# Cat Bath - How often?



## Cat Lover Lennie (Jan 7, 2013)

We all know how much the average cat loves a bath...yet cats are really greasy little hairballs (check the door frame that your cat likes to rub against when he/she passes by). I like to bathe mine about every 2 months....sooner if they need it. After years of fighting the battle royale, I finally figured a way to do it with very little trauma.
In the past, I would fill the tub to about mid-cat-leg. Put the cat in, grab the scruff, squirt on shampoo, do a one-handed rub-a-dub-dub, take a cup and try to get enough clean water on to rinse.....all the time still hanging onto the scruff of a terrified cat. We were both dripping wet and traumatized by the time it was over.
Then came the kittens with every problem in the dictionary. (Found out later that all 7 kittens in that litter were a mess). When the kittens were about 6 mo old, they were diagnosed with D. gatoi mange. As part of the treatment plan, they had to be bathed with a special shampoo weekly.
That's when I figured it out. I put 2 large and deep plastic storage bins side-by-side in the tub. I half filled them both with nice warm water. I put the cat/kitten gently in the 1st bin, talking to her all the time. No panic. I was able to do a massaging two-handed shampoo.....then scooped the bathee up and gently lowered it into the second bin to rinse. Then lifted the cat up and wrapped it in a big towel and just held it. It was amazing!

I must put a note here about the only problem I've had.....when I put Lilah down to dry her more....she flew into the wonderful BuddaDome litterbox that I always rave about, to hide. Do you know how hard it is to get wet litter off a long haired cat? You don't want to know! I now remove the litterboxes as part of the pre-bath ritual! 8-O


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## 3gatos (Nov 28, 2012)

I bathe mine about once a year. It's our new years day routine


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## aniela26 (Apr 2, 2012)

My cats only get a bath if there's a real need for it and even then I usually just wash the soiled area. My Cosmo tends to poo himself when he has to go to the vet so he gets a bath about once a year (yearly wellness exam). Zoe is 4 and has never had a full bath.


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

I only bathe mine if they get so much poop on their backsides that it is unpractical to NOT clean it. I put a deep bucket of warm water in the sink then dip them in. While the entire backside is under water I put my hand in there and start working everything loose/clean. Kitty comes out of yucky water and hubby uses the spray nozzle from the faucet to rinse hand, arm and kitty off. I don't use shampoo unless a squirt of it is absolutely needed to clean off the poo. Nasty job, but with long hair cats sometimes it's necessary. I've gotten into the habit of taking Maddie (the most often to get messy) in for a sani-trim where they shave all around the anus area. Walk in basis at the groomer, $5 and well worth it.


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## cat face (Apr 4, 2013)

I don't bathe my cats.
I tend to let them do it ...BUT, BUT, BUT I've only ever owned short haired cats.

I have had to wash certain areas where I use a lightly wrung out wash cloth pre shampooed and then use another wash cloth that is just water. Thank the stars this doesn't have to happen too often!

Once, while trying to bathe a cat, I had a vein punctured on my wrist. The wound was not just a puncture hole but sliced a bit. Needless to say there was more blood then I wanted to see come out of me that day!!
So, being a bit 'gun shy' I'm not keen on doing a tub session with ANY cat. Washclothes work great for me... little stress for the cat and the same with me LOL


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## Padmja (Apr 9, 2013)

My cat's slightly more easy to bathe, she loves water. All I have to do is put her in a tub of water, put shampoo on her and rinse.


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## lovetimesfour (Dec 1, 2010)

Never. 

Bathing dries the skin and removes the oils that should be there to keep skin and coat healthy. Cats are self cleaning. Unless they get into something that they can't wash off or it would be dangerous for them to wash off, or if they are sick and have soiled themselves, cats do not need to be bathed.

Not to mention the stress some cats experience. Stress is very bad for cats and can make them sick.

Cats are very clean animals.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

I've had MowMow for 5 years (Book for almost 2) and I"ve NEVER found a 'greasy' spot anywhere from them rubbing or laying. I'm surprised a cat would let itself get oily........

Neither have ever needed a bath. They keep themselves very clean and with weekly(every other day this time of year) brushing the hair is quite bearable.

The few times Book got into something I thought he shouldn't lick off I just wiped him off with a damp washcloth. A few times where MowMow was ill and wasn't as diligent as normal I would use a damp warm washcloth on him, not because he was dirty or oily but because I thought he'd be uncomfortable since he's always so fastidious. Sure enough, no matter how sick, that always perks him up and seems to make him feel better.


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## 3gatos (Nov 28, 2012)

My kitten was extra greasy when he was younger so he got 2 baths in the first year. Ever since he turned a year, he has been much better at maintaining his cleanliness.


