Have you ever wondered if licking was good enough?
As a loving pet owner, you probably have looked at your cat and thought whether he needs a bath or not. After all, cats are known to be fairly clean animals. They can lick themselves. Their tongue is particularly designed to get rid of dirt and tangles off their coat.
Not only that but since bathing a cat may feel like a chore and you want to save yourself from a few scratches, you might settle to simply let him do it himself.
However, you know there will be times when you need to take matters into your own hands and give your cat a refreshing bath.
The question now is, “When?”
In this post, let me share with you some instances when you need to bathe your cat yourself and when you should simply let him do it alone.
When You Should Bathe Your Cat
Here are situations that indicate you should give your cat a bath.
- Your cat is a hairless breed
One of the most popular hairless cat breeds is the Sphynx. If you have a cat like this, you would need to give him a bath at least once a week. A cat’s hairless skin may accumulate oil which can lead to cat acne.
- Your cat has a fungal infection
Fungal infection can be very itchy. It can easily spread throughout the skin. Your vet will tell you to give your cat medicated baths until you get rid of the fungal infection.
- Your cat has a parasitic infection
Fleas are difficult to get rid of. Even the most meticulous licking of your cat won’t easily remove them. Not only that, but fleas live in places where your cat can’t reach them. For this reason, you would need to give your cat a bath together with the use of flea products to get rid of fleas and their eggs.
- Your cat is super dirty
As a pet owner, common sense will tell you whether your cat badly needs a bath or not. You can visually see if they are overwhelmed with so much dirt. If your cat gets into the trash can, chimney, puddle of mud, and other nasty stuff, then a bath should be a good idea.
When You Should Let Your Cat Groom Himself
Cats are known to spend up to 50% of their waking time simply grooming themselves. With this in mind, it is not difficult to see that under normal circumstances, your cat doesn’t need to be bathed.
Excessive bathing your cat could lead to undesirable results. For example, taking away their role of cleaning themselves may lead to unhappiness in cats. Moreover, if you keep on bathing your cat, he may eventually hate you for that. He may become aloof to avoid bath time or become defensive even if you simply want to pick her up.
Keeping Your Cat Clean
If you want to keep your cat clean, one of the best ways to do it is to keep his surroundings and environment clean as well. Put away trash where he can’t reach it or habitually clean your house.
Keeping your cat clean does not only benefit him but also you. So, stay clean and fresh and I’m sure you’ll have more happy moments with your cat!
