Omg, scared to death to GIVE OUR CATS A BATH!

[Daddas1Punkin]

Our cats have fleas, like, BAD! Drops don't help, collars don't help. Flea shampoo is the only thing left to try for us.
I clipped their claws in a caution before hand, and first thing in the morning in the tub they go! We have three, three times
the claws, three times the crying, and three times the thing i don't like most of all, TEETH! This should be good!

Long sleeves, check.
Shampoo, check.
Gloves, check.
Towels, check.
# to 911, defiantly check! LOL!




Help!

 

[Daddas1Punkin]

I know one thing for sure...



Cats + Water + Soap + Humans = 911

lol

 

[Peaches Lee]

May I ask what drops you have used? I really like Frontline and Advantage. Also you can get a flea comb. Good luck.

 

[my sunwolf]

Well, sometimes it helps to have two people... hold by the body, but if they're really uncooperative I have one hand grabbing the scruff and one looped under the belly. Then have a second person do the wetting, soaping up, rinsing. Should be lots of fun!

Also, what Peaches said, get the really poisonous stuff and that'll knock the fleas right off.

 

[Daddas1Punkin]

May I ask what drops you have used? I really like Frontline and Advantage. Also you can get a flea comb. Good luck.

We don't remember, but we got Harts this time. Those are really expensive here though...

Well, sometimes it helps to have two people... hold by the body, but if they're really uncooperative I have one hand grabbing the scruff and one looped under the belly. Then have a second person do the wetting, soaping up, rinsing. Should be lots of fun!

Also, what Peaches said, get the really poisonous stuff and that'll knock the fleas right off.

Thanks! We were brave and did it this morning, WE ARE ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!! Only one scratch! One of our cats sounded like she was saying "HELP! HEEEEELP! HELP!!!!!!" lol! We felt bad for them, but they still love us and they're sooooo soft now!

 

[Duckchick2011]

Be careful with harts, I lost a young cat a few years ago to hearts in a really terrible way, it had some kind of reaction to it...not a pleasant memory. We had used it fine in the past before, it works, but it is one of those products I now stay far away from if I can.

 

[hollys chooks]

Keep a good strong hold on the scruff of their neck when washing the cat. It is an instinct for cats to not struggle when held like this as kittens, kittens who wiggle out of mum's grasp when she is carrying them don't always survive. Don't be gentle, grab a good handful of that loose neck skin.
Also with fleas, don't just treat the animal, treat it's bedding and anywhere it likes to lay about. Get rid of all the flea eggs and larvae or you'll be reinfested in no time. Also, when vacuuming suck up some insect surface spray to kill off any fleas you vacuum up.

 

[res]

While some cats are okay with being washed like a dog - using a spray nozzle - some cats totally freak out at the spray. I have bathed a lot of cats at the clinic, and have found they tolerate the "bucket method" the best.

You will need 2 (or more) tall 5 gallon buckets.

WITHOUT THE CAT PRESENT, fill each one with warm water. If you try to hold the cat WHILE filling the buckets, be prepared to call 911...

Bring in the cat, scruff it, and dunk it into bucket #1. (Don't ever dunk the head - just dunk up to the head. If possible, wet down the head/neck area before putting the cat in the bucket. Use a washcloth and flea shampoo/dawn - this keeps the fleas from finding refuge on the dry head - which they WILL do - they will crawl in ears and nostrils to get away!) You'll need to reach into the bucket to ruffle up the hair and make sure it all gets wet.

Take the cat out, apply soap, and suds it up. If possible, let it sit in a crate for 10 minutes or so, to kill the fleas. Be sure the crate is in a warm area!

Scruff and dunk the cat in the 1st bucket, reaching in and ruffling the hair to rinse it. Dunk it in bucket #2 to rinse it further. Rinse the head/neck with a washcloth.

Dry as best as possible with a towel, and return to crate to dry. You *can* put a heater in front of the crate but be VERY VERY careful that you do not overheat the cat! It does happen! If you cannot constantly monitor the temp in the crate, you are better off putting the crate in a small room (bathroom?) and heating the whole room, with a plain old fan blowing some air into the crate.
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*Dunk the cat slowly, and you might need extra hands to detach legs from the edge of the bucket.

*Use warm water - it seriously seems to make the cats relax like they are in a spa.... One of mine enjoys it so much he will willingly stand in the bucket, without attempting to eascape.

