Does Your Cat Need a Bath?

Kit Kat - my favorite cat patient.

Over the years, I've come across many cat owners that want to know if they should give their cat a bath. Well, if you're a cat I have some good news for you. The answer is usually no. Cats are meticulous groomers and shouldn't need to take a bath. However, there are some exceptions to that rule. (Sorry kitties) If your cat is healthy, young, and appears to be relatively clean and has no matted fur, then they probably don't need a bath.

Giving a cat a bath can be pretty stressful for both parties. Most cats do not like to take baths, although I have bathed a couple that were very well behaved for the bathing process. Giving your cat a bath could also be dangerous, resulting in injuries. Especially if you don't know what you're doing. Even if you do know what you're doing, you could still get hurt.



If you find external parasites like fleas on your cat, a flea bath is not the best choice for getting rid of them and could actually do more harm than good. A flea bath will also not prevent fleas from returning. There are many other parasite prevention options to choose from, which you can discuss with your cat's doctor. Sometimes, young kittens who are infested with fleas can be bathed since they are too little for many flea preventatives.

A "well-fed" kitty.

Cats that are overweight may not be able to groom themselves sufficiently. It is harder for fat cats to reach all the places on their body that require grooming. This usually results in matted fur and excessive dandruff along their spines and around their rear end. This can be pretty uncomfortable for them. I've seen cats with this problem go wild when these problem areas are scratched. They become so itchy in these spots but can't do anything about it.

Overweight cats can benefit from more than just baths. A hygiene clip can help immensely. A hygiene clip is done at a veterinarian or grooming facility. Fur is trimmed away from a cat's rear end with clippers so that fecal material or urine can't get stuck there. Senior cats can also benefit from hygiene clips.

Senior cats might need some extra grooming help.

Older cats are also an exception to the bath rule. As cats age or become ill, they may not groom themselves as well as they should. It may not be necessary to bathe the cat's entire body, but rather just their problem areas. This might reduce the stress from completely bathing them. Regular brushing can help prevent their fur from matting as well. Mats can be very painful for cats actually. I have seen severely matted cats that when their matted fur was shaved away, there was a scar underneath. The scar does not go away.

Of course, normal healthy cats could certainly encounter something sticky, stinky, or dirty that requires the much dreaded bath. If you're cat gets into mischief and needs a clean up, good luck! Just kidding! Here are some tips for bathing your cat at home.

• Trim your cat's nails before a bath!
• Tire out your cat by playing with them for a while before bath time. 
• Get help from someone else. It's easier to bathe a cat with two people. One person can hold the cat while the other does the lathering. 
• Try to avoid your cat's head. You don't want to get soapy water in their eyes. 
• Have all of your bathing supplies ready to go when it's time to bathe. 

Do you have any other good tips for bathing your cat at home?