Conference misery::feline_v1

I usually put on some swim trunks and take a shower with the cat.  The spray
attachment to my shower is very handy. 

Make sure that the water is rather warm for you - not scalding, but warm. A
cat's body temperature is higher than yours - what you find pleasant may be
quite chilly to the cat...
                                               
- Chris

    My method, when I _have to_, is to fill the tub with very warm water,
    then, holding the cat, get into the tub and sink so that the cat
    is on my chest (for women, maybe stomach would be better).  As long
    as you're _under_ the cat, he or she won't think you're intending
    to drown them, and probably won't scratch (at least, none of mine
    ever had, and I've had 25 years of cat-raising).
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.
    
    P.S.:  Oh, yes: they're usuallly fairly unhappy about it, though...
    
    -S
    

    
    I've not actully tried this myself but have seen it recommended
    it may be of use.
    Try putting the cat in a pillow case such that his body (and claws)
    are contained and his head is sticking out . This should allow you
    to wash him through the pillow case (cos it's porous) without him
    being able to attack you . Equally , you can deflea him by putting
    the flea powder in the pillow case first and then work it in .
    
    regards  Dave W
    
    
    
    

    Bathing our cats is a two person job.  First I make sure the water
    temperature is correct and I fill the kitchen sink with about two
    inches of water.  My wife gently places the cat so that his front
    paws are resting on the edge of the sink but his back legs are in
    the water.  Then I scub and my wife holds the cat.  The cat is 
    never totally submersed.  I then use the spray hose to rinse him.
    Place him in a towel, and then blow dry him with the dryer on warm
    setting (never hot), and comb him out.
    
    (PS - When you fill the sink add the soap to the water at that time.)
    
    Have fun!
    

    I agree that it's a two-person job!
    
    One thing we have found a bit helpful is to put an old towel on
    the bottom of the tub. It makes the cat a little less frightened,
    as it has a firmer footing.

    I thank you all very much.  I will definitely put an old towel on
    the bottom of the sink.  This should help him out.  I agree that
    it is a 2-person job.  I wonder what the vet would charge!
    
    Joy
    

    Once when the vet refused to give my cat a flea bath -- much less
    traumatic if you do it yourself, he said -- it was suggested that
    I tape the end of the cats paws with the easy-to-remove-no pull
    kind of adhesive tape.  This keeps them from using their claws either
    on you or to get the grip they need on anything to escape.  It didn't
    convince poor Goonies that bathing is fun, but it did work quite
    well.  Other than that I usually use the kitchen sink and the spray
    attachment and wear a slicker type raincoat.
    
    Good luck!
    
    Susan

    All of these suggestions will probably work quite well, I usually
    use a plastic basin filled with water and dishwashing suds (dawn),
    cause it cuts through the grease that builds up on the hair much
    better.  The plastic basin allows the cat to dig it's claws into
    it instead of you....but...there are some cats that simply will
    not like the idea of taking a bath, you may talk to your vet and
    he can possibly prescribe a mild tranquilizer that you could give
    the cat a couple of hours before.  This may make it lots less painful
    for both you and the cat.
    

    Just out of curiousity, is there any particular reason to bathe
    ones kat? Shadow is a real dirtbag sometimes, especially after romping
    thru the muck and parading around on Martha's new Eurosport, but
    she soon has the coat glistening again.
    
    I could see washing a sick/injured/broken kat, but healthy ones?
    
    .mike.

    My ex-husband used to insist that I wash The Fickle if she had been
    outside and came in with muddy feet when she was a kitten (she is
    black and white spotted; her feet are white) -- not a wonderful
    experience!  And probably not necessary anyhow; she got clean by
    herself in a couple of hours if I let her alone (ie, when he wasn't
    around to see her tattle-tale gray toes).  I did wash her recently
    when I took off the flea collar she turned out to be allergic to
    - poor Fickle! - but that was a special case.  She screamed a lot
    while she was in the water (she HATES water) but did not struggle
    too much and let me dry her wrapped up in an old towel.  Some friends
    whose cats always seem to have fleas frequently bathe the kitties
    and then use flea powder; some of their cats even enjoy the water.

        Just as a suggestion, I have a cat that cares which way she
    is facing when she gets a bath. I can't remeber off hand which way
    works, but if I face her one way and she fights, I just turn her
    the other way and she stays put (actually every once in a while
    she struggles a little, but not nearly as much as the other way!)!
        I bath them in the kitchen sink. First I fill a large dish pan
    up with warm water, them I hold them in the sink and use a plastic
    cup to put the water on them. This seems to work out fairly well.
    I only have trouble if I run the water from the facet - This makes
    them very nervous and they fight hard. I can successfully bath either
    cat by myself (don't like to - but I can).
    
           Tom

    There is now another topic on Bathing Cats.  It is somewhere in
    the 400's.  It contains other suggestions that haven't been mentioned
    here yet.  Tom, you might try putting cotton in your cats ears so
    they can't hear the running water.  This works for me on one of
    my cats.  The others get upset if they can't hear my voice so I
    don't do it to them any more.
    
    JoAnn