Help!

[CleoBaby]

Hello again,
For those of you who don't know, I have only had Cleo for about 3 days. I have already given her 2 baths...which she hates... but I need help!
I gave her a bath at night time and she comes out super clean and soft, I clean her ears, nails and in between her toes, then in the morning I wake up to find her covered all over except her back in this brown scaling film which gets all over the sheets and her ears, nails and toes are super dirty. This happened both times, now she is licking her body after I tried to clean her with a baby wipe.
I changed the shampoo, but what do I do?

 

[Mews2much]

You need to stop giving her baths more then once a week.
You are making her produce more oil and get dirty faster.
I would bathe her once a week or every 2 weeks.
Her skin will start to dry out soon also.

 

[holly_savage]

I have to second that, young kittens seem to be grimier than the adults. And the more you bathe them the worse it seems to be. Once a week is more than enough and some can go even longer. It's been about 4 weeks since I last bathed our 2 girls and apart from a little griminess in the neck area they are clean. I usually go 2-3 weeks, but decided to see how it would be at 4 weeks. Tonight is bath night though.

Just try putting up with it for a few more days to a week and then see how it goes from there. Also, put a shirt on Cleo, it will absorb a lot of the excess oils and maybe keep your sheets a little cleaner.

Good luck!

 

[CleoBaby]

I only gave her a bath the second time, because she got so dirty so soon after the first.
A few hours after her bath she was covered in brown stuff.
So I should just let all that brown scaly stuff stay on her, and wait to bathe her until next week?
Do you think coconut oil will help?

 

[NakedNinja]

Agree. When Gabey had his surgery I couldn't bathe him. I wiped his eyes, ears and toes, but other than that he just "marinated." He's stayed a lot cleaner since, with just a coconut oil rub-down and nice bath once a week, sometimes two weeks.

Also, yes, a shirt does help. Keeps the brown oily gunk off your furniture, sheets, etc.

 

[Mews2much]

It depends on the cat.
Coconut oil is good for fry skin.
Try clothes like Holly said it the oil will get on the clothes and the skin will be cleaner.

 

[CleoBaby]

Thanks everyone!!!
I put a little sweater on her, I just hope she doesn't get too warm when she goes under the sheets, I'm going to try and go get her a shirt not a sweater

 

[Nofuratu]

If you're looking for shirts go to your local thrift store if she is just a kitten.

When Nofuratu was little I would buy him little newborn size human "onesies" from the thrift store and just cut off the but flap parts. They dont fit perfect but they're made from a nice soft cotton and its great for oil absorbing and they wash well. plus they come with adorable "sayings" and winnie the poo logos etc....

I wouldnt leave the brown crap on her. I would use baby wipes to get the bad stuff off and then put on a t shirt. You dont have to have the t shirt on all day. In fact I would take it off for a few hours. The skin needs to breathe, and she will want to groom. Sometimes when people leave clothing on all day for days it can cause skin probs and the cat will want to lick.

Definetely try coconut oil.

Nofuratu used to get dirtier as a kitten but is better now. His toes are always grimy even a day after his bath though and 2 or 3 days after a bath I have to baby wipe his neck and pits. His ears get a once a week clean after the bath but because he goes to work with me every day, I have to do a quick q tip swab almost daily to get the crumbs out....dont want to gross the customers out!

 

[sphynxie]

I agree with everyone

 

[lawgrl]

I only gave her a bath the second time, because she got so dirty so soon after the first.
A few hours after her bath she was covered in brown stuff.
So I should just let all that brown scaly stuff stay on her, and wait to bathe her until next week?
Do you think coconut oil will help?

I inadvertently over-bathed Choppy before his first show (trying to do the right thing and get him super clean for the show)...so, it definitely happens! He got the brown stuff on him afterwards, too. It will come off on its own in a few days.

The best thing to do is not to wash Cleo for at least a week to let her skin recover. Also, you should moisturize her skin in the meantime. Coconut oil works well, I also use St. Ives Vitamin E lotion or Neutrogena sesame dry oil. Every kitty is different; some need a bath once a week, some every two weeks, and some only once a month. Don't feel like you have to stick to a certain bath schedule just because...she may be one of those lucky kitties that needs a bath less often (it'll take a little trial and error and observation to figure it out).

Because Choppy tends to get dry after baths, I use a really gentle shampoo and always moisturize him afterwards. That seems to keep his skin in good condition.