Hunny-Dew Persians

To most people the idea of washing a cat is ludicrous. After all, most normal healthy cats keep themselves quite clean all by themselves. However, unlike shorthaired cats that use their rough tongue to groom their coat, longhaired cats can't groom their coats themselves.

So now the question becomes, is there a way to wash your cat without needing bandages later? The answer, of course, is yes. Start by placing a rubber mat or towel at the bottom of the sink or tub, so your cat has a good sturdy surface. Start the bath (which is really a shower in the sink), wetting one area at a time, and shampooing that area, then moving to the next area. For example, we start on the top of the head, do the ears, face, and neck. Sometimes we use a wash cloth on the face. Then, move to one arm, then the other. (We use Suave Daily Clarifying human shampoo...).Then, we shampoo the tummy, then the back, then both back legs, bottom, and tail.  Rinse her until the water runs clear. We are careful to not get water in the ears or shampoo in the eyes.

Wrap a towel around your cat to dry her as much as possible, then use a human hair dryer set on low heat. To avoid tangles, comb the coat after it is dry.. Some cats tolerate a hair dryer on low speed/medium heat. Keep the airflow moving so as not to burn the skin. Always place your hand between your cats skin and the machine — that way you can monitor the heat. Use that hand to gently rub and fluff the fur as you dry it.

We always clip all the fingernails and toenails after drying. It's a good idea to trim the long hairs that fall down over the eyes, as this makes their eyes show up larger, and helps prevent hairs from scratching the cornea. We use a rounded-end scissors.

 Kittens may need weekly baths; adults monthly. During the hot summer months, we give some of our kitties the "Lion Cut"....which is a shave of the body only; sometimes one inch, sometimes shorter. The cats really like this short hair in the summer!