How to wash a cat that hates water

Bathing a cat can seem like an intimidating task, but with the right approach and preparation, you can make it a smoother and more positive experience for both you and your feline friend. It becomes even more complex when your cat dislikes water.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to wash a cat without water.

Choosing the right time

Choosing the right moment to bathe your cat is essential if you are to make the experience smoother for you and more positive for your kitty. 

You want to wash your cat when they are mellow and tired. One appropriate time to wash them is after eating. Cats tend to be more affectionate and cuddly after eating, so far less fiest. You can also play with your cat for a few minutes. This helps to burn off some of that extra energy. Pick up your cat’s favorite toy or an all-time favorite for most cats, string, and play with your cat for a while. 

Before washing your cat…

Trim your cat’s nails

Before taking your cat to the bathroom, it’s advisable to trim your cat’s nails. Your cat’s claws are tools of destruction that they can summon at will. To minimize the amount of damage they might do when feeling under stress(damage measured in scratches), use a cat nail clipper and shorten their nails. For a smoother edge, use a cat nail file and file the edge down.

For extra safety, wear a long-sleeved shirt or a jumper and a pair of gloves. An apron helps keep the clothes underneath dry.

Brush their coat

Brushing your fur baby’s coat before the bath is ideal for getting to the knots and tangles. When they get wet, it becomes almost impossible to unravel them. On such an occasion, please take your cat to a professional groomer to attentively take them out.

Clean your cat’s eyes and ears

Check your cat’s ears for dirt and wax, and use a cotton swab to gently clean them. Ensure you moisten the swab prior with some warm water. 

Use a cotton ball or a clean washcloth moistened with some warm water to clean your cat’s eyes and face.

Getting everything within your hands’ reach

When you are dealing with a cat that hates water, you wanna ensure once you get them to the bathroom, the room is a tight vault. Get all the supplies you need for this dangerous mission ready in the bathroom. 

What you need:

• A tub or sink. If these options are unavailable, a basin would serve as nice. 
• Rubber mat to line your tub. This prevents your cat from skidding while bathing. If you don’t own a mat, placing a towel at the bottom of the tub or sink will do.
• Cat shampoo and cat conditioner. These products are specially formulated for your cat’s skin and hair. If you cannot get your hands on some, unscented bar soap or dish soap will do just fine. Do not use human shampoo to wash your cat. It is made for human skin pH and not your cat’s skin. Using human shampoo may strip your cat of all its natural oils leaving them itchy with their skin dry and flaky. 
• A small jug to help you rinse your cat.
• A sponge or washcloth to lather the shampoo and clean your cat’s fur.
• A mesh bag with an adjustable top. This is not quite an essential but it is a game changer. Put your cat in the mesh bag, and put two fingers between the neck and the closing spandex so as not to suffocate them. In this bag, you can completely access your cat’s body for a wash, while safely denying them too much room to be fiery. 
• Get some treats or catnip to help reward and calm down your cat.
• A large towel for a very nice pat down at the end.
• Prepare some lukewarm water for your cat. Cats are terrified of the sound of running water. It’s ideal to pour your water in the tub/sink before the cat comes to the bathroom. For this reason, using a showerhead is an unwise choice to bathe your cat. Use your elbow to test whether the water temperature is appropriate for your cat. This technique is well-trusted by newborn mothers.
• Recruit a friend to help you hold down your cat while you were them. 

Prepping the bathroom

Make sure the bathroom is warm before bringing your cat. To calm your furry baby and make them feel safe and less overwhelmed, you can set up a calming diffuser in the bathroom, which mimics pheromones.

You might wanna get a comfortable item to kneel on if you are using a tub. 

Washing your cat

Once everything is set up and all your supplies ready, bring your cat to the bathroom. 

Remember to stay calm. Cats are very intuitive creatures possessing the ability to pick up on their owner’s emotions. Staying calm, although not solely enough to calm your cat, goes a long way making bathing a positive experience for your kitty.

Lower your cat gently in the water. You can put your cat’s favorite toy in the water, or float a treat and let your cat try getting it. Using a familiar toy or treat helps make your cat associate the bath positively. Use your small jug to assist you wet their fur.

Hold your cat by the neck, or use a harness if they become irritable and start throwing scratches. get your invited friend to help you hold your cat down so that you may properly clean your cat.

Use a very small amount of shampoo on your sponge to lather and clean them. Hit the spots your overweight(or better, chonky), sickly, or elderly cat was unable to reach themselves.  If a substance that you deem dangerous to let your cat clean by herself, for example, oil, or pesticide is what made you wash your kitty, remember to give extra attention to the spot. Remember to keep the bath short as this environment is probably stressful for your cat. With time, the length of the baths may increase.

After ensuring all the gunk from your cat’s fur is gone, use your small jug to aid you rinse your cat. Remember to rinse them out properly as they are going to lick themselves after this bath. Rinsing them thoroughly ensures your cat does not ingest toxic chemicals in the shampoo.

Remember to use a calming reassuring tone all through, offering them treats when necessary to stay calm. 

After a good rinsing, pat them down using the towel set aside. Note to self, you will probably need more than one towel or a large absorbent towel. Cats are very sensitive to loud noises, so hair dryers are probably gonna get them agitated. Make a cat burrito by wrapping your kitty in a dry towel. Like how babies are swaddled. Of course, we do not cover the face. Don’t wrap your cat too tight so as not to suffocate them. Hold them close to you so that you provide your kitty some heat. When the towel gets too damp, switch it to a dry one.

Giving your cat some aftercare

After drying off all the excess water from your kitty’s fur, leave them in a warm, dry room to air dry. Shower your fur baby with praises for being brave enough to finish the bath. Offer them a few treats afterward. The goal of the treats is to make them associate the bath with a positive experience, and eventually shed their fear and tension of baths.

Your cat will probably run away and hide, let them. Give your fur baby a while to relax. They just went through a stressful experience, or rather they feel so. Offer them treats as a bribe for their forgiveness.

If your cat really hates water…

If your cat is aversed to bathing, there are a few options to help you keep your cat clean

• Waterless baths- get yourself a pack of vet-approved cat-wet wipes. This is a shortcut to bathing them. Use this option to clean their fur, faces, or even paws. Do not use baby-wet wipes due to differences in composition. The chemicals meant for babies’ skin may irritate your cat’s skin.
• Spot cleaning- if your cat has something on their fur, like gasoline, pesticide, or motor oil among others on their fur, it’s unwise to let them clean it themselves. Try cleaning just the dirty spots. Your cat is likely to remain calm more than they would in a bath. Use cat shampoo to get it out and a wet towel to wipe all the soap and dirt off their fur.
• Do not be shy about consulting your local pet groomer- they are more experienced and better equipped to take better care of your cat.