungry kittens tend to get food all over their faces, you should know how to safely give your kitty a bath. Preparing to bathe your kitten Unless you have a specific breed of cat that is known to love to play in water, such as a Bengal cat, you will need to get your kitty comfortably wet before bathing. This is easiest to do with very young kittens, but can be done with cats of any age. Getting older kittens used to watering may take longer than eight-week-old felines, though.
Follow these steps to get your kitty used to watering:
- Take a damp towel and gently wipe your kitten. If your kitty doesn’t accept this right away, try offering tasty food or wet food while wiping. Make sure to wipe not only its back, but also its head and feet. If your kitty doesn’t mind a wet towel, fill a cookie sheet with water to create a shallow tray for your kitty to stand in. Coax your kitty into the water tray while giving it a treat by offering treats or gently placing your kitty in it. Repeat as necessary until your kitty is comfortable in the standing water.
- Next, try a combination of the two methods: wipe your kitten with a damp towel while it’s standing in the water tray. If necessary, continue to offer hospitality and hire friends to help. If your kitten seems scared or stressed, stop and try again later. Stressed or anxious kittens in particular may benefit from behavioral supplements or pheromones designed for anxious cats.
- Once your kitten seems comfortable in the shallow water tray, try running water over its back and head with your hands. Using a small glass of water slowly, gently pour some over your kitty while petting him and continuing to treat him as necessary.
Your kitty can now take a bath! What you need Now that your kitty is accustomed to being watered and ready to bathe, make sure you have all the supplies you need:
Bathing Container: A sink, tub, or other container such as a storage box should be used for bathing with your kitty.
Cup: You’ll need a small cup to gently pour water over your kitty in order to wet it and rinse off the shampoo.
Kitten-safe shampoo: Ideally, you’ll want to use a shampoo designed for kittens. It will be tear-free and specially formulated for felines. If you don’t have kitten shampoo on hand, you can use baby shampoo or mild dish soap.
Treats: Have treats or canned kitten food ready to distract your kitten when she starts to get anxious.
Towels: After bath time, you should be ready to dry your kitten with a dry, soft towel.
Bathing Your Kitten Once your kitty is used to watering and you have all the bath supplies ready, you can give your kitty a proper bath. Fill the bath container with a few inches of warm water, not hot water. Make sure the water is not too deep for your kitten. It should only go to its knees. Gently drop your kitten into the water, then start using a cup to pour water over your kitty to moisten it, starting at its back end and working its way up to its head. Take a dime-sized amount of shampoo and gently massage the kitten’s body. Then rinse your kitten with a cup. After rinsing off all the shampoo, grab the towel, gently pick up the kitten and dry. The towel should be dry, but you can use a hair dryer if needed, as long as it has a warm or cool environment. Don’t use a hair dryer if you only have the heat setting, as this could overheat your kitty. Prevent kittens from having problems in the bath Avoid submerging or placing kittens in running water while bathing, as this may scare him. If it starts to get scared, try giving it a treat or a break before removing the kitten from the water and wrapping it in a towel. Work as fast as you can without stressing your kitty to avoid your kitty being too cold.