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## Cat Lover Lennie (Jan 7, 2013)

Actually my vet and I had a long talk about it. His wife is a groomer. They bathe their cats about every 2 months. Rambo had terrible dandruff which I thought was from being too dry. Not so says the vet...its clumpy oil. Since I started bathing him regularly hie dandruff is gone and coat nice and shiny. My cats (all except Rambo) are vigorous groomers but even with that you can see their coat start to separate after a couple months. After a bath, they are shiny and sleek. Oh, it's the black cats that leave the black oil on the door frames.


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## JungliBillis (Mar 20, 2013)

My kittens are not greasy or matted (short hair), so I only bathe what is necessary when they have poopy feet! I just wash their legs and butt. They are very unhappy about it, but at least it is done quickly and dries fast.


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## lovetimesfour (Dec 1, 2010)

Cat Lover Lennie said:


> Actually my vet and I had a long talk about it. His wife is a groomer. They bathe their cats about every 2 months. Rambo had terrible dandruff which I thought was from being too dry. Not so says the vet...its clumpy oil. Since I started bathing him regularly hie dandruff is gone and coat nice and shiny. My cats (all except Rambo) are vigorous groomers but even with that you can see their coat start to separate after a couple months. After a bath, they are shiny and sleek. Oh, it's the black cats that leave the black oil on the door frames.


"Clumpy oil"? I can't help wondering what you are feeding your cats. This kind of coat problem is not normal. My cats have never needed baths, or ever had coats like you describe.

Perhaps a diet change is needed.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Cat Lover Lennie said:


> Actually my vet and I had a long talk about it. His wife is a groomer.


Well, that explains a lot.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Cat Lover Lennie said:


> Oh, it's the black cats that leave the black oil on the door frames.


Not my black cat.


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## Wannabe Catlady (Aug 6, 2012)

Ditto to the black cat comment. I have a black cat who has a glossy coat, no dandruff, and I've never noticed any oil stains from him. Only issues with his fur is that it picks up dust when I am behind in vacuuming...


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## lovetimesfour (Dec 1, 2010)

LOL! My little black girl is the same, I can always tell when she's been rolling around somewhere dusty. But she has a lovely soft, glowing, downright lustrous coat. No grease, no clumps, no dandruff. I can't keep my hands off her!


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

I bathed the boys about once a week their first year (because they got dirty enough to need them that often and were bad at grooming), I would take my time and play with the water with them. Neither has needed a bath on two years, but they aren't terrified of the idea either. IMO getting them accustomed to it as kittens will make it much less stressful if they need them now.

Torri got bathed about as often as the boys for her first year because she is white and bad at grooming. After that she got bathed as needed until this year. She gradually got better at grooming herself, so they were farther and farther apart. Her fur would get clumpy and a bit greasy, so I'd bathe her. Because she was abandoned too young and is long haired it took her a long time to learn how to groom herself properly. Food gas nothing to do with it, since she's been on raw since she was 2.

I see no harm in bathing them as long as you do it gently and not more than once a month. Excepting kittens who are mud-magnets...I'm so glad my boys are all grown up, lol.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Haha, same thing with Book about the dust. I can always tell when he's been on the bathmat right after I shower... he comes out of the bathroom covered in white dust(from the baby powder I use after I dry off).


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## Cat-Daddy (Jun 16, 2012)

My boys will be 14 this year and not I nor my mother have EVER had to bath either of them. 

However, they are both Siamese and strictly indoor cats, so their short furr plus NO chance of getting into dirt makes it a lot easier for them to groom themselves and keep clean.


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## DeafDogs&Cat (Mar 27, 2013)

I bath Munch when my allergies get bad... about once every month-month and a half (about the same for my dogs), but he likes it  Besides, he doesn't do the greatest job cleaning himself and his face looks dirty all the time


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## Venusworld21 (Oct 23, 2012)

I've only ever had one cat I had to bathe, Tinners. She would have super oily hair but dry, flaky itchy skin. (She was three legged and fat and had a hard time keeping up with her own grooming.) The vet recommended giving her a bath with oatmeal shampoo to soothe the skin and remove extra oil from her hair. Surprisingly, she didn't fight me on it and actually seemed to enjoy it. After that, she'd get baths when we noticed her getting oily/flakey (every 3-4 months). I would fill the bath tub about 3-4 inches deep with water, use a cup to wet her hair down. Shampoo and then use the cup again to rinse her. She stood there on her own and actually purred a bit as I was massaging the shampoo in.

She's the only cat I've ever had to bathe though, besides the occassional poopy kitten.


