Keeping your cat’s skin and coat healthy is important for your cat’s overall well-being. But, since cats can become aggressive or quite irritated when you try and get them close to water, it’s easier to skip it altogether, right!

Getting your cat into a regular grooming routine can help make this an easy chore. Starting to bath them at a young age helps them get used to regular bathing. It’s a good thing then that your cat takes care of most of their hygiene needs with all that licking, but that doesn’t remove matty hair, mites, eliminate dandruff or make them smell any nicer (and more cuddly).

How often you wash your cat depends on the following:
Indoor vs. outdoor environment:
Outdoor kitties will need a bath more frequently than indoor kitties, and lets face it, these guys love to explore. • Coat length and type: Longer coats will require more maintenance than short coat cats.

Self-grooming behavior: Cats that cannot or do not groom themselves efficiently need regular baths to keep their coat from becoming greasy or sticky. Also, overweight cats have difficulty reaching all areas of the body, so they will need to be bathed more regularly – the back side of these kitties often become matted and the skin can become itchy, flaky or even infected.

Activity level: Cats that are highly active will require more frequent bathing.

Health issues: Issues like skin irritation, tick or flea infestation and loose stool can require more attention.

As most cat groomers do, we can also recommend that cats get a bath and blow dry every 6-8 weeks at least to keep their coats from getting matted or pelted.

Use some of our easy tips to make bath time for your kitty less stressful.
1. Bath your cat when they are ‘calm’, so tire them out with a fun play session beforehand
2. Trim your cat’s nails before bathing
3. Brush your cat to remove any loose hair or mats
4. Place cotton in your cat’s ears to keep water out
5. Use a rubber mat in the sink or tub to keep your cat from slipping
6. Use a hand-help sprayer to wet your pet – do not spray directly in the cat’s ears, eyes or nose
7. Massage a solution of 1 part cat shampoo to 5 parts water – work from head to tail and avoid the face, ears and eyes
8. Rinse your cat thoroughly with lukewarm water and make sure that all soap residue has been removed.
9. Use a washcloth to wipe your pet’s face with water.
10. Wrap your kitty in a large towel and dry in a warm place – use a blow dryer on its lowest setting and untangle fur with a wide-tooth comb.

And lastly, the most important step, praise your cat and reward them with a special treat for a successful bath.

But you can also leave it to the experts, and call us.