My cat
Cats are quite clean animals. Therefore, for a long time it was believed that they should not be washed at all, but this is not quite so – sometimes cats need to be bathed in cats and cats.
It is necessary to wash the cat if the animal participates in exhibitions, if it happens regularly on the street, as well as after any persistent pollution that the cat cannot cope with. Is there any minimum number of water treatments per year? There is no single answer to this question.
The opinion of leading dermatologists about this: “The less often you bathe your cat, the better.”
It is possible not to wash the animal, constantly living at home and normally maintaining its hygiene, or only because of the appearance of persistent pollution. Street cats are another matter: they need to be bathed as they are polluted, but try to do this no more than once a month. If the animal is washed too often, the natural lipid protective layer may be disrupted, causing itching and peeling of the skin. Lipid layer – a mixture of sebum, sweat and peeling particles of the stratum corneum – is necessary for cats to protect the skin from the harmful effects of environmental factors.
In addition to the habitat, cat hygiene is greatly influenced by their coat type.
By type of coat cats can be divided into 4 main categories:
• cats without hair (sphinxes);
• short-haired (Siamese, Bengali);
• semi-longhair (bobtail, munchkin);
• longhair (Maine Coon, Angora).
Bald cats are actually not completely devoid of coat, and short, very sparse hair is present in small quantities on certain parts of the body (head, legs). Care of this wool, of course, does not require, which can not be said about the skin of a bald cat. The fact is that the skin of such cats often exudes an excess amount of sebum brownish, giving the animal an unpleasant “grimy” look. You can solve the problem by regularly wiping the skin of cats with special wet wipes or with the help of washing.
Shorthair cats are the least capricious in the matter of grooming and almost all the hygiene of the skin and wool is maintained by themselves. Bathe them often should not be. Longhair cats can be washed more often than others, but also no more than once a month. Usually 5–6 times a year is more than enough.
Many cats do not like to wash, but there are animals that have a positive attitude to water procedures (for example, Bengal cats). However, it is rather an exception to the rule. In order for your cat or cat to treat bathing at least neutral, you must begin to acquaint the animal with water and a bathing place from an early age, even a kitten, and the sooner you start – the better.
Try to teach the kitten to play with water, to sit in the bath, to the appearance of the bathroom. After that, you can wash the animal, just try to wash the entire time not completely, but in parts, and choose the time when the animal will be calm and peaceful. Only after such a preparatory stage can you begin to bathe the cat. If washing for a cat represents a certain stress, it is advisable to perform the procedure together. Try to hold the animal securely without damaging it.
Remember that many products are not suitable for washing cats. In particular, do not use soap, aggressive detergents or shampoos. Perhaps after one time you will not notice the negative effects, but regularly using aggressive detergents such as antibacterial soap, you can disrupt the natural microflora and acid-base balance of your pet’s skin. It is best to buy a special pet shampoo at the pet store, you can also use children’s hypo-allergenic shampoos and soaps.
The best option would, of course, be a bath filled with water, not too hot, but not cool; if you use a shower, the pressure should not be very strong. In advance, you should stock up with a towel to wipe the pet’s hair immediately after the water treatment, remove excess water and prevent the cat from hypothermia.
In addition, it is necessary to comb the cat’s hair very carefully for several days after bathing, in order to prevent the formation of tangles.
