# New Kitten



## Arvada (Aug 25, 2014)

My boyfriend got a new kitten yesterday. He named him SoCo, after the booze Southern Comfort because the slogan, "Do whatever's comfortable," just seemed to fit the little guy. He was even comfortable in the tub getting his first bath. He went so long without meowing, my boyfriend actually asked me if cats could be mute. (He did meow for the first time we heard him last night.) He is a cuddly boy, who loves to be held and petted, and does a lot of kneading. He likes to hide under the dresser, but he's only on his second day home, and we have 2 other kitties, so I think that's to be expected. He is in a seperate room from them, but he knows they're there. He sure is a cutie.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Cute!

Cats don't really need baths unless they get into something oily, greasy, etc.


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## Arvada (Aug 25, 2014)

This boy actually did get into something dirty. I'm not sure what, since it was at his previous home, but it looked like regular dirt. Also, while I don't regularly bathe my adult cat, I do bathe new kittens a few times, because they have a tendancy to get their food all over them, and also I like to get them used to water so they won't be traumatized if they ever need a bath later on for any reason. I had an adult cat before, that had never been bathed, and she got into something yucky, and washing her was hard on us both. We both cried, she shedded me up, and I am pretty certain she lost one of her 9 lives to a heart attack. Since then, I have always tried to get new kitties used to the idea of baths, just in case. I have found that if I do this, they will at least tolerate being washed later on, even if they don't like it. Don't worry. I only use soap if it's needed, and I use animal safe Dawn. I have done it for years with no ill effects to the kitties. 
SoCo is the first cat I have ever had seem to actually like the bath. I have heard of other cats liking to be in water, but never seen it with any of mine before. I wonder if he will do funny things, like play in the stream of water in the sink, or hop in the running shower, like some of the funny stories I have heard. I guess time will tell. Lol


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

I can honestly say that in my 30+ years of adopting dozens of cats (mostly seniors and adults) I think I can count on one hand the times I've given a bath to a cat. Mostly I just have to rinse their bottom if they get poop on it but never a full fledged bath. This falls under the banner of "Why bother?". Cats are 99.9% self cleaning for a reason.


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## Arvada (Aug 25, 2014)

Poor SoCo. I keep having to wash his little face. He had a couple ear mites, so I bought him some drops, and I have to put them in his ears twice a day. The thing is, they are really oily, and over time, they slowly leak down his face. He can't possibly clean it off himself. I'm glad he likes water. At least the ear mites seem to be going away very quickly.

I guess bathing seems pointless to most people, but I stand by my beliefs on this one. It doesn't hurt to get them a little used to water. You never know when you might end up needing to give a cat a bath. I had a kitty get into some grease, my kids once got something sticky on our cat (the boys were only 2 at the time) and I have always bathed kitties with dawn to get rid of fleas. My own kitties never get fleas, but when I lived down south, I was rescuing feral kittens, and they always had fleas. I think it's just a matter of preference. It's not like I bathe them regularly, or often. I gave Storm a bath on just her hind end when we first got her, because she had a little poo that got in her fur, and then once again the other day because my boyfriend was complaining that she smelled like cat food. That doesn't bother me, but I didn't think it was a big deal to clean her up a bit. SoCo got his first bath because he had mud and dirt in his fur. Now I just wash his face to get the medicine off of him. I promise I don't bathe them just to torment them. Lol


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## ashlee18 (May 21, 2014)

He is adorable.

Merlin loves bath time. I haven't given him one yet but he jumps in when the dogs are getting a bath. I have only had to give one of my cats a bath once. He rolled in something foul, it wasn't poop, but wasn't allowed in the house until he was rinsed off. I had considered giving Merlin a bath with flea shampoo when I brought him home, but he was too young and the topical did the trick instead.


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## Dumine (Jun 30, 2014)

The only bad thing about giving a cat a bath is that they end up looking like drenched chickens. They look so embarrassed being wet. That is no way for a dignified being to be seen!!!:yikes
Looks like your little guy loves water. 
My one cat will tolerate her bath - because if I don't wash the sand out of her fur (she loves rolling in the garden) she's not allowed in the bed with me. My other cat is so intrigued by water, I have to stop her from jumping in the bath with me.


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## DeafDogs&Cat (Mar 27, 2013)

I bath my boy every couple of months. For one, he's white and begins to look grey after awhile and 2 I have mild allergies and they get uncomfortable after a couple of months without a bath.


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

Arvada said:


> I guess bathing seems pointless to most people, but I stand by my beliefs on this one. It doesn't hurt to get them a little used to water.


Yep, all of this covers why I got the boys and Torri used to baths as kittens.

You probably won't need to...but if you DO it makes life so much easier! And generally, if your cat is at the point where they need the help, they also don't need the stress of never having been bathed before. IMO it's a preventative 

I wouldn't try to bathe an adult cat that I hadn't been able to train this way as a kitten, unless it was absolutely necessary. But cats definitely can get used to it and then it isn't a big deal. Doran LOVES playing with water, because of his baths as a kitten.


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## Jenny bf (Jul 13, 2013)

He is a sweeties even in his wet state


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## Arvada (Aug 25, 2014)

I'm not the only one who thought he could use a bath! Tiny kitten, Storm, decided to do a little grooming on her new friend. I know the pic is a little blurry, but it's the best I could do with my phone. 

I do agree that cats usually look very silly when wet, but SoCo has such a handsome face, he can't help but look distinguished.


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## Gandalf&Endor (Jun 9, 2014)

Your kittens are so so cute!! When I first brought my kittens home I just wipe them down with baby wipes. I should have given them both a bath like you did.


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## Jetlaya67 (Sep 26, 2012)

AWW, what a cutie!


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## Arvada (Aug 25, 2014)

Thanks! I think they are cute too. I'm a lucky cat mama.


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Oh my goodness, the cuteness factor in that pic above is off the charts! Look at the tiny kitten grooming another tiny kitten! And the pink tongue in action! How old is Storm? 

SoCo is a little cutie! Soaking wet kitties are just so adorable.


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