Bathing a very young kitten - ok?

[Lucky Rescue]

Greasy cats? I've had more cats than I can count and never had a greasy one, not even when they were 17 - 21 years old.

I know intact toms can have greasy fur at the base of their tails, but even in the intact toms I had, there was no grease.

Guess I've been lucky.

[Safyre]

If I could take a pic of Zeppo showing her oily fur, i would, but don't think it'd come out too well. I have only ever experience Zeppo being greasy/oily ... but have felt other older cats that have had oily fur.

Happycats - all the cats you have come across have hated water. OK. MY cats, LIKE water, and jump into showers with me. Therefore, not all cats hate water, yes, 99 % do, agreed, but please do not say all. If I had a waterproof cam, i'd take a pic!

[happycats]

Originally Posted by Safyre

Happycats - all the cats you have come across have hated water. OK. MY cats, LIKE water, and jump into showers with me. Therefore, not all cats hate water, yes, 99 % do, agreed, but please do not say all. If I had a waterproof cam, i'd take a pic!

OK I'll give you the 1%

[CyberKitten]

There is a problem bathing cats too much and it is not just the stress (unless you have a breed that likes water and they do exist). A cat with dry skin - like the Siamese - can end up with skin irritations. Long haired kitties fare better but there is no real reason to bathe a short haired cat unless you are showing the cat or s/he managed to get overly dirty somehow. (YY has managed this twice mind you, lol)

[Smeagol]

I have 5 and a half cats, the !/2 is the neighbourhood cat who comes in all the time. I have never had a greasy cat. I'm sure I've heard somewhere too, that if you continually bath cats, they give up looking after themselves. This is what happened to my friends cat anyway. It was a vicious circle....she bathed the cat because it stank.....and it gave up cleaning itself and stank because she bathed it. In the end she stopped bathing it, put up with a few weeks of stinky cat and miraculously it started to clean itself again.
Also I would just like to add....The only time I have ever bathed a cat, was Alfie (the neighbourhood cat) Only because he came in covered head to toe in what I can only describe as POO!! It looked like someone had literally thrown a bucket of runny poo over him! I can't say for sure it was, but believe me it sure smelt like it!! So we HAD to bath him. Well he absolutely FREAKED OUT!! He clambered all over my husband who was trying to hold him (as you can imagine he looked like he'd tangoed with a machete after) He pulled down my curtain rail, all because he was trying to get out of the bath!! I can definately say that CATS HATE BATHS!!!!
Just to let you know too, that Alfie was given a comb, gentle blowdry and warm bed to sleep his ordeal off in! :love:

[Smeagol]

As you can see!! Bless him!

[chico2]

Aww Smeagol,what a little darling :love: and thank's for taking care of him

[happycats]

Eureka!! I finally have a GREASY cat!!!!! Well actually my son thought that my old boy (Lucky) should be protected from the sun yesterday and put sun block lotion all over his back, (he didn't want Lucky to get a sunburn!!) (I sometimes take Lucky out on a tether with us)

Don’t worry Lucky is OK, I was able to get it off with warm water and a cloth!!
And had to tell my son, although his intentions were good, he should never put anything on the cats!!

[Safyre]

You guys have seriously never had cats where, you pet thier fut and it is oily... the fur sticks together from the oil ... Both Missy (RIP) and Zeppo, have had this. Both of those cats got a flea bath once a year, on the advice of vet/groomer (ha, my aunt being the groomer). My cat haylee, is only 6, her fur never feels oily or greasy to me.
I'm wondering if the term greasy is the wrong term .. oily is a better term. No one here has ever had a cat that had naturaly oily fur? If i had more time I'd look up info online...

[Eleni]

the only greesy cat ive ever seen had severe health problems and was weeks away from needing to be put to sleep.

his kidneys were in failure and he was ahving a multitude of other problems including diabetes.

I think he probably wasnt washing well.

my 3 cats ahve never been oily

not have the neighbors 2 cats who visit.

