British Shorthairs are cats known for their soft, velvety coat. Of course, keeping your cat's coat looking this good can take some effort. Get everything you need before you go to work so that you can focus only on the cat while you bathe it. Read this article to find out more.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Prepare the Sink and the Cat
Step 1. Prepare the bathroom area
The kitchen sink is the ideal place to bathe your cat, as it is at a good height to allow you to work without straining your back. In addition, it has a shelf on both sides on which you can put what you need. Put a dry towel on the drain.
Fill the sink with 6 to 8 inches of warm water. The temperature must feel pleasantly warm if you dip your elbows into it
Step 2. Get everything you need
Gathering everything you need first will make the whole process much easier, especially if you have a picky cat who doesn't like to bathe. The necessary includes:
- A plastic jug for pouring water.
- A water hose to connect to the tap.
- Cat shampoo.
- Nail scissors for cutting nails.
- Lots of towels.
- Hair dryer (optional).
- Brush.
- Cotton.
Step 3. Gently pull out the cat's nails for easier cutting
It is a good idea to cut them off before taking a bath. Not only may you forget to do this afterwards, but if your cat gets very agitated while bathing, she is less likely to scratch you. Use the special round-tipped scissors found in pet stores. To extract the cat's nails:
Place the cat on your lap or on a flat surface at a height that makes the task easier for you. Lift a paw. To extract the retractable claws, gently press the last joint of the finger - this has the effect of pulling the nail out
Step 4. Don't cut the nail too low
It is easier to cut light nails, because you can see the live part of the nail through the clear layer of the keratin. Cut only the hook at the tip of the claw; in this way you will not touch the triangular and massive part of the nail closest to the finger, where there is the living tissue. Do not try to cut it further down next to the finger, or you will damage the sensitive tissue of the claw, which is equipped with nerves and blood vessels. Trim your nails in order.
Most cats have five toes on their front legs and four toes on their hind legs
Part 2 of 3: Wash the Cat
Step 1. Speak reassuringly while submerging the cat in the water
If the cat gets scared, grabbing him by the scruff will help reassure him, as this action has an instinctive submissive effect on cats. Keep calm and always speak without raising your voice; the cat understands your state of mind and if you are nervous, he will be nervous too.
Step 2. Let the cat get used to being in the water before you start washing it
Give him time to adjust and get used to the feeling of warm water on his paws and stomach. You may need to hold him gently by placing a hand on his shoulders to prevent him from jumping out of the tub.
Step 3. Rinse the coat with water
When the cat has calmed down, pour water on his back with your hand. When he starts to accept it, you can take a pitcher and use it as a dispenser to pour it over the coat and wet it well. Also wet your neck and chest.
Be careful not to get water in his eyes and ears. In theory, putting some cotton in your ears should prevent water from entering the ear canal, but your cat is likely to be able to remove it, so trying to put it on could be a waste of time
Step 4. Decide whether or not you want to shampoo the cat
With an indoor cat it is not always necessary to use shampoo, as the coat is unlikely to be very dirty. Simply rinsing it with water should suffice. In any case, if the cat goes outside the house or if it has to participate in an exhibition, use a specific one for cats.
Choose a shampoo that is not scented (because cats' skin is very sensitive) and that does not contain insecticides (which are potentially irritating)
Step 5. Lather the cat's coat
Pour some shampoo into your palm. Dip the fingers of the other hand in the shampoo to apply small amounts all over the cat's body. After that, use your fingertips to massage the coat and lather.
Again, don't forget to wash your cat's neck, throat and chest, but avoid getting the shampoo in contact with the eyes and ears
Step 6. Rinse the cat's fur to remove the shampoo
Take the water from the sink with the jug. Holding it very close to the cat's body, pour in a lot of water to rinse the coat and skin. Repeat several times until all residual foam is eliminated.
Step 7. Give the cat's coat a final rinse with the tap
Move the cat to the side of the tap. Uncork the sink so that it empties out of the dirty water. Take the hose and set the faucet to moderate water flow. The water temperature must be pleasantly warm. Rinse the cat until the water dripping from the coat is clean.
Part 3 of 3: Adding the Finishing Touch
Step 1. Dry the cat with towels
Using both hands, remove the cat from the sink and place it on a towel so it doesn't drip all over the place. Cover him with another towel, making sure not to cover his head. Gently rub the fur with the towel to dry it.
If the towel gets too wet, take another one to continue
Step 2. You can use a hair dryer to dry your cat more quickly if you are in a hurry
If you decide to use the hair dryer, set it on the minimum speed and on the first heat step (the lowest). If you set a faster speed, the cat is likely to run away; a high heat setting can burn your cat's delicate skin. Keep it at least 30 cm away from the cat and dry one strand of fur at a time.
- To give more volume to the coat, if the cat participates in an exhibition, brush it both against the grain and in the direction of growth of the hair, to make it more swollen and soft. Continue like this until the coat is completely dry and looks satisfying.
- Remember that the hair dryer can have several effects on the cat's coat. The good thing is that it gives it more volume, but the bad thing is that it sometimes makes it fluffier and less shiny.
Step 3. Clean the cat's eyes and ears with a cotton swab
Place the cat on a clean, dry surface. Pour some boiled water (boiling sterilizes the water) and let it cool on a cotton swab and rub the cat's face. Start in the eyes and rub outward to get rid of dry tear secretions, or start in the corners of the eyes and nose. Use a fresh piece of cotton for each eye to avoid transferring pathogens.
Using dry cotton balls, get rid of any water that may have accidentally gotten into your cat's ears
Step 4. Brush the cat's coat once again once it is dry for the final touch
Use a wide-toothed comb. Follow the direction of growth of the hair to make it smooth and shiny. Finish with a soft bristled brush, again following the direction of hair growth. This will help give a sheen that will blow judges at shows.
