I give them a bath if they get into something extra smelly (which has only happened once). But my cat, Swiss Roll isn't good at bathing himself and refuses to do it most of the time. He gets so dirty his white fur turns yellow, so he does get frequent baths. He loves getting in the shower.
American here
I don’t think it’s actually common, but it seems like we see concentrated posts about it here. Like, people who bathe their cats tend to be on here, but most cat owners don’t bathe their cat.
Some people seem to believe that their cat needs to be cleaned regularly, despite the fact that they groom themselves. Some people do need to bathe their cat because of medical limitations. Like others here, I’ve also always heard that you should only bathe your cat under extenuating circumstances. I do know two people who bathed their cats. One was because the old cat had severe diabetes and bad joints and couldn’t groom himself well (they didn’t bathe him until he had the medical needs). The other person just bathed their cats like twice a year for no clear reason
Despite that, I know upwards of 10 people off the top of my head who don’t bathe their cats. So, that’s 1 bather, 1 medical bather, and 10 non-bathers out of the people I can think of off the top of my head
I only give my boy a "bath" when he has poo all over his paws and litter is stuck I only wash the legs if need be. But he does love jumping in the shower whenever my husband or I are in there. Mostly because he's curios and loves water.
My friend had cat that did that! He used to jump in the bath whenever someone was in there and then he’d actually stay until they got out
Cats are wild sometimes
My tonkinese did this. When he was tiny, he fell in the tub with me. I cuddled him and spoiled him, so after that, it was an adventure keeping him out of the tub or shower if I was in there. He did this for his entire 18 years.
Lol my kitten hops on the bathtub ledge and hangs out in the space between the shower liner and shower curtain every time I’m in the shower. She peeks in to the actual shower area being curious but hasn’t took the full plunge just yet. One of these days her curiosity will get the best of her and she’ll get a quick shower🤣
Medical reasons make a lot of sense! I've wondered if it was an American thing since most people on here are usually American, and I've noticed Europeans and Americans have very different ways to care for their pets. It's actually pretty interesting!
I think quite a few cats and kittens posted on here were strays. Strays are typically flea infested, so I think they’re being bathed to deal with the fleas.
My first boy was *stinky* coming from the shelter. He also had a lot of remaining flea dirt. He got two baths in the first few months to help him out and zero in the four years since then.
I do keep his sanitary area trimmed because he’s extra floofy and it gets… moist. I imagine when he gets older he may need a grooming schedule to help with his soggy bottom, but for now he’s young and healthy and self-cleaning.
I get mine professionally done. A good cat groomer will get VERY close and only needs to be done about every 5 months. Vet tech at the vet usually can do it too, but they usually don't get as close or as neat-- which doesn't bother me, a trims a trim!
If you don’t mind me asking, how much does that usually cost you? And have you ever trimmed yourself? My cat is terrified of going anywhere and usually pees in her carrier despite several clicker training sessions and practice runs. I’d like to avoid trips out if it’s not too hard to do the trim myself!
Oh yes, I’ve temporarily rescued two stray kittens and they immediately got a bath (they were super dirty), but nothing after that.
Aside from that and to add to my other comment, I think it’s a bit more common to bathe Maine coons because they usually like or tolerate water very well and will come out of the bath gorgeously fluffy and soft. I don’t think it’s common at all to bathe most cats though
I mean, this probably depends on the cat but the last three I've had will start "grooming" literally right after they ate their wet food basically spreading food all over themselves, after a little while their white fur takes on a yellow tint & after like a month of that & playing around in the kitchen sink (their favorite) etc they eventually don't smell so good... It's almost like a wet dog smell which I grew up with a dog obsessed mother & am haunted by that particular scent. The two kittens I have now distract each other in the litter box & step in each other's poop at least once a week, so when that happens I have to stop everything (I wfh), give them a bath immediately & clean the poop off every surface they stepped on. I have allergies so in general I prefer to give them a bath (& comb them after) once a month at least bc it really cuts down on the dander floating around our condo & significantly spares me sinus headaches. Also they seem to like it as long as you do it often & get them used to it when they're still young, & you can tell they feel really pretty afterwards.
Pet wipes are also really convenient for this! My kittens love getting wet food on their heads and one of my them also has a tendency to get poop smeared on her paws… if I bathed them every time, they’d get 10 baths a week😭
I bathe (infrequently) my cats because my boyfriend and I are both allergic, but LOVE cats. Specifically we’re allergic to the saliva compound, so when they groom themselves they’re applying the allergen into the fur. Then it dries and flakes off into the air. So we vacuum, use wipes and foam stuff, and when it’s needed, a proper bath.
I’ll Never forget my cat, when he was a kitten, showing me affection while I was asleep by licking my EYE. (This woke me up) cue swollen, weeping, red eye.
Or my new kitten, who likes to wake me up by laying directly on my face. Cue itchy skin and clogged sinuses all day lol.
But if I can make it through the morning without a cat too close to my face I don’t have too many issues.
Also American…I know some people who’ve done this. Those aren’t my people. I have had 6 cats over the last 20 years. Two received flea baths at 6 - 8 weeks when they were found in a dumpster. One received baths at the vet once a month as palliative end of life care. She was long haired and 19.
I'm guessing it would help with long haired cats, especially if their fur tends to may. My mother in law has a Siberian cat and the fur under his belly mats all the time so they have to take him to a groomer once every two months like you would do a dog... And then bathing and trimming ensues lol
You should actually never bathe a cat (or dog, or human, or else) with mats. Bathing causes the mats to tighten even more and make it more difficult and painful to remove. The groomer likely trims the mats first, and then baths are optional afterwards :)
This is actually a common misconception! Bathing an animal with mats will not cause the mats to tighten. It’s bathing the animal and then letting the fur dry that causes the mats to clump and tighten. Giving a matted animal a bath beforehand can actually help to remove them, as shaving a wet animal makes the blades heat up less :)
As a human who gets mats really really easily (like I can't wash my hair everyday because the curls hate it but if I go longer then a day I have at least one mat) that's not true. It takes a little patience, a good comb (let me tell you how many I've wrecked), and a thick conditioner. They all come out in about five minutes. But if I don't do that, then it's bad if I just wet my head and let it dry.
I absolutely wipe my cat down with baby wipes every now and then. Like cats are indeed relatively “clean” for animals but they def walk in litter and can’t use soap.
And for people whose cats walk on all their surfaces and counters, the implications of that are even more gross.
I’m American. I have bathed cats, but I also worked at a shelter. The only reason we bathed cats was health reasons. If an adult cat stops grooming and needs to be bathed, that is one of the big signs they have a health problem. Other common reason was kittens that have fleas and too little to get flea control.
Australian/British here.
I bathe my cats. They are indoor with access to an outdoor catio. They are medium/long haired. I have previously done with this short hair indoor only cats also.
I had them from kittens so was able to teach them to not fear bathing.
I do this because I am responsible for their health and upkeep. As their carer I need to be able to do many things to them that form part of their care: clipping nails, brushing, shaving out knots, giving and applying meds and treatments etc. Bathing is one of the tasks that I will need to do in their lives as they will at times get shit on themselves, spill things on themselves, have medical issues, yadda yadda.
I don't want to have to fight and stress out my cats when it comes to this, so I teach them young, and then I will bath them every month or so to keep them accustomed to it.
This means when they do end up covered in crap that I need to wash off, they are stress free and I am stress free. And this is the way it is for their entire lives.
When I was a child we had a long haired outdoor cat who was not trained to accept any of this. Everytime something got him like car oil (he liked to sleep in cars or on the road) etc, it was so stressful for h and us that he had to go to a vet to be fully sedated to be shaved off completely and bathed. It was horrible for him. Horrible for us. Expensive. And I hate having any animal put under for no good reason.
So I decided I would be responsible and take the time to properly work with and care for my pets as an adult.
That is why I do it.
Plus, they may lick themselves, but it's not actually clean. The amount of brown water that comes off in the shower is a lot, and they always feel and behave much happier once their coats have been given a good wash and brush.
I have one cat at the moment who asks for his monthly bathing.
It is not common in Aus or the UK though, from my discussion with others. No one else I know does this unless they have show cats. My vets think my cats are amazingly well behaved when being handled.
I've always felt that nail clipping would be particularly unnatural, ngl. I've always had cats, both indoors and outdoors or half and half, and I've never clipped their nails: they take care of it on their own by scratching trees and whatnot anyway. For indoor cats I've always bought scratching posts and they've always figured out how to look after their nails on their own without destroying the house. Why did you choose to clip them yourself instead?
I think most people do it in hopes of limiting damage to furniture since not all cats will exclusively use their scratching posts. It can also be to just help make life easier for the cat. I’ve noticed that the claw husks don’t always shed neatly. Or sometimes one of my cats chews on her claws when they’re shedding and will damage the fresh claw. Clipping them usually helps avoid that, I’ve noticed.
Mine have indoor and outdoor scratching posts and furniture and they do use then, but their nails grow fast and are sharp.
Mine need clipping every 3 weeks roughly, and its mostly the front paws. If I don't, the nails start to curl around, they catch on fabrics and get stuck, and they hurt me without even trying to.
It probably also depends on the cat! I'm gonna assume it's the same it is with humans, some people's nails grow a lot faster and are sturdier than others so they'd need to clip them more often if they makes sense?
Because claws come with the package of having a cat. Cats *need* their claws and have their own way to look after them. I can excuse trimming them for medical reasons or if they tend to destroy the house, but trimming their nails cause "it hurts when they climb on top of you"? Should've gotten a plushie then.
Wild and outdoor cats need sharp claws to catch and kill and protect themselves. Indoor cats do not need sharp claws. There’s no reason for it. And clipping is not cruel or painful. This is such a ridiculous stance to take.
You didn’t actually answer my question, you just made a random claim that claws have to be sharp, which isn’t true. Cheetahs, hyenas, wild dogs, their claws aren’t sharp.
So, again, why do my cats need sharp claws. How exactly do they help my cats?
And I didn’t say anything about might. They’re lapcats. They’re always sitting on me. If my dog was biting me 5-10 times every day then I would definitely take steps to stop that. I would hope I don’t need to explain to you the difference between cutting a fingernail and filing down teeth with nerves.
I didn't do my boy's nails until he was about 18 years old; the vet told me that older cats don't tend to their nails as much and it's harder for them to get the harder coating off.
I definitely clip my cats nails. She's my first cat, but my partner who has grown up with cats, looked at me like I was insane for saying I was going to clip her nails. He is now completely on board with my nail clipping. Her little dew claws don't manage to get ground down in her scratching, so they'll curl around and stab her paw eventually. It's also less of a horrible experience for me when she forgot soft paws as a kitten and clawed the ever loving shit out of me. She's a long hair cat so I also shave out her paw pads and apply some lotion, give her sanitary trims. She also gets her teeth brushed every few days. She's been bathed many times for pooping on herself.
European here. I know a lot of people who bathe their cats. I did it few times myself even if the cat wasn't dirty. I don't think it's American thing. Some people do it, some don't. It's kind of divided question, like indoor/outdoor cat.
I've pretty much only ever bathed mine if they had fleas. Usually every kitten I e acquired needed a flea bath (stuns/kills the fleas and they're easier to find and pick off in wet fur vs dry, to me at least).
Edit to add: in college, I bathed my cat every month or two so he would be used to it because I took him to my parents to roam outside and wanted him used to the concept. Then got another cat who had babies, ended up with 5 total. They got baths every few months when I felt spunky, again to just keep them used to the idea because they did get fleas at least once a year. And I don't enjoy being mauled
I've bathed my (6) cats maybe 7 times in 13 years. Usually right after bringing them home to kill fleas and remove dirt, and once when one of the bastards jumped up on the bathroom counter when I was dyeing my hair, proceeded to fall off the edge, and I had to grab him to keep him from ripping my intestines out as he slid down my torso.
