How to bathe a kitten for the first time and at what age can you start?

The first bathing in the life of a kitten determines its further relation to water. If you first introduce the feline baby to the water carefully, then, most likely, in the future the washing process will not cause difficulties, and the cat will not panic when he hears the sound of water from the tap.

You can’t bathe a kitten at a month or even earlier, since this process can violate the temperature regime and wash off the greasy film from the baby’s skin, thereby opening up access to dangerous bacteria. At this age, the maternal way of washing is enough for him. Mom cat carefully licks her offspring, which ensures their hygiene. After a month of age, the kitten is allowed to be very carefully bathed only after he is completely used to the owners and the apartment and will not be afraid of anything. By this time he will already get stronger and learn to lick.

Typically, kittens are not given immediately after birth, new owners are found at the age of 2-2.5 months, until this moment they are under the care of a cat mother, and when they move to a new house, they can start bathing. The most favorable age is 3 months. Just in time for this age, the kitten’s body becomes strong and can undergo the bathing procedure without a cold or other complications. If the kitten is vaccinated, then bathing is possible not earlier than 2 weeks after vaccination.

If everything is clear with the host kittens, then the situation is different with the homeless. It is important to take the foundling immediately to the veterinarian for a preliminary examination and tests, and if the specialist recommends bathing the kitten before it reaches 3 months, then this should be done. In this case, washing the animal is not just a hygienic procedure, but a method of treating wool from fleas, fungi and other parasites.

In total, it is recommended to bathe the animal every 3 months, but there is nothing wrong with the fact that the owner refuses to bathe the pet. Cats are clean animals and themselves are able to maintain hygiene of their bodies. This is especially true for those animals that are kept exclusively in the house.

However, there are several reasons to bathe your pet periodically.

• The pet, which is regularly washed, has a shiny silky coat, which looks beautiful and is pleasant to the touch. If the animal takes part in the exhibition, then the shining coat immediately attracts attention.

• During molting, the cat, licking itself with its tongue, swallows part of the hairs, which often contain harmful substances. All this gets into the cat’s stomach, causes discomfort in the animal and can provoke a disease. This is especially true for kittens, their stomach has not yet matured. During bathing, part of the wool is washed off with water, which means that the animal is less likely to swallow elements harmful to its body.

• Regular washing deprives the kitten of some hair, which means that for his mistress, the process of cleaning the house will be greatly simplified. Usually this problem is relevant for apartments where long-haired animals are kept.

• It is important to rid a street kitten of various parasites. For the baby, special tablets, sprays and suspensions can be dangerous, a weak body, deprived of immunity during the street life, may not withstand the toxicity of special drugs. Therefore, washing with flea shampoo may be the only solution to the problem.

Before introducing a kitten to water, study the list of restrictions to this procedure.

While the kitten develops skin and fat glands, it is impossible to bathe it. An animal deprived of skin lubrication during washing becomes available for dermatitis and other skin problems. As already mentioned, wait three months.

Do not wash the animal after vaccination. Even people from school remember that it is forbidden to wet the injection site. Vaccination is performed only for a healthy animal, and during the first bathing the kitten can catch a cold and get sick. Along with vaccination, the disease can provoke serious consequences, even death.

If the kitten is sick, be sure to consult the veterinarian about the possibility of bathing. Most likely, all bath procedures during this period will be prohibited.

Try to avoid bathing the kitten in the bath itself. A large space filled with water will cause the baby stress and panic. In order to feel more protected, it is important for the pet to cling to something, but in the bath it is impossible to do this.

A sink for these purposes is also not suitable. Firstly, it is dangerous for the kitten, because it will be pulled out and can fall from a great height, and secondly, it is inconvenient for the owners: the spray will fall on the walls and floor, the owner may slip, and then he will have a laborious cleaning of the bathroom rooms.

So that the cat child does not run away, it is recommended to attach it to the harness.

It looks like a large mesh with a special cord that is fixed around the neck. This bag reliably holds the pet and protects its owner from sharp claws and teeth. Water and shampoo penetrate well through the mesh cells. This attribute can also be used for other procedures that are unpleasant for a cat, for example, while cutting nails or cleaning ears.

In the process of swimming, it is very important not to wet the kitten’s head and carefully avoid getting water in the ears. To do this, you can use cotton pads or buy a swimming cap. A washcloth is not needed to wash the animal, it’s easier, faster and better to wash off dirt from a cat's fur coat. In addition, the kitten may be frightened of a foreign object, and he is probably already used to human hands.

In no case do not wash the kitten with shampoo for people, even if it is a baby hypoallergenic product. Also, detergents for puppies, dogs, ferrets and other animals are not suitable for kittens. It is worth abandoning the use of shampoos for adult cats. In babies, the mucous membranes and skin are more susceptible, they may not withstand the action of the components of the product for adult animals.

The following varieties are suitable.

Reliable convenient tool that foams well. For one session you will need a very small portion. The coat of the washed animal glistens, and to the touch it is soft and silky.

Suitable for pets who are panicky afraid of water. Such products are not related to the bathing procedure. The spray in the form of powder is applied to dry hair, which is combed out immediately. Shed hairs remain on the comb with dirt.

It is applied to the wet hair of a kitten. The advantage is the ability to practically not dry the skin, which is important for kittens younger than six months of age.

It is often offered in the form of options for a particular breed or for animals with a certain type of hair, for example, for long-haired kittens, for kittens of the British breed, etc.

Special shampoos for kittens are of high cost. To save on money, take small-volume bottles, as kittens grow quite quickly, and a small bottle will be enough for a pet's entire childhood.

Before you start the bathing process itself, read the following guidelines.

• First introduce the kitten to the bathroom. Put him in a dry bath and try playing. Let him feel that this place is safe. Carefully open the tap so that a thin stream of water appears, let the kitten get acquainted with an unusual object.
• Prepare a treat in advance, which is desirable to reward the kitten for patience and courage after the bathing procedure.
• Talk to the animal in an affectionate voice. The pet will not understand human words, but by the emotions in her voice she will know that no one wants evil for him.
• Use odorless shampoos for the first bath.

Now proceed to the session itself.

1. Type warm water into the basin so that its level reaches the pet’s abdomen.
2. Catch a kitten, put on a harness or place in a special bag, cover the ears with cotton pads.
3. Take the animal by the scruff and carefully lower it into the basin. Do not forget to accompany all actions with conversations in a gentle voice.
4. Gather water in your palm and moisten the pet's coat.Try not to use the shower during the first procedure. Its sound will frighten the kitten, in addition, the shower must be adjusted in advance so that the water is at the right temperature and does not get too much pressure.
5. Foam the shampoo and rub it into the animal’s hair. Do not take a lot of funds, this will complicate the rinse procedure.
6. Rinse the foam thoroughly from the coat. If part of the product remains on cat hair, this will lead to overdrying of the skin, itching and discomfort of the animal.
7. Wrap the washed baby in a towel, get wet and move it to another, dry towel. Put the kitten in the heater or in the house.

The kitten does not need a special drying procedure. Licking wet wool with his tongue, he independently copes with this task. A rough tongue is able to remove moisture, evenly distribute fat over the hair, comb the hairs. If the kitten is preparing for the exhibition, and its hair needs to be beautifully laid, then you need to teach the baby to the hair dryer. Choose a medium mode for drying, as cold air can catch a kitten after a bath, and hot air can burn the skin. In any case, drying the cats too often is not recommended, as this appliance dries the skin of the animal.

For how to properly bathe a kitten for the first time, see the next video.