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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that you don't bathe a kitten?

38 replies

ImNameyChangey · 03/05/2015 16:43

There's no need is there? I just popped into my Aunt's house to see her new kitten...it's 9 weeks old now and so gorgeous. She said "Oh you're just in time to see me bathe it!"

Hmm

I said "Why are you bathing it? It's too small and there's no need..." and she said "Oh it's been scratching so I think it's got fleas."

I then gave it a good inspection and said "no...it hasn't got any fleas and if it did then the thing to do is visit the Vet and ask the receptionist for some flea treatment for kittens..."

She was going to shampoo it with Johnson's Baby Bath!

I persueded her not to and told her that no matter what "cat bathing tutorials" she's seen on Youtube...it's not the go....you don't wash them at all unless they've fallen in something smelly or dangerous....AIBU? I hope she wasn't waiting till I left to do it!

OP posts:
Original poster
ImNameyChangey · 03/05/2015 16:44

Persuaded.

OP posts:
SurlyCue · 03/05/2015 16:46

Some cats like water. I had to bath my kitten when i got her as i actually rescued her from the engine of a car. I certainly wouldnt use johnsons baby shampoo though. She needs to get fles treatment suitable for a 9week kitten.

kinkyfuckery · 03/05/2015 16:48

She can bathe a kitten if she wants. Some enjoy it. I'd worry what to use to clean them though.
And she needs to understand that baths can be as well as flea treatment, not instead of!

Original poster
ImNameyChangey · 03/05/2015 16:50

Baths won't get rid of fleas though. I do get that some cats like water but it's really not common...and surely such a tiny kitten shouldn't be immersed in water!?

OP posts:
TrulyTurtles · 03/05/2015 16:50

I had to bathe ours as he was absolutely flea ridden, poor little Bugger.

tomatodizzymum · 03/05/2015 16:51

She was going to shampoo it with Johnson's Baby Bath!

Hmm

We have bathed our cats, with flea treatment as they came from a farm. One of them now loves to be washed, just not his head. When I bath the dog, he joins in. The other cat thinks he's crazy.

Original poster
ImNameyChangey · 03/05/2015 16:55

I'm sure a cat that has a bad case of fleas would benefit from a bath...but not a clean kitten of only 9 weeks...there's just no need.

OP posts:
TattyDevine · 03/05/2015 16:56

Don't be too outraged about the Johnson's baby bath - that is what our breeder told us to use if we ever had to bathe our cat. I've never had to give her a full bath but I did have to give her a "bum bath" once when she got the runs (ate too many daddy long legs and got the shits) as it got all down her trousers and dried like concrete.

Apart from that no I don't think there is any need though show cats often get bathed and blow dried and virtually every hair is separated and put into place (I'm talking about Persians here) for which I don't envy them!

HighwayDragon · 03/05/2015 16:56

I tried to give highwaycat a flea bath once... Never again...

TattyDevine · 03/05/2015 16:57

Agree about the fleas though, a frontline treatment will do the trick and it didn't sound like it had flees anyway

Suzietastic · 03/05/2015 16:57

I'm a cat groomer. Ive bathed loads. don't worry about it.

SmillasSenseOfSnow · 03/05/2015 16:58

From spending time on the interweb it would seem that bathing cats is quite normal in the US. And if you have a flea shampoo for example, then it would be normal to bathe an animal with it rather than use droppers etc. Her choice really.

I wouldn't want to personally, having needed to bathe a kitten one time because he got poo all over himself, and ending up with some very long deep scratches on my hands and arms. I'd also worry about irritating their skin with products and causing them discomfort. It's just not necessary, really.

VivienScott · 03/05/2015 17:00

I've only bathed mine when I've got them if they appear particularly grubby. It's not something that I remember as being particularly pleasant for either of us or necessary after that first bath.

D0oinMeCleanin · 03/05/2015 17:02

Johnsons Baby shampoo will be fine for cats. I use it on our rats, when I bath them.

We don't bath the kitten though. I would if she got covered in oil or something that may be harmful to her if she licked it off and I would use baby shampoo if, but we don't routinely bath her. She keeps herself fairly clean.

There's nothing wrong with bathing a kitten. If you're going to want to be bathing it as a cat for whatever reason, then starting as a kitten is best.

catzpyjamas · 03/05/2015 17:06

YANBU. There is no need to bathe any cat unless they've got themselves covered in something yucky that they would be best not to lick off. Even then, I would be using a shampoo for animals not babies!
Her vet will be able to provide a suitable, effective flea treatment when she takes the kitten in to register and get it vaccinated. Vaccination is far more important than smelling nice imo. Wink

Original poster
ImNameyChangey · 03/05/2015 17:09

Yes I've just googled a bit and it generally says most don't like it and unless they've something toxic on them that it should not be done. HEr cat was clean as a whistle. I'ts also tiny! I just wouldn't distress a clean, young kitten like that.

OP posts:
Trills · 03/05/2015 17:09

A 9 week old kitten is fully weaned, so in equivalent terms to a baby it's over 6 months, and you'd give one of those a bath.

ahbollocks · 03/05/2015 17:15

Just no.

MrsTedCrilly · 03/05/2015 17:44

When we lived in the Middle East we used to take in stray kittens, and we had to bathe them as they were always covered in poo for the first month while their poo was sloppy! We used a hairdryer to make them all fluffy afterwards Smile

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 03/05/2015 17:52

Oh a gorgeous little kitten at bath time, I can't think of anything squishier.

SurlyCue · 03/05/2015 17:53

mrstedcrilly i'll bet you took some photos of those fluffy kittens, didnt you? g'wan g'wan g'wan Wink

Marshy · 03/05/2015 17:57

I'm just imagining bathing my cat.....I would need an armoured body suit Grin

KittyFan83 · 03/05/2015 18:15

Sphinx cats (and any other 'hairless' breed) generally need a weekly bath, because they get a build up of oils on their skin/coat (even 'hairless' cats do have very short, very fine hairs) that needs cleaning. But most cats don't need it.

And a few cats love to play with water - e.g. the American Bobtail, American Shorthair, Turkish Van, and a few others. But most (including many of these) won't be particularly overjoyed with getting a full bath.

If she wants to bathe her cat, it's best to start young, and start by e.g. wiping them down with a damp cloth, then putting them in a small amount of water, then gradually increasing the amount of water, and give treats after each of these "bath sessions" so the cat associates it with something good. Starting off with a full-on bath the first time is more risky as the cat could be put off it for life.

But, aside from hairless breeds like the Sphynx, there's really just no need to ever bathe a cat unless there's dirt that can only really be removed that way (runny poop, grease, etc, or fleas in a flea-treatment bath). They do all their grooming themselves already! That's basically just some pet owners wanting a practice baby instead of a cat - the same way some insist on dressing their dogs and cats in human clothes all the time and even (yes) take their kitties for walks with the kitty in a stroller - I kid you not!

The only reason to bathe the kitten would be so that it gets used to this process, so it easier to do if and when they ever need a flea treatment bath or bath to clean off excessive dirt - but even then, I'd be looking to have bath-time happen as infrequently as possible! And if the cat shows any sense of distress, the owner should stop doing it, because it isn't worth the stress to the cat just to get them used to the process for the off-chance that they might genuinely need a bath at some point.

KittyFan83 · 03/05/2015 18:18

(I added some advice on how to introduce bath sessions for your kitten just in case you can't persuade your Aunt to stop the bathing altogether - if so, at least try to get her to do it with minimal stress to the kitten, hth)

thecatneuterer · 03/05/2015 18:19

No need at all to do it, unless it's got itself covered in something harmful. It can do harm. it can do no good.

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