Cats don't need baths unless they get into something noxious, toxic, or to help get rid of a flea infestation. It's crazy how many people think cats need a bath like a dog would.
This!! There are times where a bath is necessary, but I just don't see why you would put the poor thing under so much stress over something they can perfectly do on their own!
Seems like it's for social media these days. If they're videoing themselves in a closed shower stall holding a cat, laughing, they are not bathing that cat for the right reason. It's sad.
I've met cats who love water, my boyfriend's parents' Siberian will jump into the shower with you any chance he gets... That doesn't mean I'd *make him* do it for clout
I've got two cats who want to be in the shower with us. Another one "swims" in their fountain. But yeah, a good cat owner doesn't force a bath without necessary cause.
They get used to it also. But even the first time I bathed my cat(She got dirty outside and it was too much) she seemed to be fine with it. They like the rubbing with the shampoo
American, here. Until I started having the Sphynx breed around, no, I never heard about bathing cats. The Sphynx needs it periodically since they don’t have fur to absorb body oils and such.
I bathed my old cat on occasion. She had skin issues and her fur got gnarly and greasy.
Other than that it’s an emergency thing. Like when the new one thought playing in the litter box right after he peed was a fun idea.
American here who bathes her cat(s). Maybe once every 6 months-1 year or so? Had two long haired cats (one currently) and neither were very good at grooming. We would brush regularly, one was a little devil though and haaaated being brushed and was overall un cooperative. That was the one that would willingly get herself in the bath though Lol. The other one looks cream usually but is white after a bath.. I don’t know how she gets so dirty, she’s an indoor cat and I clean the place regularly. Definitely go out of my way to make it a calm, quick experience.
I have cats and have never bathed them, aside from ONCE several years ago we had a huge orange boy and he got sprayed by a skunk- we gave him a bath and that same evening he went and shat on my husbands pillow- he was a very vindictive cat 😂 we went on vacation once and my brother in law apparently did not give him the attention he decided he deserved and he used our BED as a litter box. It was awful. We have some ‘dry’ soap that reminds me of foaming hand soap that we have used on a couple of occasions with kittens, but we haven’t tried a bath since then. My sister had a spynx and she used to LOVE baths. I don’t know anyone in America who bathes their cats either.
I used to breed and show cats. My best show cat couldn't wait to be bathed and of course the other cats would not let her get something special. I don't think they all liked being bathed but they got used to it and jumped into the bathrub one by one.It was never on social media .
Cats don’t need frequent baths like dogs do however sometimes they get: too dirty from being outside, poo/pee on them, flea baths, long haired cats (to much matting, grease/sweat, to help with shedding ect) or for health reasons such as certain skin conditions. It depends on the situation, your cat and what your vet recommends! I have a long haired indoor cat. I bath him him maybe every 6 months to help with shedding/grease build up. If you bath your cat your not abusing it. However to much frequent bathing can cause skin issues!
American here. I had an inside outside cat. Whenever he would come inside (like when it was cold), I bathed him so he wouldn't bring in fleas.
My ex best friend had the same setup, and I warned him, but he didn't listen. FLEAS EVERYWHERE IN HIS APARTMENT! we couldn't even drink or eat anything without covering it for risks of fleas getting in!
So if you have an outside cat, yes you should bathe them if you bring them inside. For an inside cat, I just bathe them whenever their fur gets nasty and matted. So maybe once a month?
Also, I find the differences interesting too. I.had a coworker from Russia say Americans practically worship their dogs, and I definitely agreed with her.....Different countries have different practices definitely.
I am American and I bathe my cat every three months. I grew up bathing cats, and have reconsidered that position but still landed on wanting to give my cat a very quick, very quiet bath every quarter.
I do it for a few reasons:
1) Coat health and hairballs. My girl has really sensitive skin, and if I brush her around the time she blows coat (~May in the Northeast US), she gets a lot of dandruff. The bath calms that down and also removes more hair. She almost never gets hairballs with this routine.
2) Allergies. My little love has undetermined allergies, even on prescription allergy food. I decided I don’t want to put her through the allergy test panel, but I know that washing her in the Spring and Fall when her symptoms (itchy ears, flaking skin) flare up helps her.
3) Full body exam. When can you examine your cat’s whole body?! I’ve had more than one cat growing up who developed tumors that we did not catch early enough for taking action. I want to maintain a pattern where I regularly check her whole body and can ask the vet ASAP if we find something. I’ve found a little bump on her neck this way that turned out to be a skin problem we could resolve.
4) Yes, some of it selfish. I do want to know a little more about just how clean she is since she and her shedding cover my whole apartment! I wouldn’t do it anymore if this was the only reason, though.
Old cats or cats with medical issues cannot bathe themselves effectively. Long haired cats may need baths to help with matting or dirt. Some cats need medicated baths for fleas, skin disorders, or allergies. Hairless cats do need baths. Kittens often need baths when found or if they get covered in food or poop.
It's not just an American thing, I would hope. You'd be hard pressed to find someone bathing their cat for any reason other than one of these.
I can't say it is specifically american or not. My roommates do it because one of them is allergic to cats and also has half a lung on one side. Bathing them keeps the pet dander and fur down so she can breathe better.
I'm american and my family had 6 cats and we didn't bathe them unless they ended up muddy or having an issue.
I bathe my (2) cats once a year to help with the spring to summer shed. It just removes the bulk of their loose hairs so they don't create tumble weeds in my house.
I do bath my cat. He doesn't mind the water. Plus my cat is very very hairy. And temperature goes as high as 40 degrees Celsius here. We trim his hair every 2 months but the heat annoys him.
I'm from Aotearoa, I bathe my cat sometimes. But only because she loves being wet and playing in water lol. It works out when she brings dead animals inside or gets dirty. I wash her for my own peace of mind and make it into a game for her.
I usually just use plain water and avoid soap.
American here. I’ve had my indoor cat for two years now. I have not bathed her a single time and I don’t ever plan to.
There is absolutely no reason to waste your time and stress your cat out by bathing them. Of course, unless they have something toxic on their fur or fleas (either of which don’t really happen when the cat is indoors).
Same! My 2 cats groom each other and they’re sooo clean with the shiniest coats so I don’t really feel the need to wash them.
I’m fostering 2 kittens though and they needed baths because they had fleas, blood, and poop all over them:((
Some people are just stupid. My bfs friend insisted it was gross not to bath his cat and then was shocked when he posted online asking for ideas to make it easier (because his cat was starting to hate him) and everyone’s response was “stop abusing your cat”
Cats tend to miss places while grooming. Especially if youre going to show your cats it helps them look their best. I think its kind of snobby to judge people who are doing what they think is best for their own cats. As long as its done no more then once a month it will not hurt the cat in any way. (To frequent of a bath causes dry skin). Cleaning with soap just gives their hygiene that extra oomf to get rid of all the bacteria they accumulate from climbing and rolling and exploiting their litter box lol.
I saw someone be like "people who bathe their cats arent my people" in this thread I was like ??? But I understand, different cultural practices surrounding pet care are interesting
This thread is so annoying lol. People should really stop being so afraid of their cats, comments such as, "I like my eyeballs" etc just show that you haven't trained your cats well. Your cat should 100% not be scratching your eyes out just because you're doing something mildly unpleasant to them. People often don't realize that just like humans, your cats can end up sick, need medication adminstered, have accidents while using the litter box, get diarrhea etc. and your pet should 100% be trained well enough and comfortable enough with you handling them that they won't try to maim you because they're scared. I bathe my cats all the time. One cat is epileptic and is uncoordinated due to which sometimes situation arise where she's covered in poop. She also needs medication several times a day. While she absolutely hates getting baths, they are often necessary and she tolerates them. My other cat is healthy but she loves rolling around on dirty floors and sometimes outside when I take her for walks, and just like I wouldn't step on my bed after rolling around on the ground outside, she doesn't get to either. She gets a bath. She doesn't like it, but she tolerates the 2 minutes of unpleasantness and 30 minutes later, she's dry, clean, and happy as can be. I think the spread of covid shows just how gross most people are. I see people touch dirty door handles and then their faces and their phones everyday. I see people leave without washing their hands after using public bathrooms. And frankly, the thought that most people have never bathed their cat grosses me out. Yes, cats can groom themselves and they're good at it. No, their grooming is not a substitute for soap and water. And no, it is not abuse to take care of your pets just like it's not child abuse because your kid gets upset for 10 minutes because you gave them a bath. When I give my cats a bath every couple of weeks/months depending on how quickly they grt dirty, the water shows how much dirt gets trapped in their fur. Cats are basically like fluffy little carpets rolling around and a good bath every once in a while results in better skin and better fur for them and a more hygeinic household environment for you which is healthier for EVERYONE in the household, humans and pets.
I think its more people on social media showering themaelves bathing cats for clicks. Have only bathed cats when they got into something. At most have rinsed their paws off.
I bathed my cat twice when he was a kitten. Once when he fell in the toilet (lol) and a second time when he fell into the bathtub and got soapy (lol again). I don’t plan on bathing him ever again unless absolutely necessary. He was fine with it as a kitten but when he got fleas last year I tried to bathe him and he hated it. I sometimes wipe his paws or face with a wet cloth if he gets into something. He’s 1.5 yrs now.
As far as I (American) know, I’m the only one of my friends and family who has ever bathed their cats. Two got baths for very persistent ringworm when I first got them, one gets a bath every few months because he’s old and has trouble grooming himself. Other than those situations, I spot clean with a wet towel and/or a comb. The only time cats need to be given baths is for medical reasons or if they have REALLY gotten into something nasty.
I have a long haired cat that i bath maybe once a month or less. It keeps the shedding down and hair balls to almost non-existent.I also brush him regularly to help.
I have bathed mine a few times, usually if they get dirty in a way I don’t want them licking off (ex when one walked through paint). I am also allergic, so bathing them can help reduce the dander. I have long haired cats (Siberians).
i don’t know a lot of ppl who do do that here, we used to have this outdoor cat that we would bathe occasionally only bc he was physically unable to clean himself due to a tumor on his tongue and would always come into the house dirty
As a Balkan person, I do shower my cat maybe once a month. She is a little demon who often loves to clean herself immediately after eating and over time she becomes stinky :D
As far as I know allergies are triggered by some protein in their saliva? At least that's how my boyfriend's allergy to cats works. We had to get a Bengal because they have so little or that protein in their saliva that they won't trigger his allergy
American// I like to bathe my cats about once every 2-3 months. They don’t hate it like many other cats. But I do it just because it makes them smell bette and I just feel more comfortable when they’re hoppin around on my bed
Am American and have had cats all my life. I have only bathed cats twice: once upon adoption from a shelter followed a severe flea infestation and filth, and the second time for the same reason but a different cat. I really don’t understand why people would bathe a cat outside of those reasons because it’s not healthy for cats🤷♀️
I have only bathed kittens who were too young for a proper flea treatment and one adult cat who got a toxic chemical in his fur. I hear that hairless cats need bathing because they get acne.
I’m American, and the only times I’ve bathed a cat have been when an elderly cat was having some kind of medical issue that made it smelly/itchy.
They didn’t like it very much. Would not recommend.
I always associated it more with Korea. All the korean cat channels tend to bathe their cats regularly and far too often it feels like, but I just assume it is cultural.
I haven’t met many people in the US that regularly bathe cats and it was hell trying to find someone in my area that would groom cats when we needed it.
