How Often Should You Wash Your Cat
Cats are notoriously clean animals, but they do get dirty. Even though the average cat will groom itself several times a day, you should still bathe your feline friend every so often to keep it healthy and happy. We’ll discuss how often you should wash your cat and what kind of shampoo is best for your kitty.
How often do cats need to be bathed?
Cats have a natural odor to them that they can’t help. It’s caused by their sebum oil production, which keeps their skin and fur healthy. And just like humans, cats can get dirty and smelly if they don’t clean themselves regularly.
Cats are also known for licking themselves as a way of cleaning themselves, which may contribute to their smelliness in some cases. Cats tend not to have strong smells unless they’re not properly cared for or living in an unsanitary environment with other animals or people where there is more likely to be some form of bacterial growth on the cat’s skin which causes odors that could be offensive.[1]
How can you wash your cat without stressing it out?
A common mistake is using the wrong shampoo for your cat. If you have a dog, don’t use a flea shampoo on it—and vice versa. In the same vein, do not wash your cat with human hair products or vice versa; this can cause irritation and dryness. However, if you must give your pet a bath for medical reasons (e.g., if it has developed an infection), consult with your veterinarian about which products are safe to use on its skin type before doing so.
My cat smells bad. What should I do?
If your cat smells bad, it’s likely that there is something wrong with their skin. Cats have oily fur that helps them keep cool and waterproofs them from the sun’s rays. This natural oiliness can be hard to control when it comes to keeping their coat clean.
When a healthy cat becomes dirty due to playing outside or rolling around on the floor, they will clean themselves by licking their fur and wiping off any excess dirt with their paws. If you notice that your cat has developed an unpleasant smell, you may need to give them a bath with special shampoo designed for cats instead of human shampoo because human shampoo has different ingredients than those found in pet shampoos.
Some medical issues like allergies can cause odors as well as skin problems such as flea bites or ringworm (which usually shows up as small scabs). It’s also possible that your elderly kitty might just be getting more stinky as they age!
My cat has fleas. What can I do?
If you notice that your cat is scratching itself or has an irritated skin, the most likely cause is fleas. Fleas are tiny biting insects that can spread disease and cause skin problems in your cat. If you see any of these symptoms on your pet, it’s important to get rid of the fleas as soon as possible so they don’t continue to bother him or her.
The best way to kill off fleas on a cat is with a commercial flea treatment product (such as Advantage). These treatments are readily available at local pet stores like Petco or PetSmart. Each treatment lasts for about one month, so you’ll need to reapply the product every 30 days if you want continued protection against infestations by those nasty little bugs!
You definitely don’t need to bathe your cat every day, or even once a week, but you can wash spot areas that smell bad.
Unless your cat is an outdoor cat, you probably don’t need to bathe your pet every day. But if you’re noticing that your cat has odor issues or has gotten into something dirty or smelly, you can gently clean the spot with a wet washcloth. You can also use a flea shampoo on the entire body, but this is not necessary more than once a month as long as you’re keeping up with regular grooming (more about that in the next section).
If your cat isn’t in need of an actual bath, but just needs some cleaning around their face, paws and ears because they’ve been rolling around outside or playing in mud puddles, then simply wipe them off with a damp washcloth or towel. To give them an even deeper cleaning experience without getting their fur all wet—and potentially making them nervous—you can rinse their face with warm water while they sit on the countertop, or put them down into the sink so that only their head is submerged (make sure to close any drain valves).
Bathing your cat can be a great bonding experience, and it’s also important for their health. In general, you should only bathe your cat when they need it or if they are in otherwise poor condition. You don’t have to bathe them every week or even every month! However, there are certain circumstances where regular bathing is important: if they have fleas or ticks, if they stink and won’t let you near them without getting sprayed with urine (which can happen after an outdoor excursion), etc.
