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A calmer bath time

NakedNinja

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This past "bath day" I tried something new. I've tried all the other suggestions; water up to the chest, towel in the bottom of the sink, kitchen sink, bathtub, "sponge" bath....and on, and on.

Nothing worked. Gabe continued to scream bloody murder, pant, flail, and generally try to convince anyone within ear shot that he was being brutally tortured.

This time, I filled the tub with nice, warm water. Put in a little squirt of his soap. Then, I climbed in the tub with him, held him, petted him, and spoke very gently to him.

He still fussed, but not nearly as much. I think we may be onto something here!!!
 

Sheldon

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I sit on a stool in the shower, wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt for protection. My husband hands Sheldon in, kicking and screaming. At first there is a lot of yowling, then he mostly sits on my lap while I wipe him down with a soapy cloth and wash his toes and nails. There's lots of loving at the same time. I don't have to restrain him as he is happier on my lap than in the stream from the shower- which is pointed elsewhere. After he is as clean as he's getting, I gently pour warm water all over him from a large plastic pitcher which I pre-fill. Then the shower door opens and he is rescued with a warm towel and some mild moisturizing cream rubbed all over. He is then clean for about 5 minutes!

I guess you need a willing partner to wash a cat this way, but until I tried this I needed a second person to hold onto a slippery, angry kitty!
 

ypvsypvs

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I guess that claw trimming day is not after bath day in your house.
:Hysterical:

Getting into a tub with a cat normally scared of water having 20 claws and 4 sharp teeth is brave indeed. :Laugh:
Glad it worked out but I bet you had a few tense seconds before you knew it was about to go well, hehe.
 

NakedNinja

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I guess that claw trimming day is not after bath day in your house.
:Hysterical:

Getting into a tub with a cat normally scared of water having 20 claws and 4 sharp teeth is brave indeed. :Laugh:
Glad it worked out but I bet you had a few tense seconds before you knew it was about to go well, hehe.

Gabe is a rescue kitty, and he came to us declawed, so I only have ten to worry about. No matter how upset he's gotten during bath time, he is a very polite cat, and has never scratched or bitten, so I wasn't too worried. My #1 concern is sparing him the trauma of bath day. Whatever it takes...even if it means I get a "cat" bath too!
 

bellasmom

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AW YAY! Glad you found a way to make it work! Soon he wont mind at all! Bella hops in the shower with me sometimes. :LOL: and when I take a bath she always sits on the edge and tries to sit on my bent knees that are sticking out of the water while I read. :Laugh:
 

Nofuratu

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Technically you only have 8 claws to worry about...unless your kitty is one of those fabulous extra toed mutants on the back feet..

Glad you found a solution! You can play with rubber duckies together now! I bathe with Nofuratu in the tub sometimes. He's just as unhappy as when he is alone, but at least he just sits there and doesnt make a peep!

Adventures of A Naked Cat
 

NakedNinja

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Now, if someone could only suggest a way to brush and bathe my Maine Coon. Holy cow, that cat does NOT like to be messed with, and I have the scars to prove it.
 

marlene

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Pedda used to be like Gabe. You were taking your life in your hands on bath day. Then when she was around two years old I got the bright idea of getting in the tub with her. It went so much better! She still yowls some but there's no more non-stop screaming, thrashing, clawing, and trying to escape. She gets a bit wiggly sometimes but is very easy to restrain and bath time is no longer a chore. I start the water draining while she's sitting on my chest getting dried off, then toss her out of the tub and get a shower. I'm so glad I stopped bathing her in a sink, when my kitten comes I'm going to tub train him right away.
 

abbyknitter

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I do the same thing with Abigale:ThumbsUp: I am glad it worked...it's funny though she is now ok with bath time...but hates the towel...:Hysterical::LOL:
 

xxx_phoenix_xxx

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Gabe is a rescue kitty, and he came to us declawed, so I only have ten to worry about. No matter how upset he's gotten during bath time, he is a very polite cat, and has never scratched or bitten, so I wasn't too worried. My #1 concern is sparing him the trauma of bath day. Whatever it takes...even if it means I get a "cat" bath too!

lol @ cat bath, :LOL:
hope it all works out for you good luck xxxxxxxxx
 

ktate88

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Glad you found a way to make it work!! :ThumbsUp:

I brought Niles into the shower with me before we went on Christmas vacation because I was in a hurry. He was not a fan, but not as bad as I thought it may go. He tried to get away but some how I managed to hold his slippery naked self. He gave me the stink eye with the ears pulled back the whole time. I only got one scratch! So in a pinch, a shower works for Niles.
 
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