The Bath!

[linda040899]

First off I want to say thank you to Barb for her excellent advice on how to give a cat/kitten a bath! It was most helpful! :)

Wednesday evening, my daughter, Jennifer, brought home a rescue kitten that she found in our local Pizza Hut parking lot. It weighs just a trace over 1 lb and I'm guessing it's about 6-7 weeks old. My other daughter, Renee, will be taking the kitten this coming Friday after the vet appointment she has scheduled for it, but it's staying with me until then.

I don't have much experience with kittens, so I called Barb to ask for suggestions on how to proceed. The most valuable thing she told me was use the bathroom and make sure the door is closed!!! Being a kitten rather than a full grown cat, I definitely had an advantage but had the kitten gotten away, at least she would have been confined to just one room rather than the entire house!!! :lol

Once the actual bathing was done, I wrapped her in a large towel and she started to purr! She didn't even mind me gently brushing her long fur. At the moment, she's back in the other bathroom to finish drying off and, hopefully, I will see a clean, pretty, grey, long-haired kitten emerge later on today. :)

Barb,
There's just one thing you didn't mention. Before I starting to bathe the kitten, make sure there's nothing else that wants a bath more than I want to bathe the kitten! No sooner did Dao hear running water when he came running into the bathroom so he could get clean! Of course, Georgia was right behind him.......... :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Janie]

Linda, :lol

I don't remember ever having to bathe a cat and I'm sure that if I had, I would remember it! My dog is a chore to bathe so it's probably 10 times harder with a cat. Luckily it's still a little kitty and the event was UNeventful! :D

[Elle]

I'm shocked she didn't mention to put the toilet lid down as well and take down the shower curtains! :lol

Glad it all went well. Lesson learned, next time offer Dao and Georgia a bath first! :rofl:

[linda040899]

I'm shocked she didn't mention to put the toilet lid down as well and take down the shower curtains!
Elle,
That was my first thought....!!!

Dao actually got his bath first. It's hard to argue with a Macaw on a mission! As I was testing the water, he climbed up my pants leg, over to my arm and down into the tub! :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

[Z28Taxman]

I had to bathe my 30 pound maine coon once about 20 years ago. I think I still have scars! :eek: He learned not to mess with skunks after that. :lol

[Z28Taxman]

Elle,
That was my first thought....!!!

Dao actually got his bath first. It's hard to argue with a Macaw on a mission! As I was testing the water, he climbed up my pants leg, over to my arm and down into the tub! :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

Here's an easier way to bathe a cat!

http://www.randyshomestead.com/mypets/cat_bath.htm

[BarbieH]

Linda always has her toilet seat down. :)

No problem Linda! I would have been remiss if I didn't tell you to keep kitty in a confined space. It's a lot like working with birds in some ways. Now that it's been done once, however, you will never have the element of surprise again. Kitty will always sense when you are preparing to bathe her again. Of course, it's Renee who will have to deal with it. ;)

(We always have to wait now until Neko is sound asleep on the bed. Even so, I need to have everything prepped in the bathroom before waking her up. Carrying her to the bathroom and the tub requires holding her so that all four paws are facing out. :eek: )

What I really should have told you was to wear long sleeves and gloves. With kitty being a stray, you can't be too careful.

Glad it went well anyway. :)

[bellarains]

Linda,

Kittens in my experience aren't too bad. Full grown cats???? I've got a scar to prove they are no fun :cry:

Dave,

Only you would find something like that :rofl:

[BarbieH]

He learned not to mess with skunks after that. And Dave learned not to mess with Maine Coons. :lol

Those are seriously big, powerful cats. I bathed my nextdoor neighbor's MC when his back fur was getting matted. He had never been bathed before, was fully grown and in his prime; there was no way the little old lady could have handled him. And then she felt sorry for him.

[Z28Taxman]

And Dave learned not to mess with Maine Coons. :lol

Those are seriously big, powerful cats. I bathed my nextdoor neighbor's MC when his back fur was getting matted. He had never been bathed before, was fully grown and in his prime; there was no way the little old lady could have handled him. And then she felt sorry for him.


That was the only time he ever got a bath. I'd rather fight a macaw than bathe a cat like that again. :eek: From that day on though, he'd just sit in the yard and watch the skunks from a safe distance.