Eleni

[happycats]

I can honestly say that I have never had a greasy, oily cat. My cat's coats have always been beautiful and have a brilliant shine, no hairs stuck together.
Maybe it's what you’re feeding them?? Maybe bathing them affects the oil balance in their skin, and that’s why they get greasy.

[chico2]

I've from the time I was young had about 15 cats(not all at once!),some have had problems but never oily fur,dandruff yes...
I even do not think it's healthy to bath your cat,unless in extreem circumstances,fleabaths are also no longer recommended,using Advantage or something similar is all you need,with very little stress on your cat.
I,ve even questioned the use of Advantage,since Rocky usually get unexplainable seizures in the summer(2 or 3 times),about the time he has his shots and I start using Advantage once a month

[Safyre]

To be honest, the cats have not gotten a bath since Justice has been here..and thats been over 14 mnoths. Zeppo STILL has oily fur, and dandruf badly. the dandruff has only come on since she's been a older .. she always has been an oily cat.
My parents actually pay for the cat food, which is Science Diet Weight Control, as both cats are overweight. *shrugs* they aren't being bathed anymore, they were when younger, now that I have Justice, she's all i can handle trying to bathe. I'm going to get my new lil one used to water as well, or attempt to as I did the others, as I don't like them having that fear if I can help it. Sunday for the new kitten ... can't wait.

[caseys_mom]

First, let me say I'm new to this board. I didn't know it existed before today. I've now read this entire thread, and I just have to make some comments.

I recently did six months of research on pet shampoo and conditioner ingredients. I'd like to share some of what I learned:

Cats do an excellent job of cleaning themselves and don't need our help unless something drastic happens to them (like someone mentioned earlier that their cat smelled like it'd had poo poured on it.)

That said, if you MUST bathe your cat, you should never use anything but a cat shampoo. Someone's suggesting bathing a cat in Dawn in an earlier post literally made me nauseated. NEVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES USE DISH DETERGENT ON A CAT OR DOG!!!!! It has the potential to kill instantly. Even if the cat didn't die, the detergent would have stripped every bit of essential oil from the cat's skin.

Let me explain why we shouldn't use anything but pet-specific shampoos and conditioners....

Human skin is 10-15 cell layers thick, including babies' skin. Dogs' skin is 3-5 cell layers thick. Cats have only 2-3 cell layers. Human skin is so much thicker because we don't have fur for protection. So using human products on dogs equates to using products that are up to 4 times too harsh for their sensitive skin; on cats, it's the equivalent of up to 5 times too harsh. This is why using baby shampoo on our pets is a no-no. Lots of people think if a product is gentle enough for a baby, it has to be gentle enough for a pet. WRONG. The use of baby shampoo has killed more cats than you can imagine.

Chico2, if your cat has "unexplainable seizures" after you use Advantage, WHY are you still putting it on that poor cat? That's one of the side effects you should watch for after using spot-on flea treatments. Some cats (and dogs) can't tolerate these chemicals, and a lot of them have died after being exposed.

I know everyone here is an animal lover, myself certainly included. That's why I wanted to share some of my research with you. Now you can do with it what you will.

[Eleni]

can you provide a bit of sources?

I only ask because my groomer uses the tearless baby shampoo near Sam's eyes, and I want to make a decision of wether this is ok or not for him.

I usually am of the beleif that baby shampoo wont harm my pup so if there is information stating otherwise id certainly love to read it and make my mind up according to the risk


Eleni

[chico2]

Casey,thank's for all your Info,although I never bath any of my cats..what you say makes sense,unless you are in the business of manufacturing and selling cat-shampoo yourself
As for the Advantage,I have spoken to my vet and she more or less dismisses Rocky's seizures(2 episodes in the summer)as either heat-stroke,reaction to shots.Never did she suggest it could be the Advantage
My cats are outside with me in the summer,my backyard also gets visited by flea-infested raccoons,squirrels and other creatures,how do I safely protect my cats from fleas???Sprays are not an option!
Do not say keep them inside,they come out with me and go inside with me and have for many years,I would not rob them of that pleasure.
I normally start the Advantage in June until September..if you have another safer option I would certainly appreciate hearing about it.
I have 3 cats..Rocky seems to be bothered by hot weather and usually stays in when it is really humid..
I will bring up the subject with my vet again,since Chico is due for his shots this month and I also will be buying the Advantage.
I have been using it for 10yrs on my cats...everyone has been fine,except for Rockys couple of seizures the last 3 years.