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## pllamah (Jul 5, 2012)

I bathe beans whenever he needs it, probably around once a month cause he's always getting into messy things. I started bathing him when he was young so now he doesn't mind baths. It also helps that he's fascinated with water.


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## Carmel (Nov 23, 2010)

In 17 and a half years Blaze has been bathed... wait for it... never. I've washed his back end once or twice when he peed all over himself. That's the extent of it, never a full on bath with a ton of soap or anything. Blacky in 10 years has required a damp cloth on her rear end maybe twice as well. Cats don't need baths unless the owner has sever allergies or unless the cat has a sever skin problem. It dries out their skin, and they do a fine job keeping themselves clean. I'm not going to mess with a good thing and cause unnecessary stress.


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## Marieclare7 (Apr 15, 2013)

I totally agree with you Carmel. I've had Jasper 4 1/2 years now and never once bathed him. I did however have to take him to the vets last month to have a special wash. I came home to find he'd managed to get his backend completely covered in motor oil. As much as I tried to clean it off it just wouldn't shift and he was getting so stressed out. They gad to knovk him out and It cost a fortune but I'm glad I took him as it would probably have made him sick as he was licking it.
Bella is 18months old and also has never been bathed.They keep themselves very clean so no need too.


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## cat face (Apr 4, 2013)

I have two black cats and I've not noticed any greasy residue anywhere in my house.

Besides I always thought one of the 'perks' to owning a cat was they did their own bathing and they naturally smell great!


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## bluemilk (Oct 3, 2005)

I've really only given my boy flea baths-which he and Percy before him-love to no end. NOT. When Robin's all dry and groomed,THEN he's like 'gee that wasn't so bad,now I'm flea-free!' And I'm all clawed up.


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## cat owner again (Dec 14, 2012)

I have never bathed any of my cats and they were always indoor/outdoor. I have wiped them down with a wet cloth when they roll in the dirt or get wet outside. They hate water - I can't even imagine that blood bath


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## Krista2882 (Jan 26, 2012)

When I was a kid my mom had to give our cat a flea bath. He actually really liked it. But then she decided to dry him with the hair dryer...that's when he freaked out.
We've never bathed any if our cats since then.
Right now I have a cat who's really fat (he was like that when I got him and is slowly losing weight), and he has trouble reaching his back. So his back is greasy and dandruffy, but the vet just told me to brush him every day to help distribute the oils. She didn't say anything about giving him a bath.


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## cat owner again (Dec 14, 2012)

You reminded me, I do have one cat with more oily fur but she tolerates and likes brushing so I do it a couple times a day and her fur then isn't oily.


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## Cat Lover Lennie (Jan 7, 2013)

Hairless cats are supposed to be bathed every week. Since I've talked about this, my son bathes his cat every other week. She is the one that "mows" the hair off her belly and hind legs. He says she is scratching less and her skin is looking better.


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## Pushkabounce (Nov 6, 2012)

cat face said:


> I have two black cats and I've not noticed any greasy residue anywhere in my house.
> 
> *Besides I always thought one of the 'perks' to owning a cat was they did their own bathing and they naturally smell great!*


I'm so glad someone has said this! My friends think I'm so weird because I love the smell of my cats! Actually.. anyones cats!

I've never had to bathe the kittens. Tinker has had one full bath and one partial bath. The partial bath was because he rolled in something sticky and the full bath was because he came in ORANGE! God knows what it was and it took ages to wash out! (both these times were before he became an indoor cat)

On the greasy side of things.. I've never found a greasy spot on any part of my house. Tinker gets dandruff twice a year when he is having a big coat change and to help it I massage him for ages to get the skin loose or to help the hair to come out and sometimes I find my hands feel a little greasy after. Like I say though, it's only when his skin is a bit flaky and I massage him for ages.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

I only bathe my cats when absolutely necessary...like majorly poopy butts. Don't see any reason to do it on a regular basis.

I have had the crud build up on corners where my cats rub, but it usually takes years to build up to where it needs to be cleaned. And it's not anything to do with black cats...it's a combination of oil and dirt which is why it's black. I could result from any color cat.

Groomers always seem to tout bathing cats, personally I don't see the benefit gained as being worth the stress it creates.


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## Percy- (May 12, 2013)

I bathe my Percy once every month. He is kinda okay about it. The problem is drying him, that's when his claws come out to play.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Pushkabounce said:


> I'm so glad someone has said this! My friends think I'm so weird because I love the smell of my cats! Actually.. anyones cats!


 I agree with this as well. My boys smell GREAT! I dont want them to smell like any kind of shampoo or soap. I live snuffling in their smell, especially first thing in the mornig when they haven't been a warm and snuggly all night.


