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Cat Forum / General Topics / December 2003Kitty No-Likee Bath
Isis is my long-haired Tabby. She weighs about 7 1/2 pounds and is fully clawed. We've lived together for about 3 years now. I have no problems with her. We play 'chase me', 'scratch my ears', and 'I'm walking over your shoulders now', and have developed a good understanding of each other. A few months ago I took her in for a bath to my vets. The results were great! She came back smelling nice and clean, she didn't groom herself as much, and the gakking up of hairballs dropped 99%. So, I decided that regular baths at the vets would be a great idea. For only $20.00 it's well worth it. However, a person at my vet's informed me today that they would no longer give Isis any more baths. The reason is that Isis does not like baths. In fact, the last time I took her in it took four (4) people to hold her steady. There have been bloody injuries. There have been cuts. One time bath-giver #1 had to call in bath-giver #2 due to battle fatigue. This nice kitty turns into The Demon from Hell when it comes to a bath. (I had figured as much before I took her in. <-:) They told me at the vet's that they would give her a bath if she was sedated. However, sedation costs $30.00. I want to give her a bath every couple of months along with some grooming for the little nats she forms on her flanks but $50.00 is too steep. I'm wondering if there isn't a way to sedate her without blowing $30.00. Isn't there something like 'kitty valium' she could be given in a bit of food? I'm not into drugging my cat but she really does do much better when she gets her bi-monthly bath. Ideas? Thank you! Mike in Illinois Your Kitty no Likee bath cause kitty grooms herself and takes a bath as an offense. I'm surprised they had trouble giving her a bath. Usually the job they do at the vets office is a good one and they usually know how to restrain em just right. Do you have one of those enclosed shower thingys? You know instead of a curtain you have a sliding door? Those are always good for giving kitty a bath. Also those spray head showers the ones that are decatable. Cut Kitty's nails before giving her a bath also to avoid major injuries. I give my two a bath every Spring and fall. I have hardly any trouble. Also you may want to look into a product called Soft Claws to put over kitties claws so that the vet will take her back to give her a bath. Tina > Isis is my long-haired Tabby. She weighs about 7 1/2 pounds and is fully > clawed. [quoted text clipped - 32 lines] > > Mike in Illinois Hi, Tina. I would love to take care of this chore myself but it is impossible. Isis is very affectionate, playful, and quirky when at home. Her position on being given medicine or taking a bath is, however, very clear. The answer is "NO". Trying to trim her nails, at home, would be an invitation to lacerations and deep bloody scars. Isis is fine. Just don't try any funny stuff. If I don't give her a bath every 6 weeks or so I have problems. She swallows too much hair and gets hairballs. She gets oily and slick. And the hair around her rectum grows quite long and begins to collect, well, you know. That becomes intolerable. I talked to my vet about this and we are going to try some kind of kitty chill-out pill that the vet is prescribing. I will sneak 1/2 of it into her food two hours before a bath/grooming/nail clipping visit. If it isn't enough they will give her the other 1/2 of the pill at the vet. This will be far less expensive and intrusive than a $30.00 sedation charge. You would have to try and bathe her yourself to understand the depth and dimension of this situation. I guess the closest analogy would be to say it's like juggling red hot razor blades. After she comes home from a vet bath she is soooo peaceful. She grooms herself less, she sleeps like never before, and is quite happy! Thank you, though, for the suggestions! Mike in Illinois > Your Kitty no Likee bath cause kitty grooms herself and takes a bath as an > offense. I'm surprised they had trouble giving her a bath. Usually the job [quoted text clipped - 49 lines] > > > > Mike in Illinois Why not try bringing her to a new vet? Otherwise...you may just have to pay the extra. Or the other alternative...which a lot of people disagree with...is having your cat declawed. If your cat is strictly an indoor cat...it could be the perfect solution. Myself...I'm not even sure how I feel about that one. But...if you have no alternative...then that may be the perfect solution. However...if your cat is allowed to go outside...it's best that you don't have him/her declawed for your cats safety. I hope all works out for you. I know I've battled quite a few cats in my day...for some reason...they just don't like water. lol However...a good vet should be able to handle a cat that doesn't like baths...I mean...isn't that why you brought your cat there in the first place? They're supposed to be there to help people with animals that are impossible to groom (bath and/or nails etc..). I hope that you find the solution that you are looking for. First thing I would do is call different vets or pet grooming places and explain the story and see what they have to say/suggest. Especially groomong places...they would know best. Good luck! Melanie > Hi, Tina. > [quoted text clipped - 88 lines] > > > > > > Mike in Illinois Hi, Melanie. The reason I offloaded this bathing problem to the vet is because I figured they are the pro's. Well, they are, but when one person has to call in 3 reinforcements I can understand how a $20.00 bath is actually a money-loser for the poor guys. I'm very reluctant to have her declawed. I've seen an instance where psychological problems occurred. Given Her Majesty's tempermant I wouldn't