[Sneaky2006]

That said, if you MUST bathe your cat, you should never use anything but a cat shampoo. Someone's suggesting bathing a cat in Dawn in an earlier post literally made me nauseated.

Sorry that I made you so sick to your stomach. I hope you feel better soon!

I've used Dawn on many kittens with fleas with no ill affects whatsoever. This was recommended by a vet and people in rescue who have been doing the same for years.

[JDG]

Originally Posted by caseys_mom

Someone's suggesting bathing a cat in Dawn in an earlier post literally made me nauseated.

Many wild animal rescues use Dawn to clean animals who are victims of disasters like oil spills. . . .

[Lucky Rescue]

NEVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES USE DISH DETERGENT ON A CAT OR DOG!!!!! It has the potential to kill instantly

Please link or quote the source of that statement.

This is absolutely false. Dawn is formulated to be very mild and will not harm pets. It should be diluted before using.

Human skin is 10-15 cell layers thick, including babies' skin. Dogs' skin is 3-5 cell layers thick. Cats have only 2-3 cell layers. Human skin is so much thicker because we don't have fur for protection. So using human products on dogs equates to using products that are up to 4 times too harsh for their sensitive skin; on cats, it's the equivalent of up to 5 times too harsh. This is why using baby shampoo on our pets is a no-no. Lots of people think if a product is gentle enough for a baby, it has to be gentle enough for a pet. WRONG.

This information is correct.

[Eleni]

so baby shampoo is a no-no?


Eleni

[caseys_mom]

OK, I expected some negativity to the info I posted. I'll try to address your comments....

Eleni, I'll try to find and post the source of the info about baby shampoo. I have everything; it's just a matter of finding it.

Sneaky, your snide comment was unnecessary. I'm only trying to help. It doesn't matter WHO uses Dawn, it's still too harsh for cats - especially kittens. Before there was such a thing as pet-specific shampoos, there wasn't anything else to use on pets. It's only been in the past decade or so that people are paying more attention to what they use.

Continuing to use things that were supposedly "OK" in the past is no excuse for not paying attention to more current research. Just as in human research, where new treatments and products are being created all the time, the same is true in veterinary medicine.

Lucky, my statement about Dawn is NOT "absolutely false." There is NO dishwashing detergent that's suitable for use on a kitten. Dishwashing detergents are made to strip away all types of grease and oil, and you SHOULD NOT strip an animal of its natural protection. To do that is cruel and unnecessary, no matter which rescue org. you belong to. I stand by my comments 100%. If you'll take the time to do your own research, you'll find proof of what I said.

Chico, I'm not advising you to do anything. I only pointed out that your cat has one of the very side effects from Advantage that owners are supposed to watch for. Just because your vet. dismisses its seizures, that doesn't make it OK. Don't take my word for it. Do your own research; there's plenty out there.

I thought that since this was supposed to be a pet lovers' board, you'd be interested in sharing useful info. about your fur kids. I was hoping to learn from you all here, but there are more closed minds than I ever expected.

[Eleni]

its not that we are being close minded, it we need info to go on, many of us ahve learned that people claim lots of things but if they dont back themselves up with proof and reasearch to prove their claims then they dont carry much weight to their claims.

many of us try to be as informed as possible about our pets health. Meaning we research darn near everything good bad or indifferent.

dont take that as being close minded as more being cautious of claims we dont know yet to be truth


Eleni

[happycats]

Originally Posted by caseys_mom

OK, I expected some negativity to the info I posted. I'll try to address your comments....


