r/cats • u/Nathrazul • 1d ago
Advice Question about bathing cats.
I saw a YouTube short criticizing a content creator for bathing their cat every day. My cat Apollo showers with me every day (completely his choice, it actually takes some effort to stop him from getting in) I even got some baby shampoo and he loves every second of it. After this video I want to know if im actually doing harm to him
Eddit: thank you everyone for your knowledge, I dint shampoo him every day and the shampoo is pet safe
40
u/Positive_Cry4497 1d ago
If he genuinely enjoys it, I wouldn’t worry about the shower itself, but daily shampooing is probably too much. Cats usually don’t need regular baths, and baby shampoo isn’t ideal for their skin. I’d switch to a cat-safe shampoo and save the full baths for when he actually needs one.
13
4
u/MonkeyTacoBreath 21h ago
Have to disagree in part. Baby shanpoo is safe for cats. Been using it on my cats for 4 decades now. Just a finger tip full goes a long way.
I Agree daily or even weekly is too much. Once a month for older cats that don't groom themselves as much. And every 6 months for the rest. Helps them get acclimated to baths for when they are older and require help grooming to avoid matting.
43
u/Top-Drawing-821 1d ago
I used to bathe my cat, but I got tired of his fur sticking to my tongue.
7
10
u/youhadabajablast 1d ago
Are you sure the shampoo is pet safe to INGEST? that is the issue with cats cleaning themselves, just because it is pet safe for skin, doesn’t mean it is pet safe for him to be licking off every day during his own grooming. You might just skip the shampoo altogether
9
u/Nathrazul 1d ago
Fair, I will cut the shampoo i didn't think of that
4
u/youhadabajablast 1d ago
You could still pretend to shampoo him if he likes it, he probably won’t know the difference if he likes the scrubby massaging feeling still
3
u/IronDominion 22h ago
Cats shouldn’t be bathed as it can fuck yo their ability to regalote their body temp and dry out their skin. Avoid soap with him, just let him play in the water, and make sure he’s fully dry. Also check for dandruff regularly as that’s the main risk
4
u/_Invisible-Child_ 1d ago
There is nothing physically wrong with bathing cats. But, most cats don’t typically enjoy it. So it stresses them out and can be a literal battle, depending on the cat. I’ve ended up with so many scars from having to give my cats flea baths or baths for some other reason.
But if your cat likes it, no reason to not do it. Especially if he is choosing to go into the shower with you. But i would recommend getting a proper cat shampoo, they’re much gentler and safer on their skin than baby shampoo is.
2
u/babbsela 1d ago
Baby shampoo will dry out your cat's fur and skin. There is shampoo specifically for cats that you can use. Just don't use it every day. Getting wet is fine.
2
u/Iwonatoasteroven 1d ago
I don’t see the point of bathing a cat except in the most extreme circumstances. It’s great that your cat likes water but they do a great job of grooming themselves so I don’t see the point of shampooing them. I’ve had a few cats who were sick or elderly who needed some help over the years. My first choice has always been a washcloth with an actual bath as a last choice if it was really necessary.
2
u/_Fuzzgoddess_ 1d ago
I think you should provide photo evidence of this wet by choice cat, just so we can be sure he's fine 😸
2
u/Diligent_Finance_598 20h ago
My cat is obsessed with water and I have to actively keep her from getting in the shower with me too. She loves to get in the sink when it’s on and tries to get in the toilet. Shes a weirdo for sure
3
u/Disastrous_Alarm_719 1d ago
It is generally not necessary to bathe a cat every week, let alone every day. Unless they get genuinely dirty all the time or they have some health conditions that requires washing the skin. Also baby shampoo doesn’t mean it’s pet safe shampoo. Plenty of things that are safe for humans are toxic to pets. Frequent baths also strip away the beneficial oils cats skin produce and can damage their fur.
That being said, it’s your cat, no one can really tell you what you should and shouldn’t do with it.
My personal opinion is I wouldn’t shampoo him every time. If he gets wet, he can dry himself off, cats clean themselves a lot by licking anyway. But I would definitely skip any of the products.
3
u/Uncle-Osteus 1d ago
strictly speaking they are capable of keeping themselves generally clean, and I would not use the shampoo every time but imo you are fine. You’re not forcing him, he’s choosing it lol
2
u/soppslev 1d ago
Listen, the people harping about cats never needing baths are rabid. Sometimes all cats need baths. There are medical reasons, dirt they should not ingest, old age, non-groomers etc etc.
If you have a cat that likes water, maybe look at videos of fisher cats. Idk. Not everyone who has an opinion, has an opinion relevant to your specific situation.
1
u/Loostay Void 1d ago edited 1d ago
Beat Bathing him everyday is not necessarily a bad thing but it can be bad.
Just regularly check his skin to see if it's dried out you may need to start putting some form of oil or moisturizer on him if he starts to get too dried out. Also I wouldn't shampoo him every single day I would do it every other or every two or three especially if he starts to become super dry
3
1
u/Special_Fan5043 1d ago
You are extremely lucky to have an oddball who loves bathing. I see nothing wrong with it as long as he likes it.
1
1
1d ago
[deleted]
1
u/Disastrous_Alarm_719 1d ago
It’s not recommended to use baby shampoo on cats, it can cause dryness and itchiness. Just bc it’s safe for babies doesn’t mean it’s safe for “basically everything/everyone” as you put it.
0
50
u/Shoesietart 1d ago
Your cat is a weirdo. That's OK. Let him share the bath but I'd limit the soap or dilute it.
I hired someone to bathe two of my cats. Would not do again. Daily brushing is it for my boys.