Petside.com

Ruth from England August 10, 2009 12:04 PM

This is a subject that never fails to get my BP sky high. OK sometimes a cat HAS to be bathed if it's too dirty to clean itself and that's no joke for the poor cat or the person bathing it. But those people who do it routinely for showing or just because they feel like it, make me mad.It destroys the natural oils in the cats fur,cats are born self sufficient (or they were until humans took over their lives) The worst excuse I've ever heard from someone who bathed the poor cat every Friday was 'she smells of cat' For God's sake, what is she supposed to smell of ? Cats aren't fashion accessories or toys,they are free spirits and should be respected as such.

Babz August 10, 2009 12:15 PM

I have never in all my years of cat companions had the need to bath a cat, any parts of a cat that have been seriously or dangerously dirty have been attended to with a washcloth with the cat on a firm dry surface. Immersing a cat in a tub of water has got to be seriously disturbing for the animal, maybe if repeatedy subjected to this the cat would get used to it but as a cat shouldn't need cleansing with water more than once or twice in it's life I fail to see the necessity of bathing. My caption would be "Don't humiliate me, I am self cleaning"

fran willows August 10, 2009 12:46 PM

Light Blue Touch paper and stand well back! Bathing cats! I know that on some very very rare occasions a cat has to be cleaned, as Babs said usually with a cloth, butnever by immersing in a bath of hot/warm water. NO WAY NEVER EVER! It is just one more way of some owners turning their cats into accessories rather than pets, some so called celebritiies have a lot to answer for. Sometimes obviously if there is something that can be seriously or potentially serious for the cat then there is an exception to the rule, but nowhere near as often as some people make it out to be. my caption would be "Step away from the bath tub, and take me with you"

Vicki August 10, 2009 12:48 PM

I don't know much about bathing cats, but I do know one thing. The look on this poor little kitties face is priceless! Bless his heart.

Iniki August 10, 2009 12:59 PM

I love my life and my limbs. Unless one of our cats cannot clean themselves we do not bathe them here.

jmuhj August 10, 2009 3:28 PM

Totally agree with the above posters. There is NO need to improve on nature! Cats are the cleanest species, bar none (including us humans), and there is NO NEED to bathe them unless they have a really bad flea infestation or an incontinent problem that cannot be spot-cleaned. I find the waterless cat bath foam to be very nice for those little times. As for the fleafestation, keep cats indoors only, and if need be, apply topicals. There should be no problem.

And this cat in the photo looks absolutely terrified. SHAME.

Amy August 10, 2009 4:32 PM

But the label said no cleaning needed. Can't you read?

Rose from England August 11, 2009 2:43 AM

I agree with everyone else, bathing cats is unkind and unneccessary.In England where it's cat friendly and all cats have their rightful claws, they go out and enjoy the fullfilled lives they are born for.They are not treated like possessions or toys, they have the right to live a cats life.They keep themselves sparkling clean and they aren't subject to 'manicures' as Nature keeps their claws perfect as was intended.
That picture has deeply upset me. That poor cat,we all know cats hate being laughed at. It must be a nightmare to them forcibly held in water,soaped and rinsed.
I say on all cats behalf 'let them be cats' !!!!

Janis August 11, 2009 12:05 PM

I bathed my first catthat I have now a few times with flea shampoo but mainly because she had been a barn cat and was loaded with fleas and other parasites. The vet and I spent the first 3 months ridding her of worms, giardia and ringworms. Once she was healthy she didn't need baths anymore or have an odor. My second cat I got from a pet shop that sold SPCA kittens and she had an odor when I got her from laying on a dirty smelly bed but after a few days in our home the odor in her coat went away. I didn't consider a bath for her because I figured a new home with another cat was already enough stress. My opinion is that a healthy well fed cat will groom and care for himself just fine without the baths.

Teresa August 11, 2009 10:33 PM

Cats really don't need baths. Mine are inside cats and don't get into anything dirty. I did have to bath a kitten that I brought home, she is now 3 years old. I had to fish her out of a storm drain and boy did she ever stink and gunk in her fur. She got bathed twice and that was it. The rest of the time she has been rubbed down with a warm wash cloth if she had to be cleaned. But, since she is inside she doesn't get into motor oil, dirt, fleas, etc. The only other time I bathed a full grown cat was one that had gotten up into the chimney. I tried a wash cloth, but it was down to his skin. He never got another bath and he didn't go into the chimney again. As far as being smelly, mine don't smell. If they get into the fresh laundry the smell like what I wash clothes with. If someone comes in with perfume on and they are held by that person, they keep that scent on them for a little while.