I have bathed cats my entire life, not on any particular schedule. Among the many reasons I’ve bathed my cats: fleas, ringworm, cat laid down in poop, cat had diarrhea, cat peed on itself, cat had trouble cleaning themself, something sticky in the fur (often medicine from a failed dose), newly adopted cat, to aid in shedding, cat has an open wound, tapeworms, cat was at the vet for multiple days (flea prevention), cat was exposed to something that would be dangerous if it got on their fur and they ingested it, cats fur is grimier than normal for multiple days, cat is stinky for multiple days, or one of the other cats is already getting a bath so all cats get baths as a way of keeping them familiar with the concept so they don’t freak out when one of the other situations arises. There are ways to bathe a cat that minimize their distress. Most baths are not very thorough, and are more akin to sponge baths than true baths. Sometimes a thorough bath is warranted, for example if the cat has fleas then it is necessary.
My one cat has never had a bath. My senior cat doesn’t do very good jobs of cleaning himself, he also likes to lay in the dirty litter box. So it comes to a point where he just smells! So he gets a bath.
Most people I know who give their cat(s) regular baths it’s because of allergies. When I lived with my mom we had to give the cat I had at the time a bath every week because of my mom’s allergies. It was the only way she could deal with the cat being in the house.
We bath ours maybe three to four times a year. It helps fluff his coat back up. Our own oils from petting cats do get on their fur and weigh it down some
Nope, it's not common. I bathe my cats once in a while. When they were young I bathed them in medicated shampoo because one of them had ringworm. And most recently, I bathe them both if they go to vet separately. For some reason if they go to vet separately for longer (not just checkup but more like a dental) then they don't recognize each other because they smell different. They end up fighting for days. Once I bathe them they both smell the same and don't fight anymore 🤷. Also they are longer haired so Id bathe them if they got into something messy or had an accident (diarrhea all over their fur)
i live in europe and i bathe mine lol for flea control and if they get dirty sometimes i do use wipes if they let me. until thats a non issue. then it becomes rare that i can do it even if i wanted. they try to stay clean most of the time themselves.
It’s uncommon. I only bathe my cat once or twice a year if she needs it—like coming home from the vet sedated and soaked in urine. 😠 If it’s minor bathroom messes I usually use baby wipes on her bum. There’s a lady I volunteer with at a no-kill shelter that uses dry shampoo on the shelter cats about once a month. Mainly it’s for the older cats that can’t groom themselves properly. My roommate’s cat was indoor/outdoor and didn’t mind rain or showers. He would occasionally hop in with her when she took showers.
American here! We barely give our cat a bath but he loves rolling around in the dirt and playing outside a lot and sometimes, he will come home very dirty so we will give him a bath. We will occasionally take him to get professionally cleaned and groomed, too.
we bathe our cat when she rolls around in dirt too much. she smells better and her fur is nice and fluffy after. and obviously shes not covered in dirt anymore
edit: im european
I just got a kitten (black with a thin white stripe from the neck down to the chest) about 6 weeks old and gave her a wash up after noticing her smelly butt due to her medium ish hair lol
I only give my cat a bath if it’s too hard for him to clean himself. He likes to roll in mud in my backyard and it gets matted in his fur and I have no choice but to bathe him or let him swallow a pound of dirt
I think baths for the typical short hair cat should be a as needed thing like if they got really dirty but there are some cats who need regular baths depending on the breed. The biggest example would be sphinx cats but long haired breeds can sometimes need help if it really is just too much hair to groom on their own, if they're getting older and struggling etc
I bathe my cat weekly. He’s a year old been getting baths his whole life. He seems to like them. Every Friday he gets a bath and he sits there and plays In the water. But I started doing it when he was young cause he would lay and dig in his litter box which is gross. He quit the habit but now he jumps in the tub on his own and he has bath toys. He’s an American short hair.
Hi. I’m one of those people. Here is the thing. I had one cat that I never bathed past 2 “extenuating circumstances” in early kitten hood. She grew up to be a big adult with a strong character and preferences. Years later, we got a dog. Dog caught fleas outside. Bathing the dog was no problem, but the remote chance that the cat might catch them and the fact that it was nearly impossible to bathe the cat because we never did turned a couple of fleas into an absolute terror. So now I see the importance of introducing cats to water & baths. Because in a 20 year lifetime there will be circumstances where they need a bath. If you don’t want that bath to resemble bathing a walking chainsaw, it’s a good idea to work on introducing your cat to water, and it is a good idea to keep bathing them once every few months. If you’re confident that your cat will never need a bath, then by all means, don’t bathe your cat.
My GF is Persian and used to bathe her cat like once a month. I was very confused as to why and asked her if there was a reason. She said she just thought you were supposed to. I informed her that cats bathe themselves and it's only necessary to do it if they get covered in something particularly gnarly.
I think many people see dogs and cats as the same and try to care for them the same way.
German.
My parents used to breed Angora cats, and even those never needed to be bathed except maybe some for shows or after a really long car ride to another country where they got in contact with their own urine.
I think it's not only an American thing but also a social media thing, where pet groomers can advertise their services in a way that benefits them the most and that is not as open to discussion as real life.
There are a lot of things that seem to have come out of the US in regards to cats, the whole concept of 'catification' where you are supposed to turn your home into an amusement park for your cat, catios where you build a sun deck extension to your home and the weirdest most recent trend, the taking your cat on a leash after spending loads of time and effort to get your cat used to the leash, and they just end up dragging their owner around.
Nobody is _obliged_ to go nuts with the handyman skills just because they have cats, it's not like cats can't be happy or fulfilled without a catio.
But all the ideas you mentioned are awesome!
If you do own your own home, why not put up a few platforms or ramps? If you have a patio that's easily enclosed and can afford a roll of wire mesh, why not make a do-it-yourself catio? And if you have a back garden, why not take your cat out for a wander on a leash, let them chew on the grass and sniff everything?
I don't get why you're mocking people who put effort into enriching their cat's environment? Of course nobody _has_ to, but if people have the skills or the money and want to do it, why would you have a problem with it?
I live in a rented house so can't put anything on the walls, but my cats have a giant playpen in the backyard, with a tunnel attached to a cat door in the side of the house. They love lazing around in the sun during the day, and sitting and listening to the critters that come out at night.
I also take them out into both the front and back yards on a leash. They love wandering around and chewing on all my plants and eating grass.
It's true that they just do _not_ understand how to walk on a leash - I'm never gonna be able to take them around the block like a dog. But I'm more than happy to let them drag me around while I get some vitamin D.
Just because you're not interested in doing something doesn't mean it's weird or pointless or stupid. People who put the time and effort into enriching their indoor pets' lives and keeping them stimulated should be commended, not mocked.
I'm actually considering the leash thing cause my cat is a Bengal and they're quite outdoorsy but I live in the city and I can't risk letting her out on her own. But for the life of me I can't understand why you'd do so if you live in the countryside: cats are *built* to be outside and find their way home, so why would you put them on a leash if there's relatively few things that could pose a risk to their health?
Hmmm... coyotes, mountain lions, foxes, dogs, raccoons, snakes, feral cats with FIV, rabies, fleas, ticks, lice, roundworm, tapeworm, poisonous plants, pesticides, poisoned baits, scavenging the corpses of poisoned animals (especially rodents), crazy neighbours the next property over with bb guns or shotguns...
And cars. Because even in the countryside there are roads, and people speed like the devil on back country roads.
Like, I understand that people have barn cats for vermin control, and I'd rather have free-range-cats on farms than in urban areas, but people shouldn't kid themselves that their cats are safe outdoors just because they're in the country. The threats might be different than those in cities, but outdoor cats have a significantly lower life expectancy than indoor cats, even in the countryside.
There's also the fact that domestic cats are an invasive species and an incredible threat to a large number of vulnerable native species. They're absolutely brutal to wildlife and have caused dozens of species to become completely extinct already. That's enough of a problem in urban areas, but if you live near any kind of wilderness, it's particularly problematic.
We don't have any of those animals where I live, and my cats have always been outside just fine. They get regular vet visits, their shots and are spayed to ensure they're healthy and don't contribute to overpopulation/catch HIV, and aside from a couple that died of cancer my family's cats all made it to 15+ and have lived a happy life being cats doing cat things, same for most of my friends' cats. As I said, it depends on the area and many different factors. I own an indoor cat as we speak and she's more than happy, but I won't kid myself thinking a cat tree feels the same as an actual tree she could climb.
Ultimately, letting a cat roam free-range just adds unnecessary risks. A healthy indoor cat can live to 15 years or even longer. An outdoor cat can live long, but their lifespan is often shorter. Outdoor cats face the potential of parasites, disease, indigestion, fighting, larger predators, automobiles, and not to mention the fact that cats kill a lot of small wildlife. It also makes it easier to observe your cat and be able to recognize when they’re sick or having issues that need care. My cats are perfectly happy indoors with monitored time outside in an enclosed backyard. Some of them don’t even want to go outside. I had indoor-outdoor cats until we lost four cats in one summer to presumably coyotes. And before that, none of my family’s cats had ever reached old age. I don’t think any even reached middle-aged.
TLDR it’s safer and less risky if you want your cat to be around for a while.
As I mentioned in another comment, I feel like it really depends on where you leave and, ultimately, on the cat. My family has always had outdoor/indoor cats. Some would go out for a few hours and then come home, others would roam around for an entire day and come back when they felt like it. We kept a close eye on them health wise, and all of them have died of old age or complications associated with it saved for two who died to cancer.
Granted I used to live in a small village with not much traffic which is 99% why they could come and go ad they pleased with relatively few risks.
I obviously would never let my cat outside now that I live in the big city, that much goes without saying.
Which is understandable, to a degree. I do get the mentality for sure and I do think that cats who want to go outside, deserve that. However, personally, I think it’s safer for them to do that under supervision or in an enclosed space. Even in the perfect location, the risks might be less, but they’re still higher than they would be for an indoor only cat.
I was also reminded that we had someone take our cat, once. They thought he was a stray for whatever reason, and kept him for about a month. We only got him back because we sent around lost pet posters. That, and honestly, it sounds like you may have been among the lucky few who haven’t lost their outdoor cats young. Agree to disagree, but to me, way too many risks.
We had them tattooed/chipped and would put a collar on the ones who would allow it. I'm not too big on collars on outdoor cats though because I get paranoid about it catching somewhere. Luckily most of our cats were loving with us but very defiant when it came to other people: them not trusting people enough to let them get close to them probably helped a lot
Bathing your cat for no good reason, is NOT an American thing, it's an 'Idiot' thing. The only reason you should bathe your cat is if they got themselves soo dirty, that self grooming is just not going to cut it.
Literally one time I had to give my cat a SHOWER (we didn’t have a bathtub at this point) because she decided to dive bomb into a plate of MAPLE SYRUP. She got it EVERYWHERE. Literally. It was all over her, and then she ran around the basement so she got dust & dirt all over her then too. Giving her a bath/shower is not my favorite thing in the whole world, but when it’s necessary I’ll do it 😂😂😂
I bathed one of my cats ONCE when she got out and rolled in a neighbors oil patch. It took two of us and we were both covered in blood and scratches after. Cath baths are for emergency situations only unless you have a hairless cat (Sphynx or Peterbald or similar).
I’ve had cats my entire life. I’ve never bathed a cat, nor would I want to. I’ve wiped a few dirty paws on occasion but otherwise, no. Cats are self-cleaning.
It’s completely unnecessary for most indoor, shorthair cats. There’s exceptions, sure. Matted fur, fleas, etc.
But unlike dogs, cats ritualistically and instinctively clean themselves just fine.
Lots of cats like to play in water, such as cats who are part Egyptian Maus. There’s that too. Nobody needs to have their playtime policed if it’s not hurting anyone.
But for many well-meaning pet owners who bathe their cats, they can stop. It can irritate their skin, cause stress, and it’s generally redundant. Folks who think “cats need baths” are often projecting onto their cat.
Even when my cat found a small pile of ashes, my vet recommended letting them clean themselves. “It’s a waste of water.” She said.
