Cat wrangling/handling tips for day-to-day grooming?

[alandsim]

Hi all!

I haven't had any trouble bathing Sim. She seemed to know what the deal was and as soon as I put her in the tub she let me do what I needed to do, and even cooperated with ear cleaning and nail cleaning/clipping when I swaddled her in a towel.

On the daily, however, I really struggle with being able to wipe her butt (which needs to be done), and it would also be nice to be able to give her a quick wipe down with a wash cloth every once in a while to freshen up between baths. She sprints away from me and hides under things, so I have to chase after her with a baby wipe (sometimes I put coconut oil on the wipe too) until I get like three good wipes in, and I still never get it totally clean.

My vet tech friend has shown me the "scruff" technique, which I tried but it feels mean and I must be doing it wrong because she still won't stay still.

If I try holding her another way to do this she scrambles and scratches me to get away. My most successful attempts have been kneeling with her facing me, kind of holding her to my abdomen and then wiping her butt.

I wanted to cut her nails this weekend since they've gotten long again since her bath. I chose a time when she was drowsy and I swaddled her in a blanket thinking she would just cooperate like she did after bath time, but if I got one paw out of the blanket she was able to wiggle away from me. I was considering putting her in a tub with some water and not doing the full bath, just to kind of get her in that mindset but I haven't attempted it.

I have looked for youtube videos to educate myself on good "holds" to do, but have found either the "scruff" method or advice on just how to carry a cat. I really need help! How do you get your sphynx to cooperate for these small things? Can I train her a certain way with treats to get her to sit through it?

 

[Yoda mom]

I have spa day haters
I used to have to wear a sweatshirt!

Members will certainly chime in with spa Day tips .

*exfoliating gloves ! Helps hold slippery wiggly kitty !

Years ago a member recommended to me the stokkes flexibath
It has a drain hole plug
I put towels on the bathroom counter and the flexibath with drain plug out over the bathroom sink- easier height for me to hold kitty

Set up all supplies and rinse cup ahead of time
Close bathroom door with kitty ready for spa day lol
I use a pitcher of warm water with bsby face clothes with hylyt shampoo squirted in
Then I put hylyt on the exfoliating gloves

Kitty stands up on the edge of the flexibath in protest lol
So it allows me to clean armpits underside and bum amd rinse

I bought an ace rinse hose on chewy - will be using on next sp day
It has a little adaptor for the bathroom sink I just installed - stays on - water works just fine leaving it there - so we will see how the rinsing goes eoth the spray hose attachment thst has an easy off switch

I also now only use dog microfiber towels I get at Marshall’s all the time for $6
Way easier than big towels

As for nails - my adoptees has long nails - I started in the beginning with just clipping one or two nails - I sit on my little vanity chair with kitty on my lap - I put my arm over kitty shoulder and clip to keep my forearm away from teeth ! Batman will grab at my arm to this day but never chomps down
now I can do all paws but they still complain and grumble.
I have done a mini scruff tug and a stern ahhh! Then trim the next nail amd of course treats when I put them down on the floor - once I decide we are done
Lol I wear my reading glasses so I can see the nail quicks better -
I Keep on hand styptic powder I have from my dogs

Some members use human clippers
I have a safari nail clipper
Recently I got on chewy a hertzog angled nail trimmer
Two of mine have very super thick nails and seems to help

Just to share a few members recently noted their kitties had skin reaction to coconut oil

Hope these tips can be added along with other members spa day tips to what will work for you and Sim

If you have an extra pair of hands - one can hold kitty swaddled in a towel while you clip nails

 

[Yoda mom]

Here is a pic of the stokkes flexibath
I like that it folds away too !

I let them play in it for several days to get them used to it



You could make your own - Before I got it I used a Rubbermaid tote similar size .
You Could make your own carefully cutting out a drain hole

 

[Sheldon13]

Hopefully I will be helpful, but my cat struggles very little so I’m not sure if my way will work for you.

First of all, I never get bath stuff ready BEFORE getting the cat. I usually pet her a bit and then take her to the bathroom and shut the door before starting to prepare bath stuffs. This way there is no escaping.

I hold 1 of 2 ways
1) actually place her front paws on my left shoulder and cradle her backs legs in my left hand, with just her anus exposed at the top. Since I am standing and holding her she doesn’t try to get down
2) she is standing, and I come at her with my left arm wrapped from front to back, with upper arm against her chest, forearm alone body, and hand wrapped around back legs. This method is better if the legs need a little cleaning too.

