Do I need to bath my cat?

[SuburbanRhonda]

She is 12 years old, has hip dysplasia and is on medication for life. The meds work and she is very active, but the fur on her back, from about halfway down to where her tail starts, feels kind of greasy. I'm wondering whether she can't clean herself quite as efficiently any more.

I have some Sebocalm shampoo that the vet gave me for one of my guinea pigs and it's suitable for all furry pets.

If I do decide to give it a try, any tips for a pain-free experience all round? She is generally a very placid cat and has never scratched anyone.

It's not going to be pain free unfortunately. You may be right about not being able to clean herself properly because of the hip dys but most cats are vehemently opposed to bathing. You can give it a bash if you think it really needs doing and maybe have someone else on hand of possible to help you but maybe talk to your vet too. If this is a recent thing with the greasy coat then possibly hip dys getting worse or some for of pain/ discomfort there?

I've got some sort of spray-on cat shampoo that doesn't need any water - so more like a rub with some soapy stuff rather than a full-on bath. We had it when my cat dislocated his elbow and couldn't groom. Think it just came from pets at home - might be worth a shot?

Could you try brushing something into her fur to take away some of the grease? That might work better if she's used to being brushed. I've done it many years ago using oatmeal, but I knew that my cat loved being brushed and that we could get every last bit of stuff out of his coat.

He was too old to reach a couple of spots on his back, but he did not have 'sore spots' that meant that brushing him caused him pain.

I have bathed my cat a few times as he gets grubby and is quite lazy at grooming himself!

The way to do it is to very organised and have your marigolds handy!!

We run a bath, put on marigolds, grab cat (you will need to have a firm hold of the scruff of the neck) straight into bath, a helper will need to lather up the shampoo as will be almost impossible to hold the cat with one hand! Rinse cat and straight out onto a towel.

We can do it in about 3 mins

I think I'd go for a damp flannel every night instead. She's unlikely to enjoy it.

Dont bath her it will stress her out (and you). Id get her checked by the vet. A "starey" coat like that can be a sign of kidney problems. If it were a grooming isdue id Expect to see lots of loose, dry, fur and mats rather than greasey fur.

When my cats were very old and had lost their flexibility, I stroked them with a dampened facecloth, using warm water to dampen. Little firm but gentle strokes, a bit like a mother cat's tongue. They liked it and there was no trauma.

Wow, never thought I'd get so many useful replies!

She does have some kidney dysfunction because of the Metacam, so that might be a reason. Actually, it's not really greasy, it's more clumpy and her skin is dry underneath. It's just that when I stroke it, my hand feels sort of greasy afterwards, IYKWIM.

I agree a full-on bath might not be the answer, so I will try to track down some spray-on stuff, or try the damp flannel.

Thank you, everyone

she will hate you with a vengeance should you try to bath her. your hands and arms will quite justifiably be shredded to ribbons. i would not try!

I have showered my cat twice. I locked him in the completely closed shower cubicle with me in with him then showered him. He was surprisingly fine about it even though he hates water and won't go out when it's raining.