How Often Should You Wash Your Indoor Cat

When Not To Bathe Your Indoor Cat

How often should you wash your indoor cat?

After born: Newborn kittens are not ready for the bath. Its forbidden to bathe. Rather keep it to its mother, that she will clean them by licking.

While pregnant: It can make an impact on the baby, if it will bathe while it is pregnant. If there is no major issue, then dont need to bathe it. Rather often you can wipe and brush them gently to keep them clean.

Mid-winter: Biologically cats love to stay warm. In mid-winter it can suffer in the temperature drop. So all the winter long keep him away from the bath.

It’s Worth The Effort To Keep Your Cat Healthy

Kittens learn to lick themselves when they are two to four weeks old and adult cats spend up to 50 percent of their awake time grooming themselves. So why should you still give your cat a bath? A bath stimulates the skin and removes excess oil, dander, and shed hair. It also offers an opportunity to teach your cat that being handled even in unexpected ways won’t hurt them. Cats will need to be touched by the vet, handled by vet techs, or cared for by house sitters and guests. Making the bath a pleasant experience helps cats “generalize” the event to future similar situations.

Positive experiences with prior baths are especially beneficial if you ever find yourself having to give your cat medicated baths as part of a treatment plan for skin diseases like ringworm or if your cat gets into something particularly nasty.

Litter Box Cleaning Variable : Type Of Litter

The type of litter you choose makes a difference in how often youll need to clean the cat box. Clumping litter absorbs cat urine and forms hard clumps that can be scooped from the box, leaving the unsoiled litter behind. If you use non-clumping litter, urine will be absorbed by the clay or other ingredients such as corn or wood, with some falling to the bottom of the cat box under the litter.

Clumping litters need changing less frequently because you can use a litter scoop to remove the coated clumps of cat pee and poop. Non-clumping litters cannot be scooped, so to clean them you must change out all of the litter each time.

A litter that contains odor-controlling ingredients will keep down the smell and extend how often you will need to scoop the box or change out all of the litter.

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Is It Ok To Never Bathe A Cat

Yes, if you’ve never given your cat a bath before, there’s no need to worry. Short-haired cats are generally self-sufficient in the cleaning department, and don’t require regular bathing.

A great alternative to a cat bath is simply to use a damp cloth to remove any nasties trapped in the fur. Regular brushing can also be a sufficient way to deal with any matted fur that may occur, particularly in longer-haired cats.

Hairless cats, however, will require a frequent bath to help them, but you don’t need to groom them is the upside!

So How Often Should You Bathe A Cat

Certain circumstances require you to give a cat or kitten a bath. Anthony advises bathing a cat if shes gotten into something she shouldnt ingest, such as motor oil, antifreeze, gasoline, or paint. Basically, anything that gets on her fur that could be harmful needs to be washed off immediately.

Anthony also notes some felines develop skin conditions that are soothed with bathing, such as seborrhea, a disorder that causes flakey, red, and itchy skin. Your veterinarian might also recommend medicated baths for treating other health conditions, such as severe flea allergies or ringworm.

Older cats with arthritis or who are obese might need you to bathe them more frequently, as theyre not always able to groom well and often have trouble reaching certain spots and preventing odors. As much as cats hate water, they dislike being unkempt even more.

Many long-haired breeds, such as Maine coons, Persians, and Himalayans, benefit from a bath every couple of months or so to minimize fur matting. Some short-haired cats with dense coats might also need an occasional bath.

Hairless breeds, like the Sphynx, probably need more frequent bathing than furred felines, as they have an oily residue that gets on fabrics when theyre particularly grimy. If you dont want to bathe your hairless cat weekly, Anthony suggests cat-specific grooming or baby wipes for regular upkeep.

Consult your veterinarian about your pets particular needs to establish the best routine.

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When Is It A Must To Wash A Cat

There are some instances where its inevitable to wash your cat. For instance, if your cat has soiled himself/herself or rolled in indescribable dirt, he/she must be washed even if you washed him/her recently.

You should also wash a cat that has been recently rescued before he/she settles in their new home.

Have Everything You Need To Hand

Assemble everything you need before you bring in the cat. You’ll need plenty of towels, a shampoo specifically made for cats, a comb or brush for longer-haired cats, a jug or a handheld spray hose for rinsing and a rubber mat or towel.

You can also keep a ball to hand, like a ping pong ball, to distract your kitty during bath time. Floating it in the water may encourage your kitty to fish it out, rather than fear the water.