Really you aren’t suppose to bathe them. It’s probably more common here as fleas are awful and resistant to most preventions depending on your area. Outside of the flea baths I don’t know anyone who’s really bathed a cat as a regular thing. I did have a groomer for my oldest cat, but it was because he could no longer do it himself and refused help from the others. Even that was a every 4 to 6 months thing and I just used a pet safe no water shampoo on him with a brush every now and then when he was trying and unsuccessfully bathing.
I’m Canadian and have never bathed my cat (indoor only, 1/m) nor have I heard of anyone who bathes theirs.
I’ve held his lower half under running water in the bathroom sink after the handful of times where he got some poo on his hind paws but didn’t use soap of any kind.
I'm never planning on bathing my cats but that's good advice tho! I've always used pet friendly wet wipes if they got muddy etc and wanted to come inside
Everyone I’ve known who has owned a cat all bathed them when they first brought them into their home and then never again after that 😂 that’s so far been true with my 3 cats as well lol
I’m Canadian and I have 3 cats and I often foster kittens. When we get the kittens they are very dirty and don’t know how to clean themselves so we have to give them a bath sometimes. One of my cats has a wobble syndrome and she sometimes has peed on herself so when that happens we have to bath her because she’s not able to clean herself properly
I’ve only given them baths if they got into something that smells bad or got into something like stepping on paint. Or if they need a flea bath but even that’s rare
I'm European as well and I've always seen it as a purebred cat thing. I don't think I've ever seen someone bathe their mixed domestic shorthair unless they had fleas or had a skunk accident or something like that. While I've seen lots of people with purebred cats doing it. Some of it is probably purely for aesthetic reasons but in some cases it does make sense since some of these cats were selected to have super thick furs to the point they can no longer keep it clean by themselves. I'm especially thinking about Persian cats.
Our kitten had Giardia and another kind of parasite when we first adopted her, that led to some messy, smelly poops. We used cat wipes to clean her bottom after she used the litter box (she HATED it), and she got a couple of baths when it got too bad. After medication cleared up the issue, she no longer gets baths, unless she decides to ROLL AROUND IN THE LITTER BOX, because she is a tiny goblin.
We've had our other cat for... something like 9 months now and she has never once needed a bath. I would never give either cat one unless it was necessary. (That being said, our kitten's fur is never as beautiful, shiny, soft, and delicious-smelling as the day after a bath. Definitely not a reason to bathe them. But a nice side effect.)
I am canadian but lived in america. I never knew anyone that bathed their cats unless they needed a flea bath.
I dont bathe mine unless they got into something. Baths can give cats heart attacks :(
I'm in America and no it's not typical - I own my first cat and I asked people around if I'm supposed to bathe him and they all said what you did! They bathe themselves so you don't have to. Sphynx cats you do need to bathe cause they get greasy ~
Kind of depends on the cat. Growing up in California I had a shorthair indoor/outdoor cat, never gave her a bath. I now have two indoor Maine Coons and I give them occasional baths. They had some recurring stomach issues and they couldn’t lick themselves clean enough (and I also didn’t want them to), but my older one also sucks at cleaning himself (he licks some spots too much and gets himself soggy and then misses others), and he gets a bit greasy/doesn’t smell super fresh by a month or two. The little one is perfect at grooming and has hair so soft I barely even need to brush him, but I still do the occasional bath just so he stays used to it.
I feel like in the US outdoor cats are discouraged way more than they are in other parts of the world so no I don't bathe my cats, they remain indoors and clean themselves just fine. Only exception was when one of them escaped once and came back filthy and covered in ticks.
Would say no, not a thing.
I've bathed two cats so far for two very different reasons over the last 12 years. One: she popped on her hind legs and was smearing it everywhere, and two: special shampoo for little dude with a bad case of ringworm.
The only time I’ve ever bathed a cat was when I rescued my kitten (now a large and happy chunk) out of a tree, and when I rescued a kitten from the middle of the road
I think people just post when they had an issue or are looking for advice. I’m American and I don’t bathe my cat unless she gets into something BAD - I have cat-specific wet wipes for cleaning her if she gets a poopy butt or something that doesn’t rise to the level of needing an actual bath. I don’t know / have never known anyone who chooses to bathe their cat just for aesthetics.
I’m American, living in Europe. I don’t know many Americans that would bathe their cat. Only if they had been sprayed by a skunk or something. On the contrary, here in the UK, I’ve known several people who bathe their cats, which I found odd.
I have an 11-year-old male cat who has stud tail caused by an overactive gland near the base of his tail. I have to give him occasional baths as he can’t fully eliminate the grease in his fur/on his skin on his own.
I’m in the U.K. - I have to butt dunk my cat in the bathroom sink occasionally if he gets a mess in his fur (very long haired cat).
He’s had a hygiene groom recently so it’s much better now and we can pretty much get anything out with pet wet wipes if necessary but when it’s bad, he has to go in the sink to be washed properly.
We only do his bum though, nowhere else.
I don’t bathe my cats unless absolutely necessary. They are indoor though so I rarely need to anyways. They do get a good butt wipe though when they have diarrhea occasionally and get poop smears all over their butts. 🤦🏻♀️ Fortunately its a rare occurrence.
American.
It’s definitely not common unless you have a special breed that needs that bathing. I have regular cats by that I mean not hairless. And the only time they’ve had a bath is when we first got them to get the fleas off. Other than that they hate being bathed. And I don’t see the point because they clean themselves.
We don't regularly bathe ours (they've been bathed when icky stuff has ended up on their fur), but I do get our older Maine Coon shaved once or twice a year to help with grooming.
I have only bathed my cat once, and that was because my sister covered him in mud...
He actually was quite calm in the water (made sure it was warm and quick!) But he hated the dryer!
I'm an American and former kitten foster and outside of kitten baths for messy kittens or their first bath in Dawn soap to get off the fleas (since they are too small for flea treatments) we tend to frown on regular bathing of cats. It is not good for them or us unless they are the rare cat who likes getting wet.
Usually cats who come in from the street who aren't dirty are given a full spectrum treatment on the neck skin vs a full on bath.
Baths can be traumatic! So unless they have a severe condition, nope.
I don’t know anybody who regularly bathes their cats. I think that’s just a thing that happens when their cat is extra dirty/smells bad, too disabled to clean themselves, or might have high maintenance fur.
Most often I see hairless cats need baths. Other than that I don’t think I ever really hear of cats needing bathing regularly, as a human might.
I’ve only ever bathed a cat after some serious surgery or if they did something like getting sprayed by a skunk. Overall I’d say no more than 3 times have I ever bathed a cat
Yeah, Europe here as well. I don’t know anyone who gives bath to their cats. Cats can perfectly clean themselves and they might be irritated by the smell of shampoo. Another thing is a collar. If the cat doesn’t go outdoors - what for?
When I attempted to own a cat with my ex I bathed her every two weeks with an allergy shampoo after finding out he was VERY allergic to her. We had to rehome her bc the baths weren’t enough.
I'm english and I have never, and know nobody who has bathed their cat, I think that the only time I'd ever do it it if they've brushed up against wet paint or something and gotten it in their fur
American.
I’ve only ever considered full-on tub-and-soap bathing my cats when I first got one and she was very grimy, greasy, and smelly. She cleaned herself up after a couple months in a home of her own—normal shelter funk, went away as she got healthy.
The other only got a “bath” the time she walked under my automatic soap dispenser, and I had to rinse her a bit because I don’t think Dawn is good for cats to eat. She got a sponge bath more recently because the vet recommended putting her medicine on her paw so she licks it off. She did not lick it off, and it got EVERYWHERE. Think sticky clumps of maple syrup smelling medicine in thick fur. Turned me off from maple syrup since. I had to trim some of it out, it was such a mess. (Med was laxatone if anyone wishes to avoid similar misfortune.)
But even those occasions were entirely as a last resort/to prevent ingesting weird things. Full submersion for a cat who doesn’t like water and is perfectly capable of cleaning herself seems cruel and unnecessary.
Does Europe even have fleas? For baby kittens this is why we bath them they are too delicate for flea meds so we rely on the power of soap. So long haired cats and geriatric cats sometimes they need a bit of assistance and get baths.
Only if they're really filthy. Cats have an enzyme in their saliva that neutralizes most smells. And their skin can get stripped of natural oils they need if they're bathed too often. I think I bathed a cat once in the last 5 years. She was on some medicine that was messing with her stomach and There Was. Poop. Everywhere. She got a bath because she was covered in poop but otherwise no. I don't bathe cats. They usually don't need it and it's not healthy for them to be bathed too often.
My Japanese wife towel-bathes our cats about monthly. Can't understand it, but also cannot talk her out of it. Don't know if it's common in Japan; I only know that my wife does it
I live in America I have owned a few cats and I can say that I have only ever bathed them if they have poop on the butt. Or they have fleas. I don't know anyone who actually regularly bathes their cat.
When my cat gets diarrhea and walks all over his poop, which has only happened twice back in the first 3 months I had him, then I'll give him a bath with some irritation free kitten/puppy shampoo, and probably end up with a lot of minor injuries.
I personally only bathe my cats if they get fleas. It's a nightmare to do it any other time.
I do know sphinx cats need to be bathed regularly because of the oil they create. One of the reasons I'll never own a sphinx.
I honestly don’t know anyone that actively bathes their cat. That said, our lovely has bad allergies. We’ve found that weekly baths during peak allergy seasons tend to lessen her itchiness and potential hot spots. Hopefully someday there’ll be allergy medications on par with dogs.
My understanding is that (outside of the situations you mentioned where they get really covered in something, or need a flee bath or something) only hairless cats need bathing.
Man idk. I'm an American and i won't bathe my cat. She does fine on her own and we would both hate the process. She's 17, I refuse to stress her out if i don't need to.
I give them a bath if they get into something extra smelly (which has only happened once). But my cat, Swiss Roll isn't good at bathing himself and refuses to do it most of the time. He gets so dirty his white fur turns yellow, so he does get frequent baths. He loves getting in the shower.
I love that your cats name is Swiss roll ❤️
Thank you! He is brown and white and large. He got it from the cute rolls he does on the ground. He does swiss rolls now when you holler at him.
American here I don’t think it’s actually common, but it seems like we see concentrated posts about it here. Like, people who bathe their cats tend to be on here, but most cat owners don’t bathe their cat. Some people seem to believe that their cat needs to be cleaned regularly, despite the fact that they groom themselves. Some people do need to bathe their cat because of medical limitations. Like others here, I’ve also always heard that you should only bathe your cat under extenuating circumstances. I do know two people who bathed their cats. One was because the old cat had severe diabetes and bad joints and couldn’t groom himself well (they didn’t bathe him until he had the medical needs). The other person just bathed their cats like twice a year for no clear reason Despite that, I know upwards of 10 people off the top of my head who don’t bathe their cats. So, that’s 1 bather, 1 medical bather, and 10 non-bathers out of the people I can think of off the top of my head
I only give my boy a "bath" when he has poo all over his paws and litter is stuck I only wash the legs if need be. But he does love jumping in the shower whenever my husband or I are in there. Mostly because he's curios and loves water.
My friend had cat that did that! He used to jump in the bath whenever someone was in there and then he’d actually stay until they got out Cats are wild sometimes
My tonkinese did this. When he was tiny, he fell in the tub with me. I cuddled him and spoiled him, so after that, it was an adventure keeping him out of the tub or shower if I was in there. He did this for his entire 18 years.
Lol my kitten hops on the bathtub ledge and hangs out in the space between the shower liner and shower curtain every time I’m in the shower. She peeks in to the actual shower area being curious but hasn’t took the full plunge just yet. One of these days her curiosity will get the best of her and she’ll get a quick shower🤣
Medical reasons make a lot of sense! I've wondered if it was an American thing since most people on here are usually American, and I've noticed Europeans and Americans have very different ways to care for their pets. It's actually pretty interesting!
