Actually, if the cat really does need a bath- for whatever special reason,
the screen idea might be good for another reason - would give the cat
something to get a grip on, & *may* help them to feel a bit calmer.

Cathy

Why do cats dislike water so much?

Ugh. I remember when Cherokee had this problem. "Maaaa! Gross! Cherokee's got
another Kling-on!" Of course, guess who always got the job of cleaning him up.
Baby Wipes and a sanitary shave about every 4 months became routine.

Sherry

In this case, there was quite a lot of poop there, embedded in her hair.
Not just surface stuff.  I don't think the wipes would've done it.

Cathy

-SNIP>

THe only time I bathed the late Isadora was when she accidentally got motor
oil on herself.  Not only did I not want her to clean herself with that gunk
on her, but I wasn't crazy about the oily paw prints all over the apartment.
I shampooed her clean as quickly as possible,  but she was FURIOUS! It was
the only time that sweet cat ever really growled at me.

I own  both It's _A  Cat's Life_ and  _The New Natural Cat_ by Anitra
Frazier, who is a cat groomer living in New York City. She is rather like
the Martha Stewart of Cat Care--she does things for cats most cat-loving
mortals would not. But she has some tips on bathing a cat that seem to make
sense, if necessity dictates that the cat must be bathed.  They are:
 Bathe the cat in a warm room. Attach a length of rubber hose to the sink
spigot, and warm the sink or tub by running warm water into it before you
add the cat, but do not ask the cat to stand IN water while you're bathing
it--they hate this.
Adjust the water temperature to about the same temperature at which you'd
bathe a baby. Hold the hose in the palm of your hand, and keep your hand
down in close to the cat as you wet the fur, but don't let the cat see water
flying TOWARD  it.  A rubber matt or maybe the screen underfoot is a good
idea to give the cat an extra feeling of security and traction and an
assistant to hold the cat steady might also be helpful. Speak to the cat in
a calm tone of voice, and even tell it what to expect as you bathe it. Give
the cat lots of praise, and tell it how beautiful it will look when it's
clean and dry.  Anitra Frazier still has her arms and legs, so I assume her
method works fairly well.

The rest of the time, I just point to the door hanger sign on my bedroom
which states "The only self-cleaning thing around here is the cat." Panther
has never had a human bathe him in his life.  And yes, there is a reason
I've always opted for short haired cats. =o)

Melissa

Very true.  My boss' pamper pooch is bathed at least 3 times a week and he
has terrible eczema to the point that his constant scratching and biting at
his skin draws blood.  His owner can't seem to make the connection though
and constantly says that she has to bath him as he smells "doggy" and then
takes him to the vet to get expensive steroids for his skin!.  This is an
extreme case but I think that it illustrates that bathing of any animals
should only be done when absolutely necessary.

Jeannie

I agree. There is no reason to subject a cat or kitten to bathing unless there
is a dire need (situations mentioned above). I personally can't see the point
of subjecting a cat to that kind of stress just the owner wants to, and yes, it
can dry out the skin and strip the fur of natural oils. The only situation in
which regular bathing may be warranted is if the owner has a severe allergy,
but I believe I've read that even the value of frequent bathing in that case is
debateable.

Heh, heh. ;-?

Cathy