How to wash/bath a cat without getting clawed to death?

[Lovemusic33]

First of all, I don’t agree with bathing cars, never understood why people do.

My cat was out all night and came home this morning stinking of petrol, I have wiped him down with some wet wipes but he still stinks and I’m worried he will get ill if he tries to clean himself up. He seems to have it on 2 legs and a patch on his side. He’s a pretty tolerant cat but I don’t think he will be if I attempt to dip him the bath 🤔. Any tips on how I can clean him up?

Most cats, scruff them, dip them in like a t bag, then put shampoo etc on them, then repeat. However I have one cat that I literally just pour water on it’s back in the bathroom as he turns into the devil incarnate.

I would literally save my own skin and take him to the vets to have it done.

I had to wash some vegetable oil off my cat once, I’m clearly an idiot because I got in the shower cubicle with her in swimwear. I might as well have run through barbed wire.

Oh dear, wrap him in a towel , like swaddling a baby and you will need another pair of hands as well.. shut bathroom door and window before Putting him in shallow warm water, still in the towel, have you got a pet shampoo ?
I got wet concrete off my cat this way.

Towel wrap him j u st letting one leg out at a time to wash in abowl of warm soapy water

Other than that just keep at him with warm soapy water and flannels/ kitchen paper on each individual area, wash with one and rinse with a clean one. A bit gentler but longer to do!

Does he need a full bath. When he is relaxing could you wash his.legs and sides with soapy.water using cat shampoo and cotton wool.

I’m not sure if he needs a full bath, he has allowed me to wipe him down a bit but I’m worried he still isn’t clean enough.

Can’t take him to the vets, he hates going in the car and literally shits himself, it would cause him more stress than me trying to bath him.

He often sits on the side of the bath when I’m in there and doesn’t seem too bothered if he gets a little bit wet but I think a bath would turn him into a angry crazy fur ball.

I don’t have anyone to help me so no extra hands.

You can get dry pet shampoo. From PAH

Go into bathroom with cat and plenty of towels.
CLOSE BATHROOM DOOR.
Run 2 inches of warm water in bath.
Hold cat FIRMLY by scruff of neck, pick up and stand in bath.
Still holding scruff, wet cat, apply cat shampoo, lather up, rinse,then wrap tightly in towels, to soak up as much water as possible.
Use dry towel(s) to finish off.
Open bathroom door.
Let cat go.
It will zoom off like a rocket and sulk for hours.

He not happy bit let me wipe him down with some soapy water, he still stinks of fuel. Worried he will consume some 😢, I will keep a close eye on him.

WE used to bathe cats when I was young, hold the claws, quick dip. But I'm not sure it will be better result than lots of baby wipes. YOu need something that dissolves petrol, how would pet shampoo be better than baby wipes?

I had to shampoo my cat every two days for a fortnight when she had ringworm. Make sure the bathroom door is shut. To shampoo her, I just rubbed her down with a wet cloth enough times to get her fur wet enough to lather the shampoo, although I'm not sure this would be sufficient with petrol. Then I put her into the empty bath to rinse her. This was better than trying to dunk her into a bath full of water. You can scruff them, or I used to manage to hold her behind her front legs. I poured slightly warm water from a jug over her (I had the sink filled to refill the jug from). Be as quick as you can then wrap in a towel to lift them out.

It was an unpleasant experience for both of us but seemed to work ok.

T'internet is saying washing up liquid is very good for this.
Recommended on previous MN thread, too.

I found this OP. I think with petrol it is a trip to the vet :(

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pets/963850-Cat-has-come-in-smelling-of-petrol

Scruff and plonk (gently) into a warm bath. Wrap feet with towel and get somebody else to hold them?!

Lots of washing up liquid should dissolve the petrol I'd think

Lots of treats afterwards

@Lovemusic33

He not happy bit let me wipe him down with some soapy water, he still stinks of fuel. Worried he will consume some 😢, I will keep a close eye on him.

He is very cute, even when he is angry. He does need to go to the vet so he doesn’t ingest any fuel, if you have a cone of shame you could put that on until his appointment.

my method is this -

Block all exits if it is below 15c outside - you don't want your cat running out while wet

put 6 million towels down on the floor. Carry cat to bathroom. Remove all things they can hide behind.

Use a jug to pour water of them, giving them space to move out of your way - just follow them and use the jug again.

They will eventually give up and accept this is their life now. Proceed to use cat shampoo and rinse, with the jug.

Rub cat with towel

lubey If they jump out of the bath do you pour it on the floor, or do you have a wet room?

I used to have to bathe my cat a lot as he was a Persian and he couldn't keep himself totally clean by himself. He hated the bath but once he was in the water he would sit and yowl rather than scratch. You can buy mesh swaddling bags to put them into, that might work?

I washed him with washing up liquid as it's meant to remove oil/petrol. He's now sleeping upstairs, it's hard tell if he still sleep a of petrol or just wet cat smell. I don't want to take him to the vets unless I have too, I would rather try and bath him properly (if there's any left on him).

I had to wash one of my cats who had had "an accident". I put her in the bare (plastic) cat carrier and ran warm water over her. Then put old towels down, opened the carrier door and stood well back.
She took it surprisingly well.

I once had to wash a cat that had been sprayed with weedkiller.
I got a chair next to the shower enclosure, tested the temp of water, put the shower head on its highest position on the rail. Then i pushed the cat in, got on the chair and got the shower head and directed it at the very cross cat to ensure it got a very thorough wash.

If you have any activated charcoal I'd try and get some down him, it's what the vet would give it you went. Might be able to get some from a pharmacy. It helps absorb any toxins he may have consumed. There's a good chance he had a good groom before you saw him. But washing up liquid should remove most of it.

Personally I would call the vet (they will have an out of hours service) for advice. You can speak to a veterinary nurse who will advise what to do.

I have just given him another sponge down with soap, he was happy to let me do it and kept coming back for more, we then sat in the garden where I brushed him until his fur dried.

I’m now unsure if it is petrol, defiantly some kind of fuel or chemical. I’m keeping a very close eye on him. I’m not sure I will be able to get hold of a vet until tomorrow morning, I think there is a vet on call for emergencies but it usually takes a while to get hold of anyone. He seems happy after his sponge down, has had a bit to eat and hasn’t been sick or anything.