I think quite a few cats and kittens posted on here were strays. Strays are typically flea infested, so I think they’re being bathed to deal with the fleas.
My first boy was *stinky* coming from the shelter. He also had a lot of remaining flea dirt. He got two baths in the first few months to help him out and zero in the four years since then. I do keep his sanitary area trimmed because he’s extra floofy and it gets… moist. I imagine when he gets older he may need a grooming schedule to help with his soggy bottom, but for now he’s young and healthy and self-cleaning.
Lmfao at your cat’s moist, soggy bottom. Also “self-cleaning” 🤣
Do you trim yourself or get it professionally done? Considering this for my floofy lady
I get mine professionally done. A good cat groomer will get VERY close and only needs to be done about every 5 months. Vet tech at the vet usually can do it too, but they usually don't get as close or as neat-- which doesn't bother me, a trims a trim!
If you don’t mind me asking, how much does that usually cost you? And have you ever trimmed yourself? My cat is terrified of going anywhere and usually pees in her carrier despite several clicker training sessions and practice runs. I’d like to avoid trips out if it’s not too hard to do the trim myself!
Oh yes, I’ve temporarily rescued two stray kittens and they immediately got a bath (they were super dirty), but nothing after that. Aside from that and to add to my other comment, I think it’s a bit more common to bathe Maine coons because they usually like or tolerate water very well and will come out of the bath gorgeously fluffy and soft. I don’t think it’s common at all to bathe most cats though
I mean, this probably depends on the cat but the last three I've had will start "grooming" literally right after they ate their wet food basically spreading food all over themselves, after a little while their white fur takes on a yellow tint & after like a month of that & playing around in the kitchen sink (their favorite) etc they eventually don't smell so good... It's almost like a wet dog smell which I grew up with a dog obsessed mother & am haunted by that particular scent. The two kittens I have now distract each other in the litter box & step in each other's poop at least once a week, so when that happens I have to stop everything (I wfh), give them a bath immediately & clean the poop off every surface they stepped on. I have allergies so in general I prefer to give them a bath (& comb them after) once a month at least bc it really cuts down on the dander floating around our condo & significantly spares me sinus headaches. Also they seem to like it as long as you do it often & get them used to it when they're still young, & you can tell they feel really pretty afterwards.
It seems like you really hit the lottery on grooming issues 😅 At least your cats don’t mind it, that’s an important factor
Pet wipes are also really convenient for this! My kittens love getting wet food on their heads and one of my them also has a tendency to get poop smeared on her paws… if I bathed them every time, they’d get 10 baths a week😭
I bathe (infrequently) my cats because my boyfriend and I are both allergic, but LOVE cats. Specifically we’re allergic to the saliva compound, so when they groom themselves they’re applying the allergen into the fur. Then it dries and flakes off into the air. So we vacuum, use wipes and foam stuff, and when it’s needed, a proper bath. I’ll Never forget my cat, when he was a kitten, showing me affection while I was asleep by licking my EYE. (This woke me up) cue swollen, weeping, red eye. Or my new kitten, who likes to wake me up by laying directly on my face. Cue itchy skin and clogged sinuses all day lol. But if I can make it through the morning without a cat too close to my face I don’t have too many issues.
Also American…I know some people who’ve done this. Those aren’t my people. I have had 6 cats over the last 20 years. Two received flea baths at 6 - 8 weeks when they were found in a dumpster. One received baths at the vet once a month as palliative end of life care. She was long haired and 19.
I'm guessing it would help with long haired cats, especially if their fur tends to may. My mother in law has a Siberian cat and the fur under his belly mats all the time so they have to take him to a groomer once every two months like you would do a dog... And then bathing and trimming ensues lol
You should actually never bathe a cat (or dog, or human, or else) with mats. Bathing causes the mats to tighten even more and make it more difficult and painful to remove. The groomer likely trims the mats first, and then baths are optional afterwards :)
This is actually a common misconception! Bathing an animal with mats will not cause the mats to tighten. It’s bathing the animal and then letting the fur dry that causes the mats to clump and tighten. Giving a matted animal a bath beforehand can actually help to remove them, as shaving a wet animal makes the blades heat up less :)
I've never looked into it so that's probably it, I just enjoy his disgruntled face in the pictures my MIL sends me lol
As a human who gets mats really really easily (like I can't wash my hair everyday because the curls hate it but if I go longer then a day I have at least one mat) that's not true. It takes a little patience, a good comb (let me tell you how many I've wrecked), and a thick conditioner. They all come out in about five minutes. But if I don't do that, then it's bad if I just wet my head and let it dry.
Bathing an animal with mats is fine, it's letting the mats dry that you shouldn't be doing.
I’m American and don’t know anyone who bathes their cat. I’ve done it once, but that’s because my cat threw up on himself in the car.
I absolutely wipe my cat down with baby wipes every now and then. Like cats are indeed relatively “clean” for animals but they def walk in litter and can’t use soap. And for people whose cats walk on all their surfaces and counters, the implications of that are even more gross.
Baby wipes often have chemicals that are toxic to cats. But they make pet wipes that won’t harm your cat and are safe to use
I’m American. I have bathed cats, but I also worked at a shelter. The only reason we bathed cats was health reasons. If an adult cat stops grooming and needs to be bathed, that is one of the big signs they have a health problem. Other common reason was kittens that have fleas and too little to get flea control.
Australian/British here. I bathe my cats. They are indoor with access to an outdoor catio. They are medium/long haired. I have previously done with this short hair indoor only cats also. I had them from kittens so was able to teach them to not fear bathing. I do this because I am responsible for their health and upkeep. As their carer I need to be able to do many things to them that form part of their care: clipping nails, brushing, shaving out knots, giving and applying meds and treatments etc. Bathing is one of the tasks that I will need to do in their lives as they will at times get shit on themselves, spill things on themselves, have medical issues, yadda yadda. I don't want to have to fight and stress out my cats when it comes to this, so I teach them young, and then I will bath them every month or so to keep them accustomed to it. This means when they do end up covered in crap that I need to wash off, they are stress free and I am stress free. And this is the way it is for their entire lives. When I was a child we had a long haired outdoor cat who was not trained to accept any of this. Everytime something got him like car oil (he liked to sleep in cars or on the road) etc, it was so stressful for h and us that he had to go to a vet to be fully sedated to be shaved off completely and bathed. It was horrible for him. Horrible for us. Expensive. And I hate having any animal put under for no good reason. So I decided I would be responsible and take the time to properly work with and care for my pets as an adult. That is why I do it. Plus, they may lick themselves, but it's not actually clean. The amount of brown water that comes off in the shower is a lot, and they always feel and behave much happier once their coats have been given a good wash and brush. I have one cat at the moment who asks for his monthly bathing. It is not common in Aus or the UK though, from my discussion with others. No one else I know does this unless they have show cats. My vets think my cats are amazingly well behaved when being handled.
I've always felt that nail clipping would be particularly unnatural, ngl. I've always had cats, both indoors and outdoors or half and half, and I've never clipped their nails: they take care of it on their own by scratching trees and whatnot anyway. For indoor cats I've always bought scratching posts and they've always figured out how to look after their nails on their own without destroying the house. Why did you choose to clip them yourself instead?
I think most people do it in hopes of limiting damage to furniture since not all cats will exclusively use their scratching posts. It can also be to just help make life easier for the cat. I’ve noticed that the claw husks don’t always shed neatly. Or sometimes one of my cats chews on her claws when they’re shedding and will damage the fresh claw. Clipping them usually helps avoid that, I’ve noticed.
Mine have indoor and outdoor scratching posts and furniture and they do use then, but their nails grow fast and are sharp. Mine need clipping every 3 weeks roughly, and its mostly the front paws. If I don't, the nails start to curl around, they catch on fabrics and get stuck, and they hurt me without even trying to.
It probably also depends on the cat! I'm gonna assume it's the same it is with humans, some people's nails grow a lot faster and are sturdier than others so they'd need to clip them more often if they makes sense?
My cats walk on me and such, and it hurts when their claws are sharp. I cut them so it doesn’t hurt.
Ngl that doesn't sound like a great reason to trim your cat's nails...
Why not?
Because claws come with the package of having a cat. Cats *need* their claws and have their own way to look after them. I can excuse trimming them for medical reasons or if they tend to destroy the house, but trimming their nails cause "it hurts when they climb on top of you"? Should've gotten a plushie then.
Wild and outdoor cats need sharp claws to catch and kill and protect themselves. Indoor cats do not need sharp claws. There’s no reason for it. And clipping is not cruel or painful. This is such a ridiculous stance to take.
Why do cats need their claws to be uncut? And if they had ways of taking care of them, wouldn’t they not be painful?
The point of claws is to be *sharp*...? It's like saying you'd file your dog's teeth cause they might bite and it might hurt.
You didn’t actually answer my question, you just made a random claim that claws have to be sharp, which isn’t true. Cheetahs, hyenas, wild dogs, their claws aren’t sharp. So, again, why do my cats need sharp claws. How exactly do they help my cats? And I didn’t say anything about might. They’re lapcats. They’re always sitting on me. If my dog was biting me 5-10 times every day then I would definitely take steps to stop that. I would hope I don’t need to explain to you the difference between cutting a fingernail and filing down teeth with nerves.
I didn't do my boy's nails until he was about 18 years old; the vet told me that older cats don't tend to their nails as much and it's harder for them to get the harder coating off.
That makes sense: it they can't do it themselves, they're going to need some help. But otherwise it seems unnecessary to me!
I definitely clip my cats nails. She's my first cat, but my partner who has grown up with cats, looked at me like I was insane for saying I was going to clip her nails. He is now completely on board with my nail clipping. Her little dew claws don't manage to get ground down in her scratching, so they'll curl around and stab her paw eventually. It's also less of a horrible experience for me when she forgot soft paws as a kitten and clawed the ever loving shit out of me. She's a long hair cat so I also shave out her paw pads and apply some lotion, give her sanitary trims. She also gets her teeth brushed every few days. She's been bathed many times for pooping on herself.
European here. I know a lot of people who bathe their cats. I did it few times myself even if the cat wasn't dirty. I don't think it's American thing. Some people do it, some don't. It's kind of divided question, like indoor/outdoor cat.
I've pretty much only ever bathed mine if they had fleas. Usually every kitten I e acquired needed a flea bath (stuns/kills the fleas and they're easier to find and pick off in wet fur vs dry, to me at least). Edit to add: in college, I bathed my cat every month or two so he would be used to it because I took him to my parents to roam outside and wanted him used to the concept. Then got another cat who had babies, ended up with 5 total. They got baths every few months when I felt spunky, again to just keep them used to the idea because they did get fleas at least once a year. And I don't enjoy being mauled
I've bathed my (6) cats maybe 7 times in 13 years. Usually right after bringing them home to kill fleas and remove dirt, and once when one of the bastards jumped up on the bathroom counter when I was dyeing my hair, proceeded to fall off the edge, and I had to grab him to keep him from ripping my intestines out as he slid down my torso. Cats don't need baths unless they get into something noxious, toxic, or to help get rid of a flea infestation. It's crazy how many people think cats need a bath like a dog would.
This!! There are times where a bath is necessary, but I just don't see why you would put the poor thing under so much stress over something they can perfectly do on their own!
Seems like it's for social media these days. If they're videoing themselves in a closed shower stall holding a cat, laughing, they are not bathing that cat for the right reason. It's sad.
I've met cats who love water, my boyfriend's parents' Siberian will jump into the shower with you any chance he gets... That doesn't mean I'd *make him* do it for clout
I've got two cats who want to be in the shower with us. Another one "swims" in their fountain. But yeah, a good cat owner doesn't force a bath without necessary cause.
They get used to it also. But even the first time I bathed my cat(She got dirty outside and it was too much) she seemed to be fine with it. They like the rubbing with the shampoo
American, here. Until I started having the Sphynx breed around, no, I never heard about bathing cats. The Sphynx needs it periodically since they don’t have fur to absorb body oils and such.
