Cat grooming

[Julie84]

Spent a fortune this afternoon!

I have been looking for ages for cat specific shampoos and conditioners for Tom as I was hoping a detangling shampoo and conditioner might help keep his fur in better condition.

The Shaws cat shampoo I have at the moment is drying his fur out a lot even though I use a tiny amount and try to do it no more than once a month.

The shampoos and conditioners sound great but obviously I will have to see how they go but they are made with all natural ingredients and claim to do all that I wanted! Also bought a new comb, a rubber brush (like the ones you wear like a glove) for in the bath and a towel that claims to dry animals much more quickly than normal towels - it better since I don't think I've ever spent that much on a towel for myself!

Thomas is a really good boy about having baths (although it would be really better if he just washed himself) and if I get the temperature just right, actually seems to enjoy being in there. But he won't let me use the hairdryer on him and he takes ages to dry and he doesn't like being soggy. Normally I wrap him all up and put a DVD on and I cuddle him for a couple of hours, which he doesn't seem to mind so much!

[CJK]

I never bath the moggies, they'd just scrath my eyes out.
Soon as I got princess home I did kinda bath her (filled sink up with water, squirted baby shampoo into it and wet her down then rinsed. SHe ponged when we got her.
Not tired sepcific cat shampoos, my vet said use baby shampoo!!! (that was just for moggiesthough as didnt have posh cats then)

Like to know what this stuf fis like though

[Sweet]

I have had Violet since September 05 and I have never bathed her. When she comes into the Bath Room with me she likes the splashes and puts her paws up on the side of the bath - maybe I will have to have a go! x

[yola]

I think that Thomas must be one cat in a million . . . to enjoy having a bath and then to sit quietly, wrapped in a towel for more than 5 seconds flat is close on a miracle!!!!

I've had to wash Fifi lots of times, but I just use liquid soap . . . as it's for her horribly claggy waggy (usually), that's the only thing that really shifts it!!

I think I've bathed Balie a couple of times when he was smaller, but to be honest he is a truly fragrant cat - no exaggeration, he actually smells perfumed and his toilet habits are immaculate so there's no real need

Darcy - I don't think I'll try that one . . . only just got him used to having hs tummy brushed and he's a bit skittish with that still

[Julie84]

I don't bath Murphy - he is impeccably clean (and short haired).

Tom will only lick himself if there's a bit of food in his fur! Murphy washes Tom's head and back and I brush him every day but he just needs bathing sometimes (and I try and leave him as long as possible) because his fur gets mucky and he smells (BADLY!). He doesn't clean up after he has been to the toilet so if anything gets stuck on his long fur - it stays there! He doesn't even scrape around in the tray or cover his poos up - Murphy does it for him!!!

Even with me brushing every day, his fur gets very knotty and a while ago I found a few matted bits in his 'armpits' and groin area where I just hadn't been brushing properly. Luckily I manged to tease them out with my fingers and Thomas just lies there for me but I felt really bad.

I used to use baby shampoo but I was worried about Murphy washing him (or refusing to!) and also I really wanted to see if a specific shampoo and conditioner would make the other grooming easier - detangling, moisturing, anti static etc - I'm hoping it makes his hair less knotty, so it's easier for me to brush and much less likely to get matted.

I did bath Murphy once, when they had been playing with sardines (nice!) and Neil (my OH) said it was unfair to treat them differently but he screamed like a baby as soon as I put him in the water so he came straight back out again and it was never repeated!

[Julie84]

Originally Posted by yola

I think that Thomas must be one cat in a million . . . to enjoy having a bath and then to sit quietly, wrapped in a towel for more than 5 seconds flat is close on a miracle!!!!

To be honest he barely blinks at anything (the only thing I can think of that really makes him move is food and my 3 year old sister coming round - and that's running in the opposite direction!). He will quite happily lie on his back in the evening, in my lap being fed cat nip drops even if I am cutting his nails!

Originally Posted by yola

I think I've bathed Balie a couple of times when he was smaller, but to be honest he is a truly fragrant cat - no exaggeration, he actually smells perfumed and his toilet habits are immaculate so there's no real need

I am very jealous! Thomas certainly has a smell about him, but it is most Eau de Litter Tray!

[Snoof]

When I had Rajah I spoke to a pet groomer about the tangles in her fur (she'd been starving for so long she'd stopped grooming entirely). She mentioned dry shampoo. Might that be of use? I realise he doesn't mind being bathed, but...

I don't know

[Julie84]

I had considered the dry shampoo but wasn't particularly keen - apart from the fact that I'd most likely end up inhaling it mostly.

I've left his new brushes, towel and the bottles of shampoo out today so he can have a sniff about in his own time - he got scared of the new brush last time I got one (and now gets excited when he sees it) so I'm hoping being able to sniff and touch them will make him less anxious.

He's probably at home now going "What the hell is this?!!!"

[Snoof]

Or trying to brush himself with them

[Julie84]

Quite possibly! Thinking about it now, he has a habit of hiding things so it may be the last anyone ever sees them!