Bathing provides a means for the hair treatment, in spite of the fact that most of felines don't need bathing because licking clean is sufficient for this purpose. But sometimes you can't do without bathing. It is the best way to get rid of parasitic insects. One has to remember that it is bad idea to bathe the ill pet because of infection danger.
It is hilghly recommended to bathe the cats before cat show.
There are several ways to bathe a cat.
Fill the bathing pan by the warm water (approx. 40 C) with the waterlevel up to 7-10 cm and put the terry towel on the bottom to make the cat feel itself more sure. To protect the eyes irritation during procedure drop 1or 2 eyedrops in them.
Use powdered or yolk-made shampoo to bathe the cats as it does not remove grease and epidermis. In other cases the baby soap can be used. It is prohibited to apply the usual soap, washing powder or liquid dog's shampoo because of their negative influence on the cats hair, epidermis and are difficult to wash off.
Another bathing procedure that is more safe from the cat's owner point of view, implies that it is used solid and waterpermeable sack. When added by shampoo and cat with it's head ouside it is nessesary to submerge the sack into the warm water to the depth about one half of the sack. Cat is washed in the sack and rinsed as in the usual way.
After bathing the pet has to be wrapped into the big warm towel. Changing towels, napkins, using brushes and fan you make the cat looking fine.
After bathing cat has to be placed at the warm place. When totally dried use the comb to finish grooming, especially for the longhaired animals.
The following are very important moments during the bathing procedure:
- don't bathe the cats very often because the grease removal worsens the natural protection of the skin and hair;
- don't bathe the animal until the four hours period passed since last feeding;
- longhaired cats should be well combed before bathing;
- don't put down the cat's head into the water.
The full bathing procedure is possible to replace by partial washing. This "local washing" is used when the animal became dirty after a walk or using the housesoil.
If cat paws dirtied by tar, paint, asphalt or other adhesives use olive or sunflower oil as well as old towel to make them clean. After all wash them with shampoo. The parts burned by chemicals are to be thoroughly washed by water and should be treated by disinfecting liquid.
Eyes. To prevent the accumulation of the mucilage in the corners of the eyes use a cotton moistened in boiled water or 2 per cent solution of boric acid or tea.
Don't use cammomile potion leading to hair elimination around the eyes.
Don't rub and press on the eyes.
In case of excessive epiphora ( excluding "Pekin nose" type breeds) the cat must be shown to the veterinary.
Preventive measures in teeth treatment.
Due to impossibility of regular cleaning the cat's teeth one has to pay attention on the type of cat's food and it diversity. To avoid the teeth stone deposition use the hard foods. The hard meet forces the animal to make the strong chewing movements, develops and improves the bite.
Cat's ear is very sensitive to the smallest mechanical irritation. So don't disturb ears without the urgent need. Nevertheless it is necessary to examine external and internal part of the ear to control the situation.
Healthy ear's internal part is pink and clean with possible sulphur deposits. When heavily dirty use the cotton tampon that is wound on the plastic or wooden stick with the cotton stretched afar. Get some vaseline oil on it and squeeze slightly to remove surpluses. Clean carefully, never user water or other liquids. Anticeptic powder can be used on the external part of the ear as a preventive against ticks.
When any disease symptoms are available turn to veterinary.
Don't sow or cut the cats claws. The healthy animal has good claws because of regular grinding them off along with their growing. Use a plywood or old towel stretched to the wooden frame to give the cat a possibility to satisfy it's needs.
Cutting and grinding the claws off should be done in following cases:
- when the cat was immobilized during a long time. (if a fixing bandage is used the long claws are possible to grow in it)
- when the old animal is not able to help itself.
- when the new born kitten is very active and may injure the mother cat while feeding;
Cutting the claws off has to be done very carefully to escape injuring the claws growing part. In a lack of experience it is good idea to use the veterinary help.
It's important to know that the cats with the cut off claws can't take part in the cat's shows.