begin to guess what I would have as a house-mate if I did that. Before I look for another vet, which did occur to me, I'm trying the kitty chill-out pill that the vet is prescribing. It's only a one day every 6 week deal. We must keep a sense of perspective here. She has a nice house, a heated kitty nest in the winter, special food, and complete medical and dental care. Asking her to take one little bitty dope pill every six months so I don't end up paying even more for grooming costs is not too much to expect! Mike "Fighting a Losing Battle" in Illinois > Why not try bringing her to a new vet? Otherwise...you may just have to pay > the extra. Or the other alternative...which a lot of people disagree [quoted text clipped - 124 lines] > > > > > > > > Mike in Illinois Mike at mike@spambegone.com wrote on11/19/03 1:17 AM: [snip] > If I don't give her a bath every 6 weeks or so I have problems. She swallows > too much hair and gets hairballs. She gets oily and slick. And the hair > around her rectum grows quite long and begins to collect, well, you know. > That becomes intolerable. [snip > You would have to try and bathe her yourself to understand the depth and > dimension of this situation. I guess the closest analogy would be to say > it's like juggling red hot razor blades. After she comes home from a vet > bath she is soooo peaceful. She grooms herself less, she sleeps like never > before, and is quite happy! Hi Mike & Isis, This is only my opinion: cats that hate baths that much should not be bathed unless there some huge extenuating circumstance like accidentally getting something awful all over. My belief is that you can prevent quite a few of Isis' hairballs by combing her, as well as keep her nether parts free of the "well, you know" with the proper comb. The oiliness can be conquered by rubbing some corn starch into her fur every week or so as you give her a good petting, then brushing it out. Again, only my opinion, she probably comes home from her vet bath so mellow because she's wiped out from struggling, and monumentally relieved to finally feel safe once again.  SignatureDiana, keeper of dirty cats Hi, Diana. Isis would say 'hi' except she is sunbathing in her box under my office lamp at the moment. She's tired from sleeping all day. You idea about grooming her is great. I like it. You like it. But my cat, my long-haired Tabby cat, well, she has some very definite ideas about things. I've tried to groom her. The first two days she took over my house it was ok but since that time I have been informed that grooming is not a pleasurable deal. Ear scratching is always a-ok, petting is completely acceptable, but the rules about using a comb are very strict. She needs a bath about every 6 weeks otherwise she falls into a perpetual self-licking cycle which degenerates into hairballs and nats. She gets these impossible to resolve nats on her flanks. They're little bound up nats of hair which I have to have removed at the vets. Honest, when she comes home it's not really relief. Well, maybe it is, but my vet is gentle and caring. We're all just overwhelmed and controlled by this 7.5 pound bundle of joy. I have long since surrendered to Her Majesty. Cost is no object. Time is unimportant. I keep a stock of canned food at all times. She is hopelessly arrogant and enforces her will with built-in razor blades. I have surrendered. Mike in Illinois > Mike at mike@spambegone.com wrote on11/19/03 1:17 AM: > [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > comes home from her vet bath so mellow because she's wiped out from > struggling, and monumentally relieved to finally feel safe once again. >Hi, Diana. > [quoted text clipped - 54 lines] >> comes home from her vet bath so mellow because she's wiped out from >> struggling, and monumentally relieved to finally feel safe once again. There are some that will brush through tangles without pulling. Mike at mike@spambegone.com wrote on11/19/03 8:48 PM: > Hi, Diana. > [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > > Mike in Illinois I hear you, Mike. Cats rule, and that's only as it should be. For all the pleasure they give us, a little bending over backwards to cater to their requirements as they perceive them is only fair. Don't give up completely on the grooming. If you can find a method and a tool that she will accept, it could eventually become a favorite activity for both of you. I would stop short of using my own tongue, but other than that, I'd keep trying. One of my girls dislikes anything but a certain soft brush, the other is OK with a comb so long as it has rotating teeth. Both have their own opinions about when they will hate it, when they will put up with it for a limited time, and when they will love it, and I pretty much go with those. There are so many different grooming tools out there. Ever tried one of those glove things? I have a friend who has resorted to having her Persian shaved a couple of times a year -- not what I would do, but then it's not my call. SignatureDiana This might not be the "approved" method but how about giving kitty something more like a sponge bath? That is: 1/ Get a bucket with a small amount of warm water and a small amount of cat shampoo mixed in. 2/ Hold your cat wrapped up in a towel (everyone is still dry). 3/ Using a wash cloth, sponge bath Kitty. Keep her more or less inside the towel and reach underneath the towel to get her wet with the soapy water. 4/ Have an assistant change the water. 5/ Sponge bath her again with the clear water to rinse her off as much as possible. I think my cat gets clean enough and it is much less traumatic for both of us. But I think my cat isn't quite so aggresive as yours. For example, my cat will let me trim her claws. |
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