Happy Bath Day 2

This one is about a few pointers for giving baths to cats. I am no expert but these are things that I have figured out from my own experience. There are three stages: Pre, During and Post.

Pre-bath:

1.       Clean the bathroom and especially the area where the cat is to be given the bath.

2.       Clean the entire house since the cat will run round after the bath.

3.       Have everything ready and in place for action before you even bring the cat into the bathroom. Once operation kitty bathing starts, there will be no time to stop and make arrangements.

4.       Make sure that the weather is not too cold or wet or the cat might fall ill.

5.       Be prepared mentally and otherwise to take a bath right after giving the cat(s) one. Reason? You will HAVE to. The odds of your remaining dry after the cat is done with its bath are heavily against.

During bath:

1.       Have a strategy suited to the particular cat’s needs; if it is shouts more, like Merry, don’t start with it; if it is strong, like Pippin, don’t wait till the end because you might be tired; if it doesn’t mind the water too much, like Sam, you might want to start with it; if it is easy to manage, like Frodo, and you are tired, you might want to wind up the process with it.

2.       Act fast, act efficiently. No dillydallying.

3.       Remember that the chances of the cat becoming more aggressive in its efforts to escape are higher after you have applied the shampoo. It is one of those things like Murphy’s law, I think.

4.       Towels! Big, fluffy ones, preferably. Wrap the cat in it and rub him quickly but gently so that you can get most of the water out. You DO NOT want a dripping cat running amok all over your house.

5.       Reinforcements, if possible. It is extremely difficult to give a bath to a reluctant cat single-handed!

Post-bath:

1.       Make sure that the cat is comfortable and not sitting in a place where it can catch a cold.

2.       Have your own bath, since you will be dripping in all likelihood.

3.       Clean up the bathing area of the cat(s) and wash everything.

4.       Be ready to groom your cats, especially those who are not very enthusiastic about grooming themselves.

5.       Feed your cats something they like soon after they are a little soothed, so that they can calm down faster.

Let me just end with a couple of quotes about cats and baths.

Cat lovers can readily be identified. Their clothes always look old and well used. Their sheets look like bath towels and their bath look like a collection of knitting mistakes.

Eric Gurney How to Live with a Calculating Cat (Courtesy of www.catquotes.com)

Cat bathing is a martial art.

Anonymous (Courtesy of http://user.xmission.com/~emailbox/cattags.htm)

Happy bath day to all of you and your cats!