How do I get paint off a cat?

[HumptyWasPushed]

Seriously! We have just finished decorating in various colours, and the cat has splodges of yellow and teraccota on his tail, and turquoise paws where the little turd darling jumped onto the wet windowsill! I tried to bathe him but he won't have a bar of it! Wtf do I do?

Baby wet wipes and a cat brush/comb - I used huggies on my Dsis cat who decided she wanted to be green and black - she's not the worse for it and is still fit and well - but it was only emulsion.

You want to get it off before he starts grooming - I can't imagine licking paint is going to do him any good.

It depends on the type of paint as to how easy it is to get off. I hope it's not gloss! Use small scissors (careful not sharp pointy nail scissors for your own sake too) to cut any hair from his body if he won't let you wash it (without harsh chemicals). It's the paws I would be a lot more worried about. Cats are very prone to poisoning. Depending on the paint, he could poison himself by licking his paws to get it off or absorption via the skin. Depends on the paint and how much surface area covered. If worried call your vet.

Thank God it's not gloss!

If you are going to try the shower again or bath (try baby bath in bath for maximum control) then I recommend heavy duty welding gloves.

It's emulsion. The babywipes seem to be working.

Lisa I read that as wedding gloves

Oh yeah, my cat was glossed. Bad times.

Thank goodness not gloss! That's great it's coming off :)

If it is emulsion, it should come off with water. I find a wet towel rubbed. over it helps. No chemicals- vets advice when ours got paint on him outside. Gloss had to be cut off- much to his disgust- with nail scissors.

Any kind of remover is poisonous to them.

I like your scientific method there floop .

Living room sounds lovely OP, if nothing else at least the cat matches

I am well good at sciencing me!

My cat was fine. This was 10 years ago, she's still going strong. It was a fairly natural remover too, as low chemical as they can be anyway.

Glad your cat is clean OP!

My cat jumped into a paint tray when I was decorating so I had to wash her straight away as she was leaving painty paw prints all over the carpet.
Just grim determination and a bath I'm afraid. I did the cat burrito as suggested earlier to minimise maiming and had to put up with the yowls. The paint was still wet so did wash off ok.

Oh I ment just leave the paint. My cats tend to brush passed and end up with it on their fur but I just leave it. I don't think id trust any chemicals

OP please post a photo of your painted cat
I accidentally dyed a big pink blob on the back of my friends dog once. We were dying pink bits into our hair and a blob of it fell off the brush and went on to her dogs back. It took about 3 months for it to wash out properly and really stood out as her dog was white with a few bits of black on him

Blowlamp ...Hotter the better

I accidentally dyed my cat once - I was meant to be dying my hair blue black - and my white cat somehow managed to walk through a bit that dripped on the floor.

For a few weeks I had a rather fetching looking white cat with blue paws!

It faded eventually though, I was quite disappointed.

it's not letting me upload. The pic was shite anyway- he wouldn't keep still!

Good to hear the wipes are working - might be work giving him a last over with water on kitchen roll in case of any residue from wipes.

No pics?

A blowtorch removes paint doesn't it?

Oooops! sharon56bus mentioned it first.

sugar soap is very alkali and very dangerous. Please don't use that!

emulsion paint is non-toxic so anything you put on it to remove it (white spirit, nail varnish remover) has the potential to cause more harm than the paint.

Bathing or washing will likely stress him and risk injury to the pair of you.

So best plan is to leave it be. Trim it off with a pair of curved scissors if it's annoying him, but that's the safest approach :)

To the tune of 'Postman Pat'

Painty Cat, Painty Cat
Painty Cat with his red and green splay
Although your tail is yellow
The fumes will make you mellow
On the floor's a turquoise arse-print where you sat!

Cats are at the top of a food chain. They rely on the creatures they eat - mice etc - to filter out a whole range of toxins. They (their livers) are therefore not able to cope with a whole range of substances that humans - even children - can manage. And they insist on washing themselves and ingesting poisons. You can get purpose-designed dog and cat wet wipes. But otherwise olive oil or water (depending on what subtsance is covering cat) and a lot of cotton wool together with towel and gloves and tepid water are your best bets.

Thanks flora he's all clean now!