Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Not to wash my cat

62 replies

Hereward1332 · 16/05/2017 12:46

No euphemism. I have lived with cats all my life and have never heard of anyone washing theirs. Colleague mentioned washing hers every month and thought I was slovenly. Am I a slattern?

OP posts:

BlueSunGreenMoon · 16/05/2017 13:22

One of mine gets poo caught in her fur. That's the only time I wash her.

It is not a pleasant experience.

TalkingBoutMoney · 16/05/2017 13:24

I had to wash my first cat a few times because he had a skin infection (damn cat was allergic to fleas ).

Not a task i relished or care to repeat unless i absolutely had to.

Maudlinmaud · 16/05/2017 13:24

I would lose skin and quite possibly my eyes if I dared even to try. Risk it at your peril. Seriously though cats wash themselves.

DissonantInterval · 16/05/2017 13:25

Unless there's a good reason to bath them - ie health or they've got something vile or dangerous on them, cats don't need bathing imo. Only time mine was was after she got in a supermarket carrier with broken eggs in . The bath was horrible for all concerned though she did seem to enjoy being blow-dried afterwards.

Maudlinmaud · 16/05/2017 13:26

My cat fell in the bath once, she actually climbed up the tiles to get out

Roystonv · 16/05/2017 13:28

Dh washed his cat before I came on the scene, a full male. Once released (after a huge battle) he left home and never came back again. Dh saw him occasionally looking in good health etc. strutting his stuff on the back yard wall.

NotAPuffin · 16/05/2017 13:29

She's confused. It's not actually a cat she has, it's a dog.

harderandharder2breathe · 16/05/2017 13:29

Unless the cat is a tiny kitten or unable to clean themselves they don't need humans to keep them clean

FizzyGreenWater · 16/05/2017 13:30

Cats are dry clean only.

FizzyGreenWater · 16/05/2017 13:30

A good quality cat, that is.

PutABitofButteronTheSpudsAndre · 16/05/2017 13:31

Some Siberians quite like it. Plus with their ridiculous levels of fur it's that or regular trims.

Nonibaloni · 16/05/2017 13:33

I wear a thick leather coat to cut my cats claws. 2 make their feelings know and huff afterwards but the last one, holy moly! She ripped the leather and honestly couldn't be controlled. Off to vet (who was very suspicious as to why I couldn't do it)

If she needed regular washing I have no idea how it would happen. Genuinely think it would need sedation and obviously that would be bad.

Medical need aside I think it's definitely a case of people thinking pets are people .

Maudlinmaud · 16/05/2017 13:33

Fizzy you funny person.

Railgunner1 · 16/05/2017 13:40

I wash mine when they need it. sometimes they really do. one has quite bad skin condition, needs medicated shampooing

FurryLittleTwerp · 16/05/2017 13:47

I washed my two on one occasion only, when they were tiny & had wee'd & pooed in the travelling box & got it all over themselves.

it was a joint effort with DS, using the utility room sink, & was a "never again" experience, even though they were only kittens

Kittencatkins123 · 16/05/2017 13:54

KittencatkinsCat says YANBU

Doobigetta · 16/05/2017 14:02

I've just acquired a Siberian kitten, and the breeder said if you start bathing them when young they're generally ok with it. I didn't bath my lovely shorthaired moggy once in 18 years, though. He was as gentle as a baby unlike the rough and tumble little madam I've got now but I don't think he would have allowed that.

ShotsFired · 16/05/2017 14:04

I couldn't even get Shotscat to participate in a non-invasive senior health check - a bath would need full on bomb disposal protective gear.

For said healthcheck, the nurse used some Matrix-like skills to get the the needle in for the vaccinations but I left the room with scratches on my face, neck, chest arms and hands, and the nurse was bleeding.

Consequently we agreed that Shotscat appears to be in fine fettle.

Talith · 16/05/2017 14:05

One of ours has white paws which are always grubby with dust and I have contemplated giving her a soaping to buff her up a bit but generally I wouldn't even think about it.

manueltowers · 16/05/2017 14:07

I had to wash my old cat when he pooed himself in his carrier and sat in it.

It took two adults, oven gloves and a towel and we still both ended up with claw marks!

paddypants13 · 16/05/2017 14:08

My boss is bat shit crazy (nice but batshit) she was her cats once a week in fabric conditioner every week to try and kill the fleas on them.

I need to get some life insurance and my will sorted before even thinking about washing Paddycat and she's so laid back she's practically a dog.

trulybadlydeeply · 16/05/2017 14:09

I've always had cats, 2 or 3 at a time, and have never washed them, unless they have something stinky and unmentionable in their fur.

bushtailadventures · 16/05/2017 14:11

The only time I have washed a cat was when she was too ill to clean herself, even then it was more of a sheep-dip type thing rather than a full wash. She disapproved loudly the whole minute or two she was in the water.

TrinityRhino · 16/05/2017 14:14

Crazy woman.
Cats are definitely like fanjos lol

Except if they get ill or something prevents them cleaning themselves.

Is she someone who constantly cleans things that are already clean?
Maybe she just feels her cat is covered
in germs.

I wouldnt even attempt to wash mine. It would then it how to kill me.

TrinityRhino · 16/05/2017 14:15

It would then plot how to kill me

Flip

1 2 3

Swipe left for the next trending thread