BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Cats Just Washed my 2 Cats

LOL that is rather funny! I was saying just a few days ago that we really should wash the cats again, but I cringe at thinking of how traumatic it is ...

My cat, who is 18 years old, had her first washing last week. I thought she would panic as she does with so many other things but she did very well. We put her in the utility sink in the laundry room. It's nice and deep. I had my husband hold her front feet while I did the shampooing and rinsing. I think she felt more secure since we were both there - or she knew she didn't have a chance.

A pet groomer told me that older cats produce an oil that causes them to mat more easily and washing them helps, but the main reason for the bath was that she has developed an oder. The bath helped but it is starting to come back so she's getting a bath today.

Has anyone else had this problem? I have always had cats but never had a smelly one.

Lynne - that's nice that it went relatively smoothly for you guys!

I know as our cats got older that they had more trouble getting to the litter box and would pee in their "bed", and then lay in it. They weren't too aware of what they were doing. Maybe it's something like that?

if that is a problem (peeing in bed and them laying in it) we use a mixture of 1:1 white vinegar to water... spray the bed thoroughly and then soak up the excess. toss the bed in the dryer and dry thoroughly. The vinegar counteracts the amonia. DON"T USE BLEACH WATER!

My 14 year old cat is getting very slow and he just peed his cat bed last week which is part of what brought this to mind. We just put the whole bed into the washing machine with detergent, and wash it on hot, long, double wash - but we don't dry it at all in the dryer. We air dry it. So I guess we take the opposite approach I'm sure in both cases the aim is to completely remove all traces of the pee smell so the cats don't begin to think of the bed as a normal litter place.

So far Hammie hasn't done it again, but I'm afraid his brain is fading ... he sort of hobbles around and limps slowly up the stairs. We'll do the best we can!

Our cat is definately senile. She gets lost and goes around "calling" for us. We have to put her in a cage at night because she was getting lost and not finding her litter pan. I think it was just at night because she seems to be doing ok now during the day.

She got her bath again today. She complained alot but was pretty good. She is all fluffy and clean.

Lisa, my suggestion is for the accidents. If it has dried, I always wash in hot water with detergent and add some vinegar to the rinse water and I double wash and then send it through the spin cycle 2 extra times ;0) I don't dry it then in the dryer

Ha..ha ha ha...those dogs can really come up with ideas for cats can't they.. I bathed my long hair girl kitty once. She had major runny poop problems in her crate comeing back from the vet. Her nick name is Wicked Witch of the West. I was surprised that I had as much control of her as I did..she got clean, I didn't get clawed (none of my cats are declawed) and we were all happy... It was an experience though.