Answer: Many cats are never bathed throughout their lives and as a general rule a cat only needs a bath when its coat gets particularly soiled- with mud, dirt, urine or diarrhea, for example. This is not to say that the cat does not need regular grooming, but actual bathing is seldom required. However, if the coat becomes very dirty many cats may refuse to clean it, which is not surprising in view of how it must taste. Most cats dislike being bathed but will accept it if handled gently but firmly, especially if it is first done when they are young.
Sometimes there are medical reasons for bathing. Treatment for fleas can be given in the form of shampoo containing an insecticide. Bathing may be necessary to remove toxic and corrosive materials such as tar, paint and diesel oil from the coat. This may require the use of a liquid detergent. Often vegetable oils or other solvents are used to soften or dissolve these substances and then have themselves to be removed. In such circumstances veterinary attention should always be obtain as soon as possible. Many organic solvent are themselves irritant or corrosive and should never be used on cats, e.g. paint stripper, turpentine, paraffin (kerosene) and petrol (gasoline).
Cats that suffer from ‘stud tail’ will need, at least initially, to have their tail washed with shampoo or soap and water. There are numbers large sebaceous glands on the upper surface of the cat’s tail along its length (collectively called the supracaudal organ) and, particularly in confined animals, the waxy secretion that these glands produce can accumulate. As a result there is matting of the hair and crust and scale formation on the skin. The condition occurs most frequently in uncast rated toms and is therefore known popularly as ‘stud tail’ although it is also known in castrated male and females. This greasy material must be washed away, followed by daily combing and cleaning the area with a pad soaked in alcohol, e.g. rubbing alcohol, surgical spirit (although this is slightly greasy it contains 2% castor oil) or cologne. A cat will usually begin to clean itself more thoroughly and so avoid recurrence of the condition if it is allowed more freedom and consequently increased in access to fresh air.
Bathing remove natural oil from the coat and it will take several days for the coat to regain its natural gloss and bulk, usually described as ‘body’. Owners who exhibit their animals at cat shows often bath them as part of the preparation for the show (especially in the case of white and chinchilla cats), but this should be done several days, ideally two weeks, beforehand to permit the recovery of the coat and the return of the natural oil. There are also preparations which can be sprayed onto the coat to give extra gloss and thereby overcome the dulling effect of bathing.
Just before a pregnant female cat (expectant queen) gives birth, cat breeders often wash the skin and nipples and also clip away the their that region to make it easier for the kitten to feed. This is especially useful in the case of the long-haired breeds.