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To Reduce Shedding Of Hair

Cats shed off hair since they need to eliminate dead hair to promote the growth of new and healthier hair. However, bathing a cat helps to rinse the dead hair so that you will not have to deal with cat fur wherever you go. Therefore, when you want to forget about having to see cat fur as you sleep, eat, or cook, then it is crucial for you to take some time bathing your furry friend.

What Is Your Cats Current Health Condition

Should You Bathe Indoor Cats?

If your cat has fleas or has a skin irritation then you might be required to bathe them often during a set period of time. Of course, this will be with the recommendation of a veterinarian. Dont decide to bathe your cat daily if it is not specifically instructed by an expert as you might exacerbate or cause a different health issue for your cat in the future.

Of course, bathing your cat a couple of times a week is not recommended. If your cat tends to be a bit messy, you can use dry cat shampoo and wipes as alternatives to clean their skin and coat.

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How Effective Is Revolution For Cats In Treating Ear Mites

In laboratory studies done by Revolution, it was found that just 1 dose was 100% effective in treating for ear mites. In field studies where re-infestation was possible Revolution eliminated 100% of ear mites in cats. Using monthly will treat any subsequent ear mite infestations. As well as using Revolution, cleansing of the infested ears is recommended to remove the debris.

Do Cats Really Need To Be Bathed

The good news is, most cast breeds don’t require regular bathing says Tarina L. Anthony, DVM, a longtime practitioner of feline-exclusive medicine, and owner and medical director of Aurora Cat Hospital and Hotel in Aurora, Colorado. Many people ask me when they get a new cat how often they should be bathing them, she says. By nature, cats are fastidious creatures and able to keep themselves clean.

A cats rough tongue is covered with tiny curved barbs called papillae that transfer saliva across her fur. This is like a mini spa treatment, as each lap spreads healthy natural oils across her coat and skin. Those little spines work as natural detanglers, too, which is why youll often see your kitty licking and biting at fur clumps until she smooths everything out.

Although a cat spends about 30 percent of her time on daily self-carebetween naps, of course!Anthony says its more important to keep your cat groomed than to worry about bathing them, as regular brushing and combing helps reveal health problems more quickly. Many times, skin conditions are signs of underlying metabolic or gastrointestinal disease, so if your cat’s hair coat has changed, talk to your vet, she says.

The Other Main Reason Bathing A Cat Can Be Essential: Catbreed

You can usually tell if someone needs a bath anyone really, whether its a cat, dog, or a child. An unpleasant odor is a telltale sign that theyve gotten into something. Its a whole other story when it comes to particular breeds or conditions that will actually need a regular bathing routine to stay healthy. Here are some cases where bathing becomes necessary:

If your cat has particularly long hair for example, when it comes to breeds like Persians keeping the fur clean may be more than a cat can handle on its own .
When it comes to cats with less fur, or no fur such as the Sphynx, which is completely hairless periodic baths are indeed needed in order to remove body oils.
There are also medical reasons why your cat could require a bath: It may prove to be quite the challenge for cats that are elderly, obese, arthritic, or have mobility issues to perform a basic cleaning on themselves. The back half of the coat of some of these cats can often become matted, allowing the delicate skin to become itchy and flaky.

When your cat is a special case and needs help to effectively keep up with all the necessary grooming due to health issues or even due to hair and skin type we encourage you to use our guide below in your mission to keep your cat healthy and happy.

Here Are A Few Notable Exceptions To The No

Your cat has been skunked, soiled himself, or rolled in some indescribable source of nasty
Your cat is a hairless breed, in which case theyll need to have a bath once a week
Your cat is a recent rescue from the street and is exceedingly filthy and/or covered with fleas
Your cat is either elderly and doesnt groom much anymore, or is obese and cant effectively clean themselves.

Those exemptions aside, please remember the mojo mantraCats are not dogs!and step away from the bathtub!

So if you ever find yourself in one of these above situational or breed related exceptions we do have a few tips for making a trip to tub town a little less stressful for you and your cat.

Fill the tub or sink with water beforehand, the sound of running water is never good for a cats nerves
Clean the face first with a washcloth, covering their ears and eyes with water while trying to keep them still is a losing battle trust us
Research and consider DIY cleaning solutions, especially an unscented formula
Clean on a non-skid surface, if they continually slip through the cleaning it will cause them to fight back even more
Keep loads of towels on hand, were talking lots and lots of towels
Take it slow, cats can sense our nerves so keep it cool

You can check out the full scoop when it comes to the million dollar question, Should I bathe my cat? in our video below.

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How Often Should You Bathe A Kitten

The same rules apply to a kitten! Your kitten will start to learn how to self-groom in the first few months of his or her life and prior to this, their mother will take care of it. However, if you get your kitten before they have learned how to self-groom, it is advisable to bathe them once a week.