*Do not use Hartz or Bio-Spot or any othe "off-brand" flea drops on cats. Cats are extremely sensitive to chemicals, and can/do have lethal reactions. Do use Advantage, Frontline, or a fipronil containing product.

* You will need to treat the house, and/or yard, and any other animals in the house. It can take up to 3 months to entirely rid the house... So be patient, and keep killing the little buggers according to the directions on the package you choose to use.

*Sometimes you can find exterminators that have a gaurantee - if they can't kill the fleas in X# treatments, then the following treatments are free. Sometimes this can be cheaper and easier than do-it-yourself products.

 

[Daddas1Punkin]

Be careful with harts, I lost a young cat a few years ago to hearts in a really terrible way, it had some kind of reaction to it...not a pleasant memory. We had used it fine in the past before, it works, but it is one of those products I now stay far away from if I can.

YIKES! I pray that they are going to be okay!!! sorry for your loss...

Keep a good strong hold on the scruff of their neck when washing the cat. It is an instinct for cats to not struggle when held like this as kittens, kittens who wiggle out of mum's grasp when she is carrying them don't always survive. Don't be gentle, grab a good handful of that loose neck skin.
Also with fleas, don't just treat the animal, treat it's bedding and anywhere it likes to lay about. Get rid of all the flea eggs and larvae or you'll be reinfested in no time. Also, when vacuuming suck up some insect surface spray to kill off any fleas you vacuum up.

Lol! thank you!

While some cats are okay with being washed like a dog - using a spray nozzle - some cats totally freak out at the spray. I have bathed a lot of cats at the clinic, and have found they tolerate the "bucket method" the best.

You will need 2 (or more) tall 5 gallon buckets.

WITHOUT THE CAT PRESENT, fill each one with warm water. If you try to hold the cat WHILE filling the buckets, be prepared to call 911...

Bring in the cat, scruff it, and dunk it into bucket #1. (Don't ever dunk the head - just dunk up to the head. If possible, wet down the head/neck area before putting the cat in the bucket. Use a washcloth and flea shampoo/dawn - this keeps the fleas from finding refuge on the dry head - which they WILL do - they will crawl in ears and nostrils to get away!) You'll need to reach into the bucket to ruffle up the hair and make sure it all gets wet.

Take the cat out, apply soap, and suds it up. If possible, let it sit in a crate for 10 minutes or so, to kill the fleas. Be sure the crate is in a warm area!

Scruff and dunk the cat in the 1st bucket, reaching in and ruffling the hair to rinse it. Dunk it in bucket #2 to rinse it further. Rinse the head/neck with a washcloth.

Dry as best as possible with a towel, and return to crate to dry. You *can* put a heater in front of the crate but be VERY VERY careful that you do not overheat the cat! It does happen! If you cannot constantly monitor the temp in the crate, you are better off putting the crate in a small room (bathroom?) and heating the whole room, with a plain old fan blowing some air into the crate.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Dunk the cat slowly, and you might need extra hands to detach legs from the edge of the bucket.

*Use warm water - it seriously seems to make the cats relax like they are in a spa.... One of mine enjoys it so much he will willingly stand in the bucket, without attempting to eascape.

*Do not use Hartz or Bio-Spot or any othe "off-brand" flea drops on cats. Cats are extremely sensitive to chemicals, and can/do have lethal reactions. Do use Advantage, Frontline, or a fipronil containing product.

* You will need to treat the house, and/or yard, and any other animals in the house. It can take up to 3 months to entirely rid the house... So be patient, and keep killing the little buggers according to the directions on the package you choose to use.

*Sometimes you can find exterminators that have a gaurantee - if they can't kill the fleas in X# treatments, then the following treatments are free. Sometimes this can be cheaper and easier than do-it-yourself products.

OMG! Even the ones for cats?!?!?

 

[duckluck]

In the past when I've had to teach a cat to be bathed, I have used a cat harness and leash...I can suspend the cat over the tub if it tries to go nuts so that it can't grab ahold of me. Everytime it freaks out, I just hold it by the leash and that's it. It can be tough but it can be done. Best to use a large tub that has no curtains, shower doors or other things that can impede you or that the cat can grab. Best thing to do for anyone who has kittens: teach them early to be bathed, which I had admittedly done with most of my house cats, but I have had to use the above method with a more mature cat as well. With the trained cats, I still used it, just in case. One cat was good enough with the process that he could be sent to the groomer, and he was actually better for them than the dog! A lot of groomers won't take cats because they have not been worked with early.