[linda040899]

Yes, Renee gets to give the next bath! :eek: I was surprised. With everything else she did, there was no attempt to scratch.

I just got done talking to Renee. She wants to know how you all keep cats/kittens out of Christmas trees...... :whistle:

[BarbieH]

Linda I meant to ask, did anything come off kitty other than fur?

[Paulette]

Linda....it sounds like an adorable little kitten.

Ah....the experiences we put our selves through....a couple of years ago I saw a thing on tv how to bathe different pets.....less traumatic bathing for cats: you should fill the container with water first (luke warm) add your shampoo to the water swish it around.....then add the cat.....a tall bucket is preferable (less chance of it getting away) and it can stand on it's hind legs and still have most of the body submersed......scrubby....scrubby......use a sponge to wash the head/face.....and a second bucket for rinse water......dip/rinse twice. I just use the kitchen sink and let Snowball rest her front paws on the middle divider. I haved used this method with the new puppy and it works very well, but of course with the shake...you always get a little wet.

Taking care of pets is so interesing....isn't it!? :rolleyes:

[Janie]

HA! Christmas trees and cats????? We had cats when I was growing up and never had a single Christmas that at least one didn't get in the tree....usually both! My mother was a very unhappy camper over that. She was afraid of the cats in the first place and then, to add insult to injury, they usually knocked off and broke a couple of her ornaments each year.

My sister has too many cats (about 10, I think) and she gave up doing a Christmas tree. I'm sure that some cats don't bother a tree but ours always managed to climb it a few times each year. :D

[Elle]

I just got done talking to Renee. She wants to know how you all keep cats/kittens out of Christmas trees...... :whistle:


Deer urine works the best :rofl:

[linda040899]

Barb,
I couldn't use the flea and tick shampoo, as the kitten is too young. Other than fur, nothing else showed up in the water. Interestingly enough, though, the water looked a reddish rust color. I expected to see brown, dirt colored water, not this color. The shampoo I used is a very light green so that didn't make sense to me.

[linda040899]

Thanks for the suggestion, Elle...... Interesting!

I'm getting ready to put up my tree this afternoon, so I may have something to look forward to! :roll:

[BarbieH]

Christmas tree and cat do's and don't's:

* Don't use a real tree. The smells it carries in from outdoors can be tempting.

* Don't put ornaments on the bottom-most branches. At least, don't put breakable ornaments on the bottom branches.

* Do keep a water spray bottle on hand to discourage the cat when it inspects the tree. Do not spray the bottle on the tree, especially if it has lights.

* Do try using orange oil on/around the tree. Some cats really hate its smell.

* Don't put the tree next to anything the cat can use as an access/jumping point (i.e. chairs, low tables).

* Don't use tinsel. Not only does it dangle temptingly, some cats seem to enjoy its taste. One of our old cats liked to eat it, and we didn't find out until it showed up mysteriously (and festively) in the litterbox. She also nibbled on ribbons, bows, and Scotch tape. We figured she had cravings for petrolium-based products.

* Do use fabric decorations until you figure out how destructive your cats like to be with a Christmas tree.

[BarbieH]

Linda;

Is the outdoor dirt red down there? That might explain the color of the rinse water.

[linda040899]

Barb,
Most of the dirt here in FL is sand or sandy. In my backyard, it's dark charcoal until you get down a ways. Not quite sure what the kitten may have gotten into. Since she was in the Pizza Hut parking lot, there's no telling!

I've got most of your suggestions covered, as the dog I had before Jordy was really destructive around Christmas trees. All my delicate ornaments were placed "above the swinging line" of her tail! Will pass the info on to Renee.... :)

[BarbieH]

Not quite sure what the kitten may have gotten into. Since she was in the Pizza Hut parking lot, there's no telling! I have got a name for this kitty: Pizza Puss! :D

[kimsbirds]

FYI

Thought I'd butt in and mention that if you are seeing a reddish/brown rusty color of bath water after bathing the cat/dog etc, chances are you're dealing with fleas, as "flea dirt" is actually the excrement of fleas, and seeing as they drink blood, the poop of a flea is dried blood. When you add water (from a bath) the rinsing will produce a rusty tint.

:)

[linda040899]

Oh, thanks, Kim..........:x
Renee will have that taken care of this Friday. Thank goodness I don't have carpeting throughout the entire house!