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## DeafDogs&Cat (Mar 27, 2013)

MowMow said:


> I agree with this as well. My boys smell GREAT! I dont want them to smell like any kind of shampoo or soap. I live snuffling in their smell, especially first thing in the mornig when they haven't been a warm and snuggly all night.


The only time I can smell my kitty up close, without a major sneezing/coughing fit is for about 2 weeks after a bath... then I have to keep him away from my face... so I guess I don't even know what a non bathed cat would smell like


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## Nell (Apr 7, 2005)

I used to bathe my cats to help control my allergies. I don't anymore. I used regular baby shampoo because it is very mild. I never had a problem with it drying out their skin even though they were bathed often. Perhaps it's like humans where the more often you shampoo, the more oil your skin will produce to compensate? I loved the smell of their fur the days right after a bath though! and their fur was so soft too!

Excessively oily skin where they're leaving marks on things, though... that's not normal. It could be due to lack of grooming (sometimes caused by obesity or age), poor diet, or another health issue. If it were me, I'd be looking for and trying to address the underlying cause.


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## Cat'sHouse (Apr 5, 2012)

Wife: "I tried to bathe CC today"
Me: "You nuts? He hates water..."
Wife: "Look what he did. He clamped his teeth right around my forearm and wouldn't let go."
Me: "Serves you right. I see you cleaned it out good" 
Wife: "Alex had to help me make him let go."
Me: "Where did you try to do this?
Wife: "The laundry tub. I am never going to try to bathe him again."
Me: "That will make you both happy. I'll pick up some pet wipes next time I am at the pet store."
Wife: "you can wipe him....or he can stay dirty."

Actually CC probably never learned how to properly bath himself as he was abandoned at about 6 wks and always has looked a little scruffy. He had a personality and was a strong cat. Some cats rule.

Our others get brushed but not bathed. They keep theimselves clean and kermit is fastidious about cleaning between his paws, one at a time. he works at it as if it is a ritual and loves brushings. Marble is getting used to being brushed but still fights the brush sometimes so she gets a treat if she is good and that is working out ok.


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## Jacq (May 17, 2012)

I don't bathe my cat. She gets wiped down when her buts poopy, and we take her for haircuts twice a year. I don't really know if cats _actually_ have summer and winter coats, but I know when the weather changes there's fluff all over the house and every other poo sticks to her. It's only for 2 weeks twice a year though so far. Weird.

In around october, she gets a panty shave for those two weeks. In summer we've given her lion cuts, but that's more for out own amusement and fluff control than because she actually needs that much shaved. :3


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## Cat Lover Lennie (Jan 7, 2013)

I know I'm at risk of annoying some of you.....but that is not my intention. And this will be my last comment on the subject....But I have done quite a bit of independent research on the subject of cat bathing and I just want to share some of what I've learned. I'm not trying to make you bathe your cats.....and it's not about cats being stinky. Mine aren't stinky even before a bath. For me it's about health (guess that is the old nurse in me. 

If you don't think your cat is dirty, and have never bathed her-try it. Then look at the water after kitty is done, before you drain it or move her to another sink or such to rinse. Is the water nice and clear except for suds? Or is it an attractive greyish color with loose hair and litter debris and perhaps the odd piece of lint or string? If your bath water is clear, then treasure your magic cat. If it is not, then consider that perhaps kitty needs a helping paw now and then … after a bath they look and feel...well, cleaner. Their fur has more body, is brighter-it's more than just removing the odd smudge. If you were covered in hair it would be harder to tell that you were dirty, too. I have long hair. When I fail to wash it often enough, I get dandruff. Dandruff does not mean your skin is dry, it means you are shedding skin. Everyone does this.. try running a damp cloth through your hair for a while, see if that makes it nice and clean and shiny, and keeps your scalp healthy and dandruff-free. Your cat is doing the equivalent when she bathes herself. 

Cats do just fine in the wild without baths, people say. Really. then they should also do just fine without protection from parasitical infection, clean water, shelter from the elements, vaccinations of any kind...the skin is the largest organ of the body. It deserves attention. We don't bathe the cats that often, once a month or so. But their tongues cannot do what pet shampoo can, and cannot comb as well as the brushes we have...I’m not trying to be argumentative here. But yes, cats get dirty. Their fur absorbs the oil and dirt, but they're still dirty.. a dirty cat doesn't usually stink, but it's still a dirty cat, and keeping a kitty a little cleaner than she can keep herself is akin to keeping her a little more protected from viruses than she could keep herself. A helping paw-which they are owed

Cat’s actually have quite oily skin rather than dry and when not properly cleaned the excess oil creates that "dry skin" look with large flakes and gross grimy fur. Most regular vets only know so much about skin and coat much as a regular doctor only knows the basics of human dermatology. So when a vet sees flakes the first assumption is dry skin rather than the opposite. 