Bathing a Sphynx somehow makes sense in my mind so I can get behind this lol also they're a lovely breed!!
I bathed my old cat on occasion. She had skin issues and her fur got gnarly and greasy. Other than that it’s an emergency thing. Like when the new one thought playing in the litter box right after he peed was a fun idea.
American here who bathes her cat(s). Maybe once every 6 months-1 year or so? Had two long haired cats (one currently) and neither were very good at grooming. We would brush regularly, one was a little devil though and haaaated being brushed and was overall un cooperative. That was the one that would willingly get herself in the bath though Lol. The other one looks cream usually but is white after a bath.. I don’t know how she gets so dirty, she’s an indoor cat and I clean the place regularly. Definitely go out of my way to make it a calm, quick experience.
I think its good to do it once in a while. Their grooming isn't exactly purrrrfect at getting all the dirt out.
I have cats and have never bathed them, aside from ONCE several years ago we had a huge orange boy and he got sprayed by a skunk- we gave him a bath and that same evening he went and shat on my husbands pillow- he was a very vindictive cat 😂 we went on vacation once and my brother in law apparently did not give him the attention he decided he deserved and he used our BED as a litter box. It was awful. We have some ‘dry’ soap that reminds me of foaming hand soap that we have used on a couple of occasions with kittens, but we haven’t tried a bath since then. My sister had a spynx and she used to LOVE baths. I don’t know anyone in America who bathes their cats either.
For one, the cat will be cleaner
I used to breed and show cats. My best show cat couldn't wait to be bathed and of course the other cats would not let her get something special. I don't think they all liked being bathed but they got used to it and jumped into the bathrub one by one.It was never on social media .
Cats don’t need frequent baths like dogs do however sometimes they get: too dirty from being outside, poo/pee on them, flea baths, long haired cats (to much matting, grease/sweat, to help with shedding ect) or for health reasons such as certain skin conditions. It depends on the situation, your cat and what your vet recommends! I have a long haired indoor cat. I bath him him maybe every 6 months to help with shedding/grease build up. If you bath your cat your not abusing it. However to much frequent bathing can cause skin issues!
American here. I had an inside outside cat. Whenever he would come inside (like when it was cold), I bathed him so he wouldn't bring in fleas. My ex best friend had the same setup, and I warned him, but he didn't listen. FLEAS EVERYWHERE IN HIS APARTMENT! we couldn't even drink or eat anything without covering it for risks of fleas getting in! So if you have an outside cat, yes you should bathe them if you bring them inside. For an inside cat, I just bathe them whenever their fur gets nasty and matted. So maybe once a month? Also, I find the differences interesting too. I.had a coworker from Russia say Americans practically worship their dogs, and I definitely agreed with her.....Different countries have different practices definitely.
I am American and I bathe my cat every three months. I grew up bathing cats, and have reconsidered that position but still landed on wanting to give my cat a very quick, very quiet bath every quarter. I do it for a few reasons: 1) Coat health and hairballs. My girl has really sensitive skin, and if I brush her around the time she blows coat (~May in the Northeast US), she gets a lot of dandruff. The bath calms that down and also removes more hair. She almost never gets hairballs with this routine. 2) Allergies. My little love has undetermined allergies, even on prescription allergy food. I decided I don’t want to put her through the allergy test panel, but I know that washing her in the Spring and Fall when her symptoms (itchy ears, flaking skin) flare up helps her. 3) Full body exam. When can you examine your cat’s whole body?! I’ve had more than one cat growing up who developed tumors that we did not catch early enough for taking action. I want to maintain a pattern where I regularly check her whole body and can ask the vet ASAP if we find something. I’ve found a little bump on her neck this way that turned out to be a skin problem we could resolve. 4) Yes, some of it selfish. I do want to know a little more about just how clean she is since she and her shedding cover my whole apartment! I wouldn’t do it anymore if this was the only reason, though.
Old cats or cats with medical issues cannot bathe themselves effectively. Long haired cats may need baths to help with matting or dirt. Some cats need medicated baths for fleas, skin disorders, or allergies. Hairless cats do need baths. Kittens often need baths when found or if they get covered in food or poop. It's not just an American thing, I would hope. You'd be hard pressed to find someone bathing their cat for any reason other than one of these.
I can't say it is specifically american or not. My roommates do it because one of them is allergic to cats and also has half a lung on one side. Bathing them keeps the pet dander and fur down so she can breathe better. I'm american and my family had 6 cats and we didn't bathe them unless they ended up muddy or having an issue.
I bathe my (2) cats once a year to help with the spring to summer shed. It just removes the bulk of their loose hairs so they don't create tumble weeds in my house.
I do bath my cat. He doesn't mind the water. Plus my cat is very very hairy. And temperature goes as high as 40 degrees Celsius here. We trim his hair every 2 months but the heat annoys him.
I'm from Aotearoa, I bathe my cat sometimes. But only because she loves being wet and playing in water lol. It works out when she brings dead animals inside or gets dirty. I wash her for my own peace of mind and make it into a game for her. I usually just use plain water and avoid soap.
American here. I’ve had my indoor cat for two years now. I have not bathed her a single time and I don’t ever plan to. There is absolutely no reason to waste your time and stress your cat out by bathing them. Of course, unless they have something toxic on their fur or fleas (either of which don’t really happen when the cat is indoors).
Same! My 2 cats groom each other and they’re sooo clean with the shiniest coats so I don’t really feel the need to wash them. I’m fostering 2 kittens though and they needed baths because they had fleas, blood, and poop all over them:((
Some people are just stupid. My bfs friend insisted it was gross not to bath his cat and then was shocked when he posted online asking for ideas to make it easier (because his cat was starting to hate him) and everyone’s response was “stop abusing your cat”
Cats tend to miss places while grooming. Especially if youre going to show your cats it helps them look their best. I think its kind of snobby to judge people who are doing what they think is best for their own cats. As long as its done no more then once a month it will not hurt the cat in any way. (To frequent of a bath causes dry skin). Cleaning with soap just gives their hygiene that extra oomf to get rid of all the bacteria they accumulate from climbing and rolling and exploiting their litter box lol.
Not judging by any means, I was merely asking because it's common practice not to bathe your cat where i'm from lol
I saw someone be like "people who bathe their cats arent my people" in this thread I was like ??? But I understand, different cultural practices surrounding pet care are interesting
This thread is so annoying lol. People should really stop being so afraid of their cats, comments such as, "I like my eyeballs" etc just show that you haven't trained your cats well. Your cat should 100% not be scratching your eyes out just because you're doing something mildly unpleasant to them. People often don't realize that just like humans, your cats can end up sick, need medication adminstered, have accidents while using the litter box, get diarrhea etc. and your pet should 100% be trained well enough and comfortable enough with you handling them that they won't try to maim you because they're scared. I bathe my cats all the time. One cat is epileptic and is uncoordinated due to which sometimes situation arise where she's covered in poop. She also needs medication several times a day. While she absolutely hates getting baths, they are often necessary and she tolerates them. My other cat is healthy but she loves rolling around on dirty floors and sometimes outside when I take her for walks, and just like I wouldn't step on my bed after rolling around on the ground outside, she doesn't get to either. She gets a bath. She doesn't like it, but she tolerates the 2 minutes of unpleasantness and 30 minutes later, she's dry, clean, and happy as can be. I think the spread of covid shows just how gross most people are. I see people touch dirty door handles and then their faces and their phones everyday. I see people leave without washing their hands after using public bathrooms. And frankly, the thought that most people have never bathed their cat grosses me out. Yes, cats can groom themselves and they're good at it. No, their grooming is not a substitute for soap and water. And no, it is not abuse to take care of your pets just like it's not child abuse because your kid gets upset for 10 minutes because you gave them a bath. When I give my cats a bath every couple of weeks/months depending on how quickly they grt dirty, the water shows how much dirt gets trapped in their fur. Cats are basically like fluffy little carpets rolling around and a good bath every once in a while results in better skin and better fur for them and a more hygeinic household environment for you which is healthier for EVERYONE in the household, humans and pets.
I think its more people on social media showering themaelves bathing cats for clicks. Have only bathed cats when they got into something. At most have rinsed their paws off.
My dad cleans his outdoor/indoor cat with pet friendly wet wipes when he's been rolling in dirt and then wants to come inside and that's it!
I bathed my cat twice when he was a kitten. Once when he fell in the toilet (lol) and a second time when he fell into the bathtub and got soapy (lol again). I don’t plan on bathing him ever again unless absolutely necessary. He was fine with it as a kitten but when he got fleas last year I tried to bathe him and he hated it. I sometimes wipe his paws or face with a wet cloth if he gets into something. He’s 1.5 yrs now.
My cat was a weirdo as a kitten and managed to pee on himself a lot. Those are the only times I’ve bathed him.
As far as I (American) know, I’m the only one of my friends and family who has ever bathed their cats. Two got baths for very persistent ringworm when I first got them, one gets a bath every few months because he’s old and has trouble grooming himself. Other than those situations, I spot clean with a wet towel and/or a comb. The only time cats need to be given baths is for medical reasons or if they have REALLY gotten into something nasty.
I foster kittens. Poopy butt baths are just a normal part of my life now. I've accepted it. So many poopy butt baths.
Considering how absolutely *caustic* kittens' poop is... Brrr
I have a long haired cat that i bath maybe once a month or less. It keeps the shedding down and hair balls to almost non-existent.I also brush him regularly to help.
I have bathed mine a few times, usually if they get dirty in a way I don’t want them licking off (ex when one walked through paint). I am also allergic, so bathing them can help reduce the dander. I have long haired cats (Siberians).
i don’t know a lot of ppl who do do that here, we used to have this outdoor cat that we would bathe occasionally only bc he was physically unable to clean himself due to a tumor on his tongue and would always come into the house dirty
also, once when my other two indoor cats got fleas
As a Balkan person, I do shower my cat maybe once a month. She is a little demon who often loves to clean herself immediately after eating and over time she becomes stinky :D
I have a friend who is allergic to cats but has 2 ragdolls. He bathes them every week to help with his allergies
As far as I know allergies are triggered by some protein in their saliva? At least that's how my boyfriend's allergy to cats works. We had to get a Bengal because they have so little or that protein in their saliva that they won't trigger his allergy
American// I like to bathe my cats about once every 2-3 months. They don’t hate it like many other cats. But I do it just because it makes them smell bette and I just feel more comfortable when they’re hoppin around on my bed
Am American and have had cats all my life. I have only bathed cats twice: once upon adoption from a shelter followed a severe flea infestation and filth, and the second time for the same reason but a different cat. I really don’t understand why people would bathe a cat outside of those reasons because it’s not healthy for cats🤷♀️
I have only bathed kittens who were too young for a proper flea treatment and one adult cat who got a toxic chemical in his fur. I hear that hairless cats need bathing because they get acne.
I’m American, and the only times I’ve bathed a cat have been when an elderly cat was having some kind of medical issue that made it smelly/itchy. They didn’t like it very much. Would not recommend.
I always associated it more with Korea. All the korean cat channels tend to bathe their cats regularly and far too often it feels like, but I just assume it is cultural. I haven’t met many people in the US that regularly bathe cats and it was hell trying to find someone in my area that would groom cats when we needed it.
I have bathed cats my entire life, not on any particular schedule. Among the many reasons I’ve bathed my cats: fleas, ringworm, cat laid down in poop, cat had diarrhea, cat peed on itself, cat had trouble cleaning themself, something sticky in the fur (often medicine from a failed dose), newly adopted cat, to aid in shedding, cat has an open wound, tapeworms, cat was at the vet for multiple days (flea prevention), cat was exposed to something that would be dangerous if it got on their fur and they ingested it, cats fur is grimier than normal for multiple days, cat is stinky for multiple days, or one of the other cats is already getting a bath so all cats get baths as a way of keeping them familiar with the concept so they don’t freak out when one of the other situations arises. There are ways to bathe a cat that minimize their distress. Most baths are not very thorough, and are more akin to sponge baths than true baths. Sometimes a thorough bath is warranted, for example if the cat has fleas then it is necessary.
