Answer: It is more convenient to carry about the bathing where there is fixed skin or bath and ideally where shower attachment already provided or can be attached to the tap. A shower makes it much simpler to wet and rinse the coat but be careful that the water is only lukewarm. A warm utility room or bathroom is preferable to the kitchen, unless the skin area can be thoroughly washed down afterwards and before any food or cooking utensils are placed in the skin or on the draining board.
If a shower attachment is not available, fill the skin or a couple of bowls or buckets with lukewarm water and have small plastic jug standing by. If there is no skin body’s plastic bath makes a good substitute. Because cats like to feel secure, it help to place a piece of rubber sheeting or in old towel where the cat is intended to stand, either shampoo, diluted with a little warm water, a towel and/or hair dryer (or fan heater) and clean comb and brush. It is also preferable to have someone to assist you if possible.
Plug the cat’s ears with small pieces of cotton wool to prevent water entering and have firm collar around the nick. Or make a temporary collar firmly knotting a piece of strong gauze bandage to give something to hold onto case a soapy cat should start to struggle.
Then, with the either standing on the draining boar or at the bottom of the skin, wet the coat all over with water from the shower or from the jug. Hold the cat firmly by its scruff or its collar and press it downwards if it beings to struggle. Downward pressure is most effective in restricting movement of the cat. Then pour on the shampoo and rub it all over, trying to prevent it from going into the eyes or mouth. Some medicated shampoo need to be left on for fifteen to forty-five minutes to act on the skin. The instructions you have been given and prevented from licking off the lather during this time.
Then spray or rinse liberally to away all residues of lather from the coat until the hair in all regions feels ‘squesky’ when rubbed between fingers and thumb. Once they are already wet, many cats allow themselves to be immersed with just the head above water. So for the final rinse you could fill the skin and gently lift the cat into it.
After rinsing, squeeze as much water as possible from the coat, then lift the cat on to a towel and wrap the towel around to soak up as water much as possible. Dry the coat as quickly as possible and do not allow the cat to get cold, particularly not to go outside.
Some cats can be persuaded to allow a hair dryer or fan heater to be used (despite the noise), but take care not to get these so close that they begin to burn the animal. Otherwise, towel alone can be used but avoid rubbing too vigorously. Comb and brush against the natural run of the hair as it is being blown to make it fluff up. If there is real difficulty experienced in drying the cat, it can be placed in the wickerwork basket and positioned some distance in front of the fan heater.Quick drying is important to avoid chilling, especially in the short-hair, single-coat cats.
