How often should cats be bathed?

The truth is that cats are among the animals that can keep themselves clean. It’s not hard to see them spending hours licking themselves and removing all the dirt they can find, no matter how small. This meticulous hygiene explains why they usually don’t need to be bathed with water.

But sometimes we need to bathe our cats for personal taste, health problems, or excessive pollution. In these cases, we explain when, how and how often cats should be bathed in this article from
Student Pets article.

Can you bathe cats?

Cats are animals that spend a significant portion of their waking hours maintaining the hygiene of their fur. They lick away any dirt that may have stuck to their teeth and rough tongue. They only give up this sensible hygiene when they are ill. A healthy domestic cat rarely needs a water bath during its lifetime. Especially if you contribute to their cleanliness with regular brushing. If you notice dirty spots or part of his coat in bad condition, it is worth taking your cat to the vet to find out why he is not brushing himself in that area, as he may be sick.

Many cats hate water. While some enjoy playing with the jets of an open faucet, it is very different from putting their whole body under the shower. The noise, the lack of control over the situation, and the uncomfortable surface of a tub or shower make it understandable that bathing is a pretty impossible task for most cats.

So if you’re wondering whether you can bathe a cat, the answer is YES, but only in exceptional cases or for those cats that can handle it without too much stress. For others, self-cleaning, occasional brushing, and also local cleaning with dry shampoo or wet cat towels will be sufficient.

When can you bathe your cat?

Given the tendency of cats to dislike baths and their susceptibility to changes in their routine, if we intend to bathe our cat, it is advisable to accustom him from an early age both to the bath and also to the hair dryer.

What should be the frequency of baths in cats?

The frequency of baths in cats depends on the characteristics of each cat, both coat and lifestyle. A long-haired cat will not get as dirty as a short-haired cat. Just as a cat that goes outdoors is more likely to get dirty than a cat that never goes out. A sick cat won’t clean itself like a healthy cat. So there is no fixed frequency that is the same for all cats. We have to adapt to our cat’s needs.

The general recommendation is therefore one bath every four weeks, three times is not enough time. A higher frequency can affect the health of the skin and coat by removing the protective layer. On the other hand, always choose cat-specific products that match your cat’s characteristics. If you have questions, consult a veterinarian, groomer, or pet store.