I use a warm, wet washcloth with a little diluted shampoo and stuff cones off pretty easily. I always give more pets and some treats before I will let her go. So she associates the experience with good things hopefully.


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[Toa and Ross]

It's difficult to clean a cat or clip his nails if they don't like it. I have 3 haters at home. It's a struggle everytime. When clipping nails I wrap them in a blanket really thight. With the butt wiping I take a baby wipe unseen and then grab a cat and wipe really quick.
It took me about 6 months to find a way that more or less works for my crew. Best is to try different kind of ways to find out what works best for Sim. Good luck!

 

[Annejo12]

I try to wash Raphael's face every day and clean her ears. She isn't thrilled about it. I fill my sink with water before she comes in. I shake a treat bag and put a few treats on the counter and she jumps up. I do my cleaning and then put some treats on the floor and she jumps down. This works for us.

 

[alandsim]

It's difficult to clean a cat or clip his nails if they don't like it. I have 3 haters at home. It's a struggle everytime. When clipping nails I wrap them in a blanket really thight. With the butt wiping I take a baby wipe unseen and then grab a cat and wipe really quick.
It took me about 6 months to find a way that more or less works for my crew. Best is to try different kind of ways to find out what works best for Sim. Good luck!

Now I feel lucky that I only have one hater!

I always feel so terrible when I grab her against her will, but I know I'm not actually hurting her so I likely just need to toughen up. The end goal of not having poop get everywhere justifies the means of wrestling with her, as traumatic as it may be.

 

[alandsim]

Hopefully I will be helpful, but my cat struggles very little so I’m not sure if my way will work for you.

First of all, I never get bath stuff ready BEFORE getting the cat. I usually pet her a bit and then take her to the bathroom and shut the door before starting to prepare bath stuffs. This way there is no escaping.

I hold 1 of 2 ways
1) actually place her front paws on my left shoulder and cradle her backs legs in my left hand, with just her anus exposed at the top. Since I am standing and holding her she doesn’t try to get down
2) she is standing, and I come at her with my left arm wrapped from front to back, with upper arm against her chest, forearm alone body, and hand wrapped around back legs. This method is better if the legs need a little cleaning too.

I use a warm, wet washcloth with a little diluted shampoo and stuff cones off pretty easily. I always give more pets and some treats before I will let her go. So she associates the experience with good things hopefully.


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I want to try the second hold you described out! Sim would definitely attempt to scramble away from me for the first one so she's probably not a good candidate for shoulder-based butt wiping.

 

[Toa and Ross]

@alandsim totally understand what you're saying. I always felt terrible to hold them against their wil too. Until my catsitter was here and I saw how she hold them. My crew was much calmer cause she hold them firmly without hesitation. Now I do the same and lately I notice they don't run from me anymore!

 

[alandsim]

I try to wash Raphael's face every day and clean her ears. She isn't thrilled about it. I fill my sink with water before she comes in. I shake a treat bag and put a few treats on the counter and she jumps up. I do my cleaning and then put some treats on the floor and she jumps down. This works for us.

I'm thinking I need to find some better treats for her, because from what I can tell, she'll eat the ones I've got, but she's not going to go out of her way to get them. I've got some Aldi-brand ones she does not care for and some Temptations I picked up cause our vet uses them. I can use them to reward something she's already doing but not get her to do anything or go anywhere special! Unless I'm holding real cooked meat pieces she is nonplussed.

(edited bc I posted too soon)

 

[Sheldon13]

Here is a thread on what some members use for treats.

Goodies/treats

I know we have a thread on here somewhere about favorite goodies. But we have a lot of new people on here so I thought it would be fun to revisit. What are the favorite treats of your Sphynx? Mine likes most goodies, but her favorite by far are Greenies. She’ll crunch the first couple and the...

sphynxlair.com

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[alandsim]

Here is a thread on what some members use for treats.

Goodies/treats

I know we have a thread on here somewhere about favorite goodies. But we have a lot of new people on here so I thought it would be fun to revisit. What are the favorite treats of your Sphynx? Mine likes most goodies, but her favorite by far are Greenies. She’ll crunch the first couple and the...

sphynxlair.com

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Thank you! Those pure bites look right up her alley and I've never heard of or seen them before!