[Janie]

Kim, what a spoiler! :lol Yep, fleas do leave a reddish color in the water. In GA, if we see red in the bath it's from the GA red clay but since Linda doesn't have that, fleas would be a good assumption. Sorry, Linda!

[Z28Taxman]

If you bathe a white cat in tomato juice they turn pink (and very angry). :rofl:

[butterfly1061]

Awwww, bathing a cat is nothing!! I've been bathing my cats for almost 30 years. I've had Persian cats up until 2 christmas' ago. One thing the vet always told me was to put one drop of mineral oil into each eye to prevent soap irritation. I use to bathe them once a month. Once they get a few they calm down. Oooo, I hate that poor little kitty has fleas. In a long hair, they are sometimes hard to get rid of. My Brandy had them once and it took me (& him) a few baths to get rid of them. I miss my Brandy.

Good thing Dao and the kitten didn't meet in the tub! :eek:

[Z28Taxman]

Awwww, bathing a cat is nothing!! I've been bathing my cats for almost 30 years. I've had Persian cats up until 2 christmas' ago. One thing the vet always told me was to put one drop of mineral oil into each eye to prevent soap irritation. I use to bathe them once a month. Once they get a few they calm down. Oooo, I hate that poor little kitty has fleas. In a long hair, they are sometimes hard to get rid of. My Brandy had them once and it took me (& him) a few baths to get rid of them. I miss my Brandy.

Good thing Dao and the kitten didn't meet in the tub! :eek:

Obviously you've never tried to bathe a 30 pound cat (with no fat on him I might add). :lol

Macaw vs. 1 pound Kitty would have been ugly. :eek:

[TGerard]

Hilarious thread everyone! Linda: I found a really good site about home remedies for fleas: http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/48/85.cfm

There are some useful tips for treating pets and the household. You can put your DE to good use if need be. And, is there anything Skin So Soft can't do?

[Z28Taxman]

And, is there anything Skin So Soft can't do?

It keeps mosquitos away.

[linda040899]

You can put your DE to good use if need be. And, is there anything Skin So Soft can't do?
:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:
Tim,
One of the few things that Skin So Soft can't do is smell good to my nose!!! My nose stops breathing if I'm anywhere near it!!! Let's see. I've got a 40# bag of DE in my garage. That should be enough to treat one small kitten.... Ya suppose??? :lol Seriously, if I rub DE into her fur, that should take care of the flea population. I've got to admit though, she's not scratching and I haven't been bitten by any unknown critters since she's been here.

[Z28Taxman]

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:
Tim,
One of the few things that Skin So Soft can't do is smell good to my nose!!! My nose stops breathing if I'm anywhere near it!!! Let's see. I've got a 40# bag of DE in my garage. That should be enough to treat one small kitten.... Ya suppose??? :lol Seriously, if I rub DE into her fur, that should take care of the flea population. I've got to admit though, she's not scratching and I haven't been bitten by any unknown critters since she's been here.

I can't stand that stuff either.

[Mummieeva]

Dave never had to bath a 30lb cat but I did 2 25lb cats. Does that count?lol. I have been lucky I have bathed many cats and only scar is on toe from were one jumpes out of tub with claws out.



Steph

[BarbieH]

Lots of interest in cat bathing here. :D I think it could become a new spectator sport. Can you imagine the time trials? :lol

Linda, I'm glad you're not seeing kitty scratch, or yourself either. That's a good thing. The flea droppings might have been old. Still, they do hang on if they've got a good host critter, and I don't think it's gotten cold enough down there to kill them off.

A severe flea infestation could kill a kitten, could at least stunt its growth. You can do an inspection by holding Pizza Puss on your lap and looking around the base of its hair, down to the skin, right around the ear/neck area. You may not see an actual flea, but you would see the droppings, which look like skinny little pieces of dirt.

[Crystal Taylor]

Linda, I don't think it's possible. My cats at home think that the x-mas tree is a big kitty play gym and the male kitties fight (quite literally) over who gets to be the "star" on top of the tree. A year or two ago I was watching and had to run across the room to catch the tree as it fell to one side with the weight of two cats hanging on for dear life. It was the funniest thing I ever saw. I should have let them fall to learn a lesson but then my moms antique family heirloom bulbs would have shattered everywhere and she would have cried.