All cats can benefit from regular bathing because it helps remove dead hair and skin that accumulates as well as excess oils. it's a misconception that cat's clean themselves fine, especially long haired cats, and left in such a state is the reason a lot of older cats have horrible dull flakey coats .Most of this myth about bathing is simple because cats are a bit harder to train to stand grooming if it hasn't been done regularly since kittenhood, and most(not all of course) cat owners are either too afraid to do it .
My thoughts....please don't take them personally


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## Jakiepoo (Jan 5, 2013)

Very good points, but like you said, bathing cats is not something everyone agrees with.

I do think our kitties need a little help every now and again, but I think that help can come from daily brushing instead of bathing. It will help remove the flaky skin and shedding fur very nicely, and cats tend to, on the whole, enjoy it more than bathing simply because there is no water involved and the feeling of the teeth on the comb seems to be rather enjoyable. With our last cat we even went so far as to take the vacuum out and just pet her and vacuum her, she loved it, and it got rid of a lot of her excess fur and dandruff!

I don't fully agree with the comment about running a cloth through your hair vs. a cat running their tongue over their fur. A cats tongue is much rougher than a cloth (at least compared to the clothes I use) and they are much more thourough than simply running their tongue over their fur (or at least my boy is). So that may just be a differing of opinion.

I do agree though about the black cats! I have a tux, and I always know when he was rolling around on the floor as the dust is so evident, it's funny! But I've never had any grease problems, his fur has been shiny and plush since the day we adopted him. I really think a good diet, and regular brushing can do wonders.

Like you said, don't take my thoughts personally! Just different ones! I am 100% confident that you're doing what's best for your kitties, and if it was doing more harm than good you wouldn't be doing it!

I do think the idea about training a kitten to at least tolerate baths is a good one, just in case the need ever arises, you don't have to deal with a horribly reluctiant kitty. But other than if my cat got into something, I would probably never do regular baths.


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## 3furbabies (Dec 7, 2011)

I bathe mine probably once every 6 months. More if they get into something that's hard to get off with a wash cloth. None of them like it and I bathe them in the laundry tub because its harder for them to fly out.


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## Jacq (May 17, 2012)

Cat Lover Lennie said:


> Then look at the water after kitty is done, before you drain it or move her to another sink or such to rinse. Is the water nice and clear except for suds? Or is it an attractive greyish color with loose hair and litter debris and perhaps the odd piece of lint or string?


Mine was a rather lovely shade of pink from all the blood I lost.


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## Cat Lover Lennie (Jan 7, 2013)

Jacq said:


> Mine was a rather lovely shade of pink from all the blood I lost.


Lol! Honestly, mine used to panic too. Now I just move very slowly and talk calmly and they settle down in a minute. I don't even hold them by the scruff anymore. Before, I was as tense as one could be and rushed thru the process as fast as I could. I know they sensed my panic...now they sense my calm.....and it works for my "family". They even play in the storage bins when they aren't getting a bath. I "store" them in the bathtub!

I do recommend nail clipping the day before!


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## Cat Lover Lennie (Jan 7, 2013)

Nell said:


> I used to bathe my cats to help control my allergies. I don't anymore. I used regular baby shampoo because it is very mild. I never had a problem with it drying out their skin even though they were bathed often. Perhaps it's like humans where the more often you shampoo, the more oil your skin will produce to compensate? I loved the smell of their fur the days right after a bath though! and their fur was so soft too!
> 
> Excessively oily skin where they're leaving marks on things, though... that's not normal. It could be due to lack of grooming (sometimes caused by obesity or age), poor diet, or another health issue. If it were me, I'd be looking for and trying to address the underlying cause.


The cat that was greasy was also one that could not be handled...at all. I had him for 10 years and was never able to pet him. He had lived in a cage the 1st 5mo of his life....maybe that was why.....don't know. About a year ago, I was putting the monthly flea protection on the other 2 and he disappeared. I didn't think much of it, he was a hider...but I didn't see him at feeding time the next day...he NEVER missed a meal.....and I haven't seen him since. I have no idea where he went or how he could have gotten out....but he was gone. He was micro chipped but never got a call. It still makes me sad because, though he had a "nice" life here, he never was able to accept the love. The saddest thing of all was that I KNEW he would never let himself be rescued. Sad, sad, sad!


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