It’s important to keep your cat’s skin and coat healthy. As we know, cats can bathe themselves with their tongues, paws or teeth, but it does not make the cats human standard clean.
Especially when they get into something very dirty and they might not be able to look after themselves properly as well.
So, it might be a good idea to give them a bath, but you might consider how often you can bathe your cat?
According to Cat time, cats probably do not need to bathe more than once a month. However, it depends on several factors that I will talk about more in this post.
Let’s start reading to keep your cat’s skin clean and healthy.
How Often Can You Bathe a Cat?
When you want the frequency of bathing, it depends on certain conditions required by:
Environment
In general, indoor cats should bathe one or two times per year recommended by experts, but outdoor cats are more required than indoor cats because they can pick up a variety of odors and germs, so they usually get dirty faster.
Health Issues
If your cat has health issues with their skin such as a flea infestation, skin irritation or a loose stool. They require special attention to bathe more frequently.
Activity
Active cats will need to be bathed more frequently because they get dirty more easily and quickly.
Breed
Some cats breed actually require bathing routine to stay healthy like some cats breed in the following:
- Persians breeds, keeping the fur clean may be too much for a cat to handle on its own, since they have long hair.
- Sphynx or Selkirk Rex breeds really need a bath to remove body oils to maintain proper health.
In this case, it is in both of you and your cat’s best interests to clean them yourself. Bathing your cat as soon as possible, by any means necessary. It also makes your friend healthy and comfortable.
Can a Cat Get Sick After a Bath?
Cats should not get sick from a bath, if you dry them properly. Cleaning your cat after a bath without harming their skin or fur is really an important part of bathing a cat.
Things that you should consider before giving them a bath:
- Make sure your cat is not sick.
- Water temperature should be warm enough.
- Specialist cat shampoo. Do not use shampoo or conditioner for human hair, as it is unsuitable for cat hair or skin.
- After shaking off the water from their bodies, dry them with a towel.
However, I do not recommend you give a kitten a bath, since a kitten’s fur is designed to keep their body temperature steady when it is dry. It is easy to make them get cold, if you give them a bath.
Do Cats Feel Good After a Bath?
In general, most cats hate baths. They spend a lot of time afterward licking themselves.
According to my experience with my little girl, she does not appreciate being bathed at all. When I tried to give her a bath and process by washing herself, she tried to run out from the bathroom.
After the bath, she rolled around and rubbed the scent off of her coat as quickly as possible, since shampoos contain perfumes that may be pleasant to humans but are repulsive to animals.
She also tried to transfer water from her fur by running around, but after her fur has dried I think, she might feel invigorated from the stimulation massage during the bath by her relaxing nature.
Final Thoughts
Again, giving your cat bathe frequency is depending on your cat environment, health issues, breed, and their active or grooming your cat style. However, in other situations a one-time bath may be required.
Bathing a cat too often can cause the skin to dry out and flake. To be sure, you can ask your veterinarian for the best idea.