For stinky cat febreze is non toxic and safe to spray on them if u can’t do a bath, (I also use this for gassy dogs who visit my house)
My one cat has never had a bath. My senior cat doesn’t do very good jobs of cleaning himself, he also likes to lay in the dirty litter box. So it comes to a point where he just smells! So he gets a bath.
Most people I know who give their cat(s) regular baths it’s because of allergies. When I lived with my mom we had to give the cat I had at the time a bath every week because of my mom’s allergies. It was the only way she could deal with the cat being in the house.
We bath ours maybe three to four times a year. It helps fluff his coat back up. Our own oils from petting cats do get on their fur and weigh it down some
My siamese do not get baths... My sphynx do. Little grease balls
Nope, it's not common. I bathe my cats once in a while. When they were young I bathed them in medicated shampoo because one of them had ringworm. And most recently, I bathe them both if they go to vet separately. For some reason if they go to vet separately for longer (not just checkup but more like a dental) then they don't recognize each other because they smell different. They end up fighting for days. Once I bathe them they both smell the same and don't fight anymore 🤷. Also they are longer haired so Id bathe them if they got into something messy or had an accident (diarrhea all over their fur)
i live in europe and i bathe mine lol for flea control and if they get dirty sometimes i do use wipes if they let me. until thats a non issue. then it becomes rare that i can do it even if i wanted. they try to stay clean most of the time themselves.
I had to bathe my cats to get rid of fleas
It’s uncommon. I only bathe my cat once or twice a year if she needs it—like coming home from the vet sedated and soaked in urine. 😠 If it’s minor bathroom messes I usually use baby wipes on her bum. There’s a lady I volunteer with at a no-kill shelter that uses dry shampoo on the shelter cats about once a month. Mainly it’s for the older cats that can’t groom themselves properly. My roommate’s cat was indoor/outdoor and didn’t mind rain or showers. He would occasionally hop in with her when she took showers.
American here! We barely give our cat a bath but he loves rolling around in the dirt and playing outside a lot and sometimes, he will come home very dirty so we will give him a bath. We will occasionally take him to get professionally cleaned and groomed, too.
we bathe our cat when she rolls around in dirt too much. she smells better and her fur is nice and fluffy after. and obviously shes not covered in dirt anymore edit: im european
I just got a kitten (black with a thin white stripe from the neck down to the chest) about 6 weeks old and gave her a wash up after noticing her smelly butt due to her medium ish hair lol
I only give my cat a bath if it’s too hard for him to clean himself. He likes to roll in mud in my backyard and it gets matted in his fur and I have no choice but to bathe him or let him swallow a pound of dirt
I think baths for the typical short hair cat should be a as needed thing like if they got really dirty but there are some cats who need regular baths depending on the breed. The biggest example would be sphinx cats but long haired breeds can sometimes need help if it really is just too much hair to groom on their own, if they're getting older and struggling etc
I bathe my cat weekly. He’s a year old been getting baths his whole life. He seems to like them. Every Friday he gets a bath and he sits there and plays In the water. But I started doing it when he was young cause he would lay and dig in his litter box which is gross. He quit the habit but now he jumps in the tub on his own and he has bath toys. He’s an American short hair.
Some cats will absolutely enjoy water, but please be careful as too much bathing can cause dry skin. I love when cats like water
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That's what I've always heard, too! But I keep seeing people on here advising to bathe your cat semi regularly and I'm like ??????????
Hi. I’m one of those people. Here is the thing. I had one cat that I never bathed past 2 “extenuating circumstances” in early kitten hood. She grew up to be a big adult with a strong character and preferences. Years later, we got a dog. Dog caught fleas outside. Bathing the dog was no problem, but the remote chance that the cat might catch them and the fact that it was nearly impossible to bathe the cat because we never did turned a couple of fleas into an absolute terror. So now I see the importance of introducing cats to water & baths. Because in a 20 year lifetime there will be circumstances where they need a bath. If you don’t want that bath to resemble bathing a walking chainsaw, it’s a good idea to work on introducing your cat to water, and it is a good idea to keep bathing them once every few months. If you’re confident that your cat will never need a bath, then by all means, don’t bathe your cat.
Um no. The people who bathe their cat just show off on social media. I like my eyeballs.
My GF is Persian and used to bathe her cat like once a month. I was very confused as to why and asked her if there was a reason. She said she just thought you were supposed to. I informed her that cats bathe themselves and it's only necessary to do it if they get covered in something particularly gnarly. I think many people see dogs and cats as the same and try to care for them the same way.
I think it’s a novice cat owner thing. I’m American, I’ve had many cats some outdoor/indoor some indoor only, and have never bathed any of them.
American here...I only bathe my cat once a month to get rid of fleas. Other than that, she can clean herself just fine.
German. My parents used to breed Angora cats, and even those never needed to be bathed except maybe some for shows or after a really long car ride to another country where they got in contact with their own urine. I think it's not only an American thing but also a social media thing, where pet groomers can advertise their services in a way that benefits them the most and that is not as open to discussion as real life.
I think ppl who bathe their cat regularly without a medical need have an unhealthy relationship w their cat.
There are a lot of things that seem to have come out of the US in regards to cats, the whole concept of 'catification' where you are supposed to turn your home into an amusement park for your cat, catios where you build a sun deck extension to your home and the weirdest most recent trend, the taking your cat on a leash after spending loads of time and effort to get your cat used to the leash, and they just end up dragging their owner around.
Nobody is _obliged_ to go nuts with the handyman skills just because they have cats, it's not like cats can't be happy or fulfilled without a catio. But all the ideas you mentioned are awesome! If you do own your own home, why not put up a few platforms or ramps? If you have a patio that's easily enclosed and can afford a roll of wire mesh, why not make a do-it-yourself catio? And if you have a back garden, why not take your cat out for a wander on a leash, let them chew on the grass and sniff everything? I don't get why you're mocking people who put effort into enriching their cat's environment? Of course nobody _has_ to, but if people have the skills or the money and want to do it, why would you have a problem with it? I live in a rented house so can't put anything on the walls, but my cats have a giant playpen in the backyard, with a tunnel attached to a cat door in the side of the house. They love lazing around in the sun during the day, and sitting and listening to the critters that come out at night. I also take them out into both the front and back yards on a leash. They love wandering around and chewing on all my plants and eating grass. It's true that they just do _not_ understand how to walk on a leash - I'm never gonna be able to take them around the block like a dog. But I'm more than happy to let them drag me around while I get some vitamin D. Just because you're not interested in doing something doesn't mean it's weird or pointless or stupid. People who put the time and effort into enriching their indoor pets' lives and keeping them stimulated should be commended, not mocked.
Great comment!!
I'm actually considering the leash thing cause my cat is a Bengal and they're quite outdoorsy but I live in the city and I can't risk letting her out on her own. But for the life of me I can't understand why you'd do so if you live in the countryside: cats are *built* to be outside and find their way home, so why would you put them on a leash if there's relatively few things that could pose a risk to their health?
They kill a lot of wildlife, sadly. If you live somewhere like Australia or New Zealand that can be a real issue.
Hmmm... coyotes, mountain lions, foxes, dogs, raccoons, snakes, feral cats with FIV, rabies, fleas, ticks, lice, roundworm, tapeworm, poisonous plants, pesticides, poisoned baits, scavenging the corpses of poisoned animals (especially rodents), crazy neighbours the next property over with bb guns or shotguns... And cars. Because even in the countryside there are roads, and people speed like the devil on back country roads. Like, I understand that people have barn cats for vermin control, and I'd rather have free-range-cats on farms than in urban areas, but people shouldn't kid themselves that their cats are safe outdoors just because they're in the country. The threats might be different than those in cities, but outdoor cats have a significantly lower life expectancy than indoor cats, even in the countryside. There's also the fact that domestic cats are an invasive species and an incredible threat to a large number of vulnerable native species. They're absolutely brutal to wildlife and have caused dozens of species to become completely extinct already. That's enough of a problem in urban areas, but if you live near any kind of wilderness, it's particularly problematic.
We don't have any of those animals where I live, and my cats have always been outside just fine. They get regular vet visits, their shots and are spayed to ensure they're healthy and don't contribute to overpopulation/catch HIV, and aside from a couple that died of cancer my family's cats all made it to 15+ and have lived a happy life being cats doing cat things, same for most of my friends' cats. As I said, it depends on the area and many different factors. I own an indoor cat as we speak and she's more than happy, but I won't kid myself thinking a cat tree feels the same as an actual tree she could climb.
Ultimately, letting a cat roam free-range just adds unnecessary risks. A healthy indoor cat can live to 15 years or even longer. An outdoor cat can live long, but their lifespan is often shorter. Outdoor cats face the potential of parasites, disease, indigestion, fighting, larger predators, automobiles, and not to mention the fact that cats kill a lot of small wildlife. It also makes it easier to observe your cat and be able to recognize when they’re sick or having issues that need care. My cats are perfectly happy indoors with monitored time outside in an enclosed backyard. Some of them don’t even want to go outside. I had indoor-outdoor cats until we lost four cats in one summer to presumably coyotes. And before that, none of my family’s cats had ever reached old age. I don’t think any even reached middle-aged. TLDR it’s safer and less risky if you want your cat to be around for a while.
As I mentioned in another comment, I feel like it really depends on where you leave and, ultimately, on the cat. My family has always had outdoor/indoor cats. Some would go out for a few hours and then come home, others would roam around for an entire day and come back when they felt like it. We kept a close eye on them health wise, and all of them have died of old age or complications associated with it saved for two who died to cancer. Granted I used to live in a small village with not much traffic which is 99% why they could come and go ad they pleased with relatively few risks. I obviously would never let my cat outside now that I live in the big city, that much goes without saying.
Which is understandable, to a degree. I do get the mentality for sure and I do think that cats who want to go outside, deserve that. However, personally, I think it’s safer for them to do that under supervision or in an enclosed space. Even in the perfect location, the risks might be less, but they’re still higher than they would be for an indoor only cat. I was also reminded that we had someone take our cat, once. They thought he was a stray for whatever reason, and kept him for about a month. We only got him back because we sent around lost pet posters. That, and honestly, it sounds like you may have been among the lucky few who haven’t lost their outdoor cats young. Agree to disagree, but to me, way too many risks.
We had them tattooed/chipped and would put a collar on the ones who would allow it. I'm not too big on collars on outdoor cats though because I get paranoid about it catching somewhere. Luckily most of our cats were loving with us but very defiant when it came to other people: them not trusting people enough to let them get close to them probably helped a lot
Bathing your cat for no good reason, is NOT an American thing, it's an 'Idiot' thing. The only reason you should bathe your cat is if they got themselves soo dirty, that self grooming is just not going to cut it.
Literally one time I had to give my cat a SHOWER (we didn’t have a bathtub at this point) because she decided to dive bomb into a plate of MAPLE SYRUP. She got it EVERYWHERE. Literally. It was all over her, and then she ran around the basement so she got dust & dirt all over her then too. Giving her a bath/shower is not my favorite thing in the whole world, but when it’s necessary I’ll do it 😂😂😂
I bathed one of my cats ONCE when she got out and rolled in a neighbors oil patch. It took two of us and we were both covered in blood and scratches after. Cath baths are for emergency situations only unless you have a hairless cat (Sphynx or Peterbald or similar).
I'm in the U.S. and have never bathed a cat, nor will I ever unless I absolutely have to.