I thought that since this was supposed to be a pet lovers' board, you'd be interested in sharing useful info. about your fur kids. I was hoping to learn from you all here, but there are more closed minds than I ever expected.

You seem to have come out attacking members here, and as you stated you expected negativity!

This is a pet lovers board, and members here love giving info and learning new and useful things regarding pets.
Don't get discouraged, if you tried little harder, not to come off so harshly , I think you would actually like it here!

[CyberKitten]

Casey's mom, you are saying if I use Dawn on my kitten (7 mos) or my foster sphynxes - who DO require regular bathing but that is a whole other territory, I am being cruel? I guess that means that the entire group I know sho show cats are cruel!! They are the ones who recommended Dawn. I have not used it yet tho - I do think if you rinse completely, whatever you use, pet shampoo, Baby shampoo, Dawn, it will be gone and the cat shouold be fine. As a physician, I know all too well HOW to rinse and wash my hands, lol

Arn't you being a little harsh and close minded? The very thing you are accusing others of? It hardly behoves any of us to be nasty in attmepting to make a point.

[Lucky Rescue]

I have done my research and HAVE used Dawn on an animal in a pinch. No one is saying a tiny kitten should be scrubbed with it daily, and I did say to dilute it.

None of my reseach has shown anything that remotely suggests

It has the potential to kill instantly

Instead of getting defensive, could you please quote the source or link that info. I"m sure people would like to know and any strong/alarming statements like that should be backed up. I"m sure you agree.

[Crazy Hippie]

Someone has a greasy cat? My cat's fur used to be greasy and gross and started getting sparse...she was a stray that we had taken in, and our vet found that she #1) had worms and #2) was going into heat. Once she was spayed and dewormed she started eating A LOT more, and I think the prob was that she was lacking nutrition from the worms and the fact that being in heat made her not want to eat. Her fur is fluffy and soft now, looks like a different cat!

[Shamrock]

Though my cats are only pets, I can attest to the fact that most persian cat breeders/and owners who show their cats use and reccomend Dawn as completely safe and effective - and have been doing so for years. Also,"Goop".(the original Brand name one ONLY) Either have been used by them as the first step for bathing their cats - acting as a degreaser. This is rinsed and then followed by various shampoos and thorough and complete rinsing.
These products are also very good for what is known as "stud tail" in intact males.. a greasy buildup at the end of the tail that is apparently quite stubborn
Unless the Dawn formula has changed recently,I dont know why this would now be a danger? I wouldnt hesitate to use it on my cats IF I felt they required a bath.
This is for adult cats of course.Young kittens require special consideration.
I inquired in OP if ANY bath was advisable for this reason.

Casey's mom... as stated, we all appreciate learning new things, but surely it's not being closed minded if we ask for verfiication of what you are presenting as fact?

[JDG]

Caseys Mom - - - This site is dedicated to education about animals and animal care.

Everyone here shares experiences, and knowledge. . . . .if you choose to share the latter please don't be surprised if someone wants you to cite your sources. . . .(You will find that most of the 'vetern pet.ca-ers' already do this in their posts!)

Many people on the site are involved with rescues etc, and if you have some good information, or a helpful site they bookmark the sites to use as reference, or to quote themselves later.

No one was attacking you or anything, they just need the source to back up the claim. . .

Peace!

[CyberKitten]

I guess I will use Dawn then - what I meant to say above is that it is used by all the reputable breeders I know and none of them are idiots, lol I have special shampoo for the Sphynxes tho - and it works well. They tend to get oil on their bedding and other stuff they sleep or sit on. It is just the way their skin is and they have little to protect it.

[Safyre]

I just researched as best I could, and could only find mutiple websites suggesting that you DO use Dawn Dish Detergent (if no other act formulated soap is available to you)
The only warning I could find is "Cleaners, dish detergent and the like can cause problems ranging from mild stomach upset to severe burns of the tongue, mouth and stomach. Read product labels, since some common products should not even be used in areas in which pets walk. "