The Perfect Cat Bath in 9 Steps

By Debra Garcia

Britney Spears has a cat

Cats are experts at giving themselves baths. In fact, they spend a significant amount of their waking hours bathing themselves. Most cats can live their entire lives without human help in the cat bath area. However, every now and then, your feline friend may need a little help.

Unfortunately, for the vast majority of felines, a human-assisted cat bath will be their least favorite cat-human interaction, and they’ll let you know it in no uncertain terms. If you’ve ever tried to bathe a cat, you know that this isn’t an easy task and you may have the scratches to show it!

If the occasion comes when you need to bathe your cat, you must be fully prepared ahead of time. This will help the process go faster and reduce the stress for you and your cat. If at all possible, recruit a second brave human to help you. One person can hold your cat gently and firmly while the other washes and rinses. So Britney Spears would need a friend to help.

Cat Bath Supplies

Have the following supplies ready before you start to bathe your cat:

1. Container in which to bathe your kitty (something like a plastic baby tub), or you can use a large sink;
2. Soft wash cloth;
3. Large clean dry towel;
4. Cat shampoo, or a safe flea shampoo if you’re bathing your cat to get rid of fleas; and a
5. Plastic jug or large cup to pour water over your cat.

Once you have all the supplies ready to go, you’re ready to grab your cat and get to work.

Nine Steps for the Perfect Cat Bath

When you are ready for the task, here are the steps you should take to give your cat a bath:

1. Fill the plastic tub with about four inches of warm water.
2. Test the water to make sure it’s warm, but not too warm.
3. Add and mix the cat shampoo into the water.
4. Holding your cat or kitten firmly, place him or her in the tub.
5. Using the plastic jug, pour some warm soapy water over your cat (avoid the face and eyes).
6. Massage the soapy water into your cat’s fur from the neck down to the tail.
7. Rinse your cat with clean warm water using the plastic jug or large cup.
8. Wrap your cat in a large clean towel and gently rub her dry as much as you can. Some cats may allow you to follow up with a hair dryer on a low setting.
9. Follow up with a healthy treat for your cat so your kitty may associate the bathing with something good.

While you’re giving your cat a bath, talk gently and soothingly. Remember to have a firm grip of your cat, but be careful not to hurt him or her.

“Sponge Baths” for Cats

If you feel your feline friend doesn’t need a full-on cat bath, you could use a kitty wipe or a warm washcloth to clean his or her fur. This will be a lot less traumatic for your kitty (and you!) than a full bathing and might be all the help he or she needs.