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I have a two year old female cat. I'm used to bathe her once a week with a special shampoo for cats. Sadly, the cat never liked the bath. Instead, few times when I start preparing the bath for her (e.g. bring her towel) she hides under the bed. When I carry her to the bathroom she start crying and trying to push me off her and run away.

I try my best to make it as easy as possible for her. I do not retstrict her (too much) while rubbing her. I leave her in around 1X1m area while I splash her or rub her leaving her paws on the floor. I heard from friends that it takes few baths before they start enjoying it. Unfortunately, she never enjoyed it or at least accepted it as a normal thing. Few hours after the bath though, once she is all dry, she comes running around me and wants to play.

Is there any way to make her like bathing?

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    Why do you need to bath your cat? Per the accepted answer at Can I bathe my cat with shampoo? "avoid bathing a cat unless there's a real strong need to do so"
    – James Jenkins
    Nov 20, 2014 at 11:37
  • You tagged this with health, are you bathing her because she has a condition that requires it regularly?
    – Joanne C
    Nov 20, 2014 at 21:36
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    @JamesJenkins I bath her because her snow white paws fur and pinky paws get very dirty. In addition, as a protection from any possible flea. After I read the question and linked article you pointed out, I think I need to reconsider my choices. Thanks.
    – Hawk
    Nov 21, 2014 at 0:57
  • @JohnCavan I do bathe her to protect from any possible fleas she could catch. She spends long time in a garden-like balcony everyday.
    – Hawk
    Nov 21, 2014 at 0:58
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    Well, I think you're realizing that you're bathing her way too much. If she has fleas, sure, but otherwise let her do the work herself, she's capable of it.
    – Joanne C
    Nov 21, 2014 at 2:18

2 Answers 2

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Cats naturally clean themselves, unless they have a condition where they are unable to. If your cat cleans itself, I would recommend not washing it. Even though there are shampoos that are "safe" for cats, they still are putting unecessary chemicals onto the cats fur. Also, it is completely normal for cats to dislike being bathed.

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There are a few -- VERY few -- cats that enjoy getting wet. A friend reports once having a kitten that liked to join her in the tub, which was fine until the time the kitten decided to get out of the tub by climbing her. With claws.

There are a slightly larger number that are willing to tolerate it when absolutely necessary. I had to deal with a flea infestation once, and was lucky in that my cat at the time was a Siamese (a breed which is unusually patient with humans to begin with) whom I'd already socialized to accept being turned upside down, having her paws handled, and so on. Even then, I didn't immerse her -- I used a hand-shower nozzle, with the water carefully set to a temperature she would find comfortable, and then promptly rewarded her by giving her a VERY extended cuddle while and after toweling her off.

I doubt my current cats would be as cooperative, even if they do seem to be perfectly content with lying in a damp tub after I've vacated it. One of them might; he's willing to put his head under a stream of water voluntarily when he's playing with splashes.

But in general, I have to agree with others: DON'T unless there's a health requirement. If the "snow-white fur and pinky paws" are getting and staying noticeably dirty, start by improving your housekeeping.

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