How To Prevent Slime In Your Pet Water Fountain

The best way to prevent slime in your cats water fountain is to install a filter below the bowl that traps hair and particles that can lead to slimes.

It is important to clean and empty the water bowl regularly as well. Change out the water at least once every 2-3 days during hot weather because it will hold onto odors and bacteria if not frequently cleaned. The splash guard should also be cleaned out often since any dirt settles in between the spout opening where shampoo or dish soap slips through into the basin of untreated water from which your cat drinks. And always remember that tap water will include chlorine which will help kill the bacteria that causes slime however, that very small amount of chlorine in the tap will dissipate within a few hours so the more you change the water the better.

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Process Of Cleaning A Cat Water Fountain

First, drain your fountain of all the water. This includes water in the canals and the main tank unit of the device. This is so that when we take apart the fountain itself to reach the motor, the water wont flood anywhere.

Second, take out the main tank unit of the fountain, so that you can access the motor of the fountain. After this is done, take out the motor and you should be done with disassembly at this point unless you have a fountain that is a bit more complex. For more complex fountains, we recommend that you read the manual or watch a few videos online, as each model has different steps to disassemble.

Third, disassemble the motor unit by taking the front-facing panel out using your fingernails if necessary. After this is taken out, you should be able to see the main rotating motor unit inside. This motor unit should be easier to take out than the front-facing panel. It is secured using magnets and not as airtight as the front-facing panel as its job is to keep the water out.

Lastly, rinse the debris inside the motor after taking out the rotating motor unit. Then the motor can run without any debris inside to disturb it. Clean the other parts of the fountain that were disassembled earlier. Most of the fountain units these days are washable by using your dishwasher, so we recommend that you do so if you dont want to wash it yourself.

Control And Prevention Methods

How To Bathe a Cat

Fleas are not always apparent on cats in fact cat’s are notorious for ‘hiding’ that they have fleas. And guess what? Even indoor only cats can get them! If you see fleas on your cat, they often catch you by surprise: tiny, quick creatures that scurry through your cat’s fur, feasting on its blood, and causing itching. Sometimes it is mild itch. Othertimes it causes severe hair loss and itching. However, if you’ve spotted fleas, keep calm: cat flea control is not only possible, it’s relatively easy.

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Adopting A Good Litter Box Cleaning Routine

As a cat mom or dad, youre spared the chilly mornings and rainy or snowy nights when pupper parents are out walking their dog and hoping shell do her business so they can get back inside where its warm and dry. But since kittys toilet is inside, you do have the job of cleaning the litter box.

While you wont have to pick up poo in a plastic bag after every deposit like a dog owner, you will have to adopt a maintenance routine of scooping out clumps of urine and feces and giving the litter box a thorough change and cleaning regularly. How you clean and maintain a litter box depends on your situation.

How Often Should You Bathe Your Cat

In general, the average indoor pet cat can easily handle being bathed one or two times per year. But as mentioned above, itâs also not a big problem if you never wash your cat. Many people donât, and cats are okay with it. In fact, they are usually super okay with that. Understand that they donât need the super level of cleanliness that we humans do.

Long haired cats and outdoor cats will require more frequent bathing as well as brushing to reduce tangles. This helps reduce hairballs as they may swallow less hair. Also, if you have a show-quality purebred cat, then it goes without saying that you will want to give them a wash before every show.

Indoor cats also require different washing schedules when compared to outdoor ones. They do not get dirty as quickly. Over time, their coats will build up dirt and oils that will may cause matted fur. This is nothing dangerous, but bathing your cat will provide a significant improvement.

Last, but not least, whether or not you give your cat a regular bath also depends on the catâs personality, level of aggression, and how used to bathing your cat is . And a hairless cat will benefit from a bath as well, but benefits less from a bath.

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Why Do Cats Need Help Grooming

Despite the fact that cats self-groom, they simply cant get all of the excess hair off. Seriously, have you seen how much they shed? Their fur gets everywhere!

The awful truth is that much of that hair ends up in their little stomachs when they groom themselves. Cats, in their daily efforts to clean themselves, end up swallowing loose hairs. The amount of hair can build up in their stomach and form hairballs.

What Is Your Cats Coat Length

How Often Should You Wash Your Indoor Cat?

A cats coat length will also factor in when it comes to the frequency of bathe they need. Cats who have longer coats will need more maintenance than felines with shorter coats. Cats with long coats are more susceptible to tangles and getting matted. However, before you decide on bathing your cat you should first try to see if you can fix these tangles and matting by brushing.

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