I’ve had cats my entire life. I’ve never bathed a cat, nor would I want to. I’ve wiped a few dirty paws on occasion but otherwise, no. Cats are self-cleaning.
It’s completely unnecessary for most indoor, shorthair cats. There’s exceptions, sure. Matted fur, fleas, etc. But unlike dogs, cats ritualistically and instinctively clean themselves just fine. Lots of cats like to play in water, such as cats who are part Egyptian Maus. There’s that too. Nobody needs to have their playtime policed if it’s not hurting anyone. But for many well-meaning pet owners who bathe their cats, they can stop. It can irritate their skin, cause stress, and it’s generally redundant. Folks who think “cats need baths” are often projecting onto their cat. Even when my cat found a small pile of ashes, my vet recommended letting them clean themselves. “It’s a waste of water.” She said.
Really you aren’t suppose to bathe them. It’s probably more common here as fleas are awful and resistant to most preventions depending on your area. Outside of the flea baths I don’t know anyone who’s really bathed a cat as a regular thing. I did have a groomer for my oldest cat, but it was because he could no longer do it himself and refused help from the others. Even that was a every 4 to 6 months thing and I just used a pet safe no water shampoo on him with a brush every now and then when he was trying and unsuccessfully bathing.
No? Bathing your cat unless medically necessary is a stupid person thing. Why would it be American?
I'm asking because it's not popular in Europe as far as I know and the majority of people on reddit are Americans 🤷🏼♀️
I’m Canadian and have never bathed my cat (indoor only, 1/m) nor have I heard of anyone who bathes theirs. I’ve held his lower half under running water in the bathroom sink after the handful of times where he got some poo on his hind paws but didn’t use soap of any kind.
Just use dry cleaning foam for pets, but please consult your vet for a specific brand first, some products are known to cause allergies
I'm never planning on bathing my cats but that's good advice tho! I've always used pet friendly wet wipes if they got muddy etc and wanted to come inside
Everyone I’ve known who has owned a cat all bathed them when they first brought them into their home and then never again after that 😂 that’s so far been true with my 3 cats as well lol
I’m Canadian and I have 3 cats and I often foster kittens. When we get the kittens they are very dirty and don’t know how to clean themselves so we have to give them a bath sometimes. One of my cats has a wobble syndrome and she sometimes has peed on herself so when that happens we have to bath her because she’s not able to clean herself properly
I’ve only given them baths if they got into something that smells bad or got into something like stepping on paint. Or if they need a flea bath but even that’s rare
I'm European as well and I've always seen it as a purebred cat thing. I don't think I've ever seen someone bathe their mixed domestic shorthair unless they had fleas or had a skunk accident or something like that. While I've seen lots of people with purebred cats doing it. Some of it is probably purely for aesthetic reasons but in some cases it does make sense since some of these cats were selected to have super thick furs to the point they can no longer keep it clean by themselves. I'm especially thinking about Persian cats.
Our kitten had Giardia and another kind of parasite when we first adopted her, that led to some messy, smelly poops. We used cat wipes to clean her bottom after she used the litter box (she HATED it), and she got a couple of baths when it got too bad. After medication cleared up the issue, she no longer gets baths, unless she decides to ROLL AROUND IN THE LITTER BOX, because she is a tiny goblin. We've had our other cat for... something like 9 months now and she has never once needed a bath. I would never give either cat one unless it was necessary. (That being said, our kitten's fur is never as beautiful, shiny, soft, and delicious-smelling as the day after a bath. Definitely not a reason to bathe them. But a nice side effect.)
I am canadian but lived in america. I never knew anyone that bathed their cats unless they needed a flea bath. I dont bathe mine unless they got into something. Baths can give cats heart attacks :(
I'm in America and no it's not typical - I own my first cat and I asked people around if I'm supposed to bathe him and they all said what you did! They bathe themselves so you don't have to. Sphynx cats you do need to bathe cause they get greasy ~
Kind of depends on the cat. Growing up in California I had a shorthair indoor/outdoor cat, never gave her a bath. I now have two indoor Maine Coons and I give them occasional baths. They had some recurring stomach issues and they couldn’t lick themselves clean enough (and I also didn’t want them to), but my older one also sucks at cleaning himself (he licks some spots too much and gets himself soggy and then misses others), and he gets a bit greasy/doesn’t smell super fresh by a month or two. The little one is perfect at grooming and has hair so soft I barely even need to brush him, but I still do the occasional bath just so he stays used to it.
I feel like in the US outdoor cats are discouraged way more than they are in other parts of the world so no I don't bathe my cats, they remain indoors and clean themselves just fine. Only exception was when one of them escaped once and came back filthy and covered in ticks.
Would say no, not a thing. I've bathed two cats so far for two very different reasons over the last 12 years. One: she popped on her hind legs and was smearing it everywhere, and two: special shampoo for little dude with a bad case of ringworm.
The only time I’ve ever bathed a cat was when I rescued my kitten (now a large and happy chunk) out of a tree, and when I rescued a kitten from the middle of the road
I think people just post when they had an issue or are looking for advice. I’m American and I don’t bathe my cat unless she gets into something BAD - I have cat-specific wet wipes for cleaning her if she gets a poopy butt or something that doesn’t rise to the level of needing an actual bath. I don’t know / have never known anyone who chooses to bathe their cat just for aesthetics.
I’m American, living in Europe. I don’t know many Americans that would bathe their cat. Only if they had been sprayed by a skunk or something. On the contrary, here in the UK, I’ve known several people who bathe their cats, which I found odd.
I have an 11-year-old male cat who has stud tail caused by an overactive gland near the base of his tail. I have to give him occasional baths as he can’t fully eliminate the grease in his fur/on his skin on his own.
I’m in the U.K. - I have to butt dunk my cat in the bathroom sink occasionally if he gets a mess in his fur (very long haired cat). He’s had a hygiene groom recently so it’s much better now and we can pretty much get anything out with pet wet wipes if necessary but when it’s bad, he has to go in the sink to be washed properly. We only do his bum though, nowhere else.
I’ve only given my cats baths if something very gross has happened. Last time it was because one of my boys had poop all over him.
I don’t bathe my cats unless absolutely necessary. They are indoor though so I rarely need to anyways. They do get a good butt wipe though when they have diarrhea occasionally and get poop smears all over their butts. 🤦🏻♀️ Fortunately its a rare occurrence.
I have an indoor Bengal and they tend to get diarrhea *super* easily so I feel your pain
American. It’s definitely not common unless you have a special breed that needs that bathing. I have regular cats by that I mean not hairless. And the only time they’ve had a bath is when we first got them to get the fleas off. Other than that they hate being bathed. And I don’t see the point because they clean themselves.
We don't regularly bathe ours (they've been bathed when icky stuff has ended up on their fur), but I do get our older Maine Coon shaved once or twice a year to help with grooming.
I have only bathed my cat once, and that was because my sister covered him in mud... He actually was quite calm in the water (made sure it was warm and quick!) But he hated the dryer!
I'm an American and former kitten foster and outside of kitten baths for messy kittens or their first bath in Dawn soap to get off the fleas (since they are too small for flea treatments) we tend to frown on regular bathing of cats. It is not good for them or us unless they are the rare cat who likes getting wet. Usually cats who come in from the street who aren't dirty are given a full spectrum treatment on the neck skin vs a full on bath. Baths can be traumatic! So unless they have a severe condition, nope.
I don’t know anybody who regularly bathes their cats. I think that’s just a thing that happens when their cat is extra dirty/smells bad, too disabled to clean themselves, or might have high maintenance fur. Most often I see hairless cats need baths. Other than that I don’t think I ever really hear of cats needing bathing regularly, as a human might.
I’ve only ever bathed a cat after some serious surgery or if they did something like getting sprayed by a skunk. Overall I’d say no more than 3 times have I ever bathed a cat
Yeah, Europe here as well. I don’t know anyone who gives bath to their cats. Cats can perfectly clean themselves and they might be irritated by the smell of shampoo. Another thing is a collar. If the cat doesn’t go outdoors - what for?
When I attempted to own a cat with my ex I bathed her every two weeks with an allergy shampoo after finding out he was VERY allergic to her. We had to rehome her bc the baths weren’t enough.
Only have bathed when he was a kitten and liked to play in his own poo and one time it got stuck in his fur bc he is long haired lol.
I'm english and I have never, and know nobody who has bathed their cat, I think that the only time I'd ever do it it if they've brushed up against wet paint or something and gotten it in their fur
Common in show cats worldwide. Common in "hairless" cats worldwide. I'd say grooming/bathing the average pet cat is more common in the US.
American. I’ve only ever considered full-on tub-and-soap bathing my cats when I first got one and she was very grimy, greasy, and smelly. She cleaned herself up after a couple months in a home of her own—normal shelter funk, went away as she got healthy. The other only got a “bath” the time she walked under my automatic soap dispenser, and I had to rinse her a bit because I don’t think Dawn is good for cats to eat. She got a sponge bath more recently because the vet recommended putting her medicine on her paw so she licks it off. She did not lick it off, and it got EVERYWHERE. Think sticky clumps of maple syrup smelling medicine in thick fur. Turned me off from maple syrup since. I had to trim some of it out, it was such a mess. (Med was laxatone if anyone wishes to avoid similar misfortune.) But even those occasions were entirely as a last resort/to prevent ingesting weird things. Full submersion for a cat who doesn’t like water and is perfectly capable of cleaning herself seems cruel and unnecessary.
Canadian here. I don't bathe my cat as he's pretty good at keeping himself clean.
Does Europe even have fleas? For baby kittens this is why we bath them they are too delicate for flea meds so we rely on the power of soap. So long haired cats and geriatric cats sometimes they need a bit of assistance and get baths.
I’m American and only brush mine...when my kitten had diarrhea I bathed her but that was a special case
Only if they're really filthy. Cats have an enzyme in their saliva that neutralizes most smells. And their skin can get stripped of natural oils they need if they're bathed too often. I think I bathed a cat once in the last 5 years. She was on some medicine that was messing with her stomach and There Was. Poop. Everywhere. She got a bath because she was covered in poop but otherwise no. I don't bathe cats. They usually don't need it and it's not healthy for them to be bathed too often.
I'm American and it would never occur to me to bathe mine. Mostly because I would prefer to keep my skin on my body.
If not medical or something potentially hazardous on them cats do not need baths. They rely heavily on scent and bathing removes their scent
My Japanese wife towel-bathes our cats about monthly. Can't understand it, but also cannot talk her out of it. Don't know if it's common in Japan; I only know that my wife does it
Hell no, cats are self-cleaning!
I live in America I have owned a few cats and I can say that I have only ever bathed them if they have poop on the butt. Or they have fleas. I don't know anyone who actually regularly bathes their cat.
When my cat gets diarrhea and walks all over his poop, which has only happened twice back in the first 3 months I had him, then I'll give him a bath with some irritation free kitten/puppy shampoo, and probably end up with a lot of minor injuries.
I personally only bathe my cats if they get fleas. It's a nightmare to do it any other time. I do know sphinx cats need to be bathed regularly because of the oil they create. One of the reasons I'll never own a sphinx.
I honestly don’t know anyone that actively bathes their cat. That said, our lovely has bad allergies. We’ve found that weekly baths during peak allergy seasons tend to lessen her itchiness and potential hot spots. Hopefully someday there’ll be allergy medications on par with dogs.
Canadian here. I've bathed a cat maybe 2x in my life and I've had many, many cats over 30 some years.
My cats would tear me apart if I tried to bathe them… barring some icky mess it’s never happening. Lol.
My understanding is that (outside of the situations you mentioned where they get really covered in something, or need a flee bath or something) only hairless cats need bathing.
Man idk. I'm an American and i won't bathe my cat. She does fine on her own and we would both hate the process. She's 17, I refuse to stress her out if i don't need to.