Yes, Renee gets to give the next bath! :eek: I was surprised. With everything else she did, there was no attempt to scratch.

I just got done talking to Renee. She wants to know how you all keep cats/kittens out of Christmas trees...... :whistle:

[butterfly1061]

None of my cats ever played with the tree. Once the needles stuck their nose, they were outta there :lol I use to put the cheaper satin covered balls on the bottom branches so if they did decide to play with the ornaments nothing got broke. One thing I never used around cats was tinsel :eek: Please don't ask :rofl: Just guess.

[Z28Taxman]

None of my cats ever played with the tree. Once the needles stuck their nose, they were outta there :lol I use to put the cheaper satin covered balls on the bottom branches so if they did decide to play with the ornaments nothing got broke. One thing I never used around cats was tinsel :eek: Please don't ask :rofl: Just guess.

My cat never bothered the tree. Of course it wasn't real. He tried to climb it once, one time with claws on an aluminum pole changed his mind fast. BUt any ornaments within 3 feet of the ground were dead meat.

[linda040899]

Dave,
Renee's tree is artificial and it has a metal pole just like yours. The kitten hasn't bothered my tree, but Renee's cats have this thing for that tree!!! She said she was going to get some orange oil..... :)

[Z28Taxman]

Dave,
Renee's tree is artificial and it has a metal pole just like yours. The kitten hasn't bothered my tree, but Renee's cats have this thing for that tree!!! She said she was going to get some orange oil..... :)


Good thing he didn't climb it. A 30 pound cat at the top of a christmas tree would have been a recipie for disaster. :eek:

[BarbieH]

One thing I never used around cats was tinsel Please don't ask. Just guess.

:lol I guess, festive litter box! Yes, we also had a tinsel-chewing cat once upon a time. She also liked to chew rubber bands, which created bouncy things in the litter box. Fortunately she never got any bowel impactions before we discovered her bizarre tastes and hid all tinsel, rubber bands, Scotch tape, ribbons, etc., etc.

[cassysmiley]

:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol
Welcome to the wonderful world of Cats and Kittens.!!
Have been reading the posts and have been laughing at your antics with the Kitten, Linda.
Am lucky with my 3 boys they dont get a Bath now, (if ever) they go straight into the walk-in-shower. But i have never had to bath my cats so guess i am lucky, Misty my oldest does not drink from the bowl of water, he scoops it up with his paw and drinks from that. daft sop. Tori with him he is a whole lot different, in summer if it gets to hot as you know he as a Heart murmur so have to keep a very close eye on his breathing, If i get his Green towel out, he does a runner on me, as he knows this towel gets a soaking and i have to wrap it around him, and he is a Ragdoll and boy he does weigh heavy.
Now least but not last is Leo the Birman, well he will jump into the sink now.( he`s put out cos he not got a bath to jump into anymore.) And as Leo and Tori are semi long haired they have to be brushed regulary. Tori not to bad with that, Leo loves it, but with Leo he as made my Life so much easier when it comes to brushing. I hoover him :lol he loves it even play games with the hose of the hoover.( its an upright 1.) he as now learnt its not a good idea to put said paw in front of the nozzle of hoover when its on as he knows he looses the game. ( and paw.) But when i put the brush attatchment on it he is in Heaven. :happy: :lol But my biggest Worry now, is the Xmas Tree. :omg:
Misty and Tori take no notice, But this will be the 1st year i will put my artifcial tree up. I got Images of him running off with my Baubles, Be the Fairy on the top , run off with the tinsel, List is endless. I put up my xmas lights yesterday ( they are chasing lights.) Daft sod trying to catch the lights. I know he`s only 16 months old, but still acts as a 6 month old. Trouble is He can run faster than me when i tell him off, he knows when he does wrong, and bolts out of room tail wagging at me and a dirty look.
Who`s Worse Children Or Animals at Xmas Time.!!! :lol

[Elle]

The most funny thing I had ever seen was my cat Niles, when he was about 5 months old, walking around the tub while I was soaking in. He was doing quite fine until that darn clumsy teenager paw slipped and Niles did sploush in the tub. I had never seen, until that day, a cat soaking in water take a moment to get himself together, attempt to straithen his tail in a failed attempt to dignity, lift his head up and walk accross the tub, as if nothing happened, to get out to a less humid environment.
Not once did he scratch me. :whistle: