Buzz
Generally, both adult cats and kittens are proficient at grooming themselves to stay clean, but sometimes, this task becomes too much for them – like when your kitten climbs into the fireplace and gets covered in soot. If you know how to introduce your kitten to water and the proper bathing steps, you won’t be flustered when it’s time for your kitten to bathe.
Steps
Getting Your Kitten Used to Bathing
Make sure your kitten is at least 8 weeks old. Bathing a kitten younger than 8 weeks is not recommended. Before reaching 8 weeks, the mother cat takes care of its grooming. If you need to clean a kitten under 8 weeks old, you can use a soft, damp cloth to wipe away dirt rather than giving it a bath.
- Even if your kitten doesn’t need a bath at 8 weeks, this is the ideal time to start familiarizing it with the bathing process. This way, it will be easier to bathe your kitten when it grows up, whether for grooming purposes or to reduce cat hair allergies. If introduced to bathing early, your kitten will adapt to it more easily.
Get your kitten used to being held. To bathe your kitten, you should start holding it as soon as possible. Not only does the kitten need to get used to water, but it also requires time to become comfortable with being held during the bath.
- Gently hold your kitten’s paws, and softly stroke its toes, belly, back, and the inside of its ears.
Place the kitten in an empty bath tub. You might first think of bathing your kitten in the sink, but this is unsafe since the kitten could jump out and injure itself. A bath tub is much safer, as the kitten won’t be able to jump out. Place your kitten in the dry tub, let it sniff and explore the area for a few minutes, and praise it.
- You can do this step before the kitten turns 8 weeks old to get it used to the tub before introducing water.
Dip your kitten’s feet in the water. After your kitten is comfortable in the dry tub, try dipping its paws into a tub of water. Fill the bath with warm (not hot) water, just enough to cover the kitten's paws (about 3-5 cm), while the kitten is in the bathroom so it can get accustomed to the sound of running water. You may need to close the bathroom door to prevent the kitten from trying to escape. Support the kitten’s belly with one hand and gently place its paws into the water. Pet and praise the kitten to help it stay calm, and reward it once it stands for a few minutes without struggling or trying to escape the tub.
- If your kitten is not calm while standing in the water, avoid praising or rewarding it, as this would encourage undesired behavior. Instead, lift the kitten out and try again the next day. You may need to repeat this step multiple times before your kitten stands calmly in the water without resistance.
- If the kitten gets scared, gently grab its scruff and lift it out of the water. Holding the scruff naturally calms it down and helps it relax.
- You can place a non-slip mat in the tub, as kittens often panic if they slip in the tub.
Dry your kitten’s paws with a towel. Kittens can get cold easily when their fur is wet. When helping your kitten get used to baths, make sure to dry its fur whenever you remove it from the water, whether it’s just its paws that are wet or if its entire body is drenched.
Stay calm. Getting your kitten accustomed to being held and interacting with water takes time and patience. No matter what happens, avoid getting angry or raising your voice at the kitten, as this will only make it fearful and set back its progress.
Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
Veterinary Surgeon at the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
Veterinary Surgeon at the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
Bathtime for kittens as a reward-based training method. Using rewards to train an animal to do something is called conditional training. This technique is especially helpful when teaching pets to do something they typically dislike, such as bathing. Let your kitten see the food first, followed by the bath, and finish with a tasty treat.
Bathing your kitten
Consider getting some help. You can hold your kitten by the scruff to help it stay calm during the bath, but this method can be tricky when you need both hands for scrubbing or lathering. If your kitten is struggling to adjust to the water, ask for assistance before moving to the next step. Have someone nearby ready to hold the scruff if your kitten becomes frantic or attempts to claw its way out while you're busy with both hands.
Use a towel to gently rub your kitten's fur. Once your kitten has managed to stay still in the water, you can begin wetting its fur a little more. Start by using a wet towel to gently rub its fur rather than pouring water over it. This method helps combine wetting its fur with gentle strokes, which is much more enjoyable for your kitten than just dunking it in the water.
- At this point, avoid using any shampoo. You should only bathe your kitten by rubbing it with a towel to help it adjust. If you try using shampoo before your kitten is comfortable with the water, you may end up with a soapy, frightened kitten. As with other steps, be sure to praise and reward your kitten for staying calm during the bath.
- A bath session with shampoo should last about 5 minutes, so aim to get your kitten used to this length of time during its first baths.
Pour water over your kitten's back. Once your kitten has become comfortable with being bathed using a damp towel, you can start using a small cup or bowl to pour a little water over its back. As always, remember to praise and reward your kitten if it accepts this new step.
Avoid getting water on your kitten's face. Kittens can be at risk if water gets into their eyes, ears, or nose. When pouring water near your kitten's face, make sure to lift its chin and use your hand to shield its face from the water.
- To wash your kitten's face, you can use a clean, damp towel with no soap to gently wipe around its eyes, ears, and mouth. Wipe in short strokes following the direction of its fur, much like a mother cat grooming her kitten.
Use kitten-specific shampoo. Use a kitten-safe shampoo and apply a small amount, roughly the size of a coin, to your kitten’s wet fur. Gently massage the shampoo into its coat, focusing on the sides and belly, and don’t forget to clean between the pads of its paws to remove any dirt or debris. Lift its tail and use a soft cloth to gently clean the area around its bottom if needed.
- Make sure you use shampoo specifically formulated for kittens, not human shampoo. The pH balance in human shampoo is very different and can dry out your kitten’s skin.
- Even if your kitten gets used to bathing with shampoo, limit it to one bath with soap every two washes to avoid drying out its skin.
Thoroughly rinse your kitten. Now that your kitten is used to being poured with water, it will be easier to rinse off the shampoo. To clean the soap off its head, use a clean towel to gently wipe the shampoo away instead of pouring water directly on its head.
Be quick when bathing your kitten. Don’t rush, but don’t let your kitten stay in the water too long either. The entire process of wetting its fur, scrubbing, and rinsing should only last about 5 minutes. Avoid testing your kitten’s patience, as this could make it harder for them to adjust to future baths.
- Throughout every step of the bath, stay calm and speak in a soothing tone to praise your kitten. This will help keep your kitten calm for longer.
Thoroughly dry your kitten. As with other steps that involve getting your kitten wet, you should gently use a towel to dry them off immediately after lifting them out of the water to keep them warm.
- Although using a towel is recommended, if you choose to use a blow dryer, ensure it is set to the lowest heat and speed settings, and hold the dryer at least 30 cm away from your kitten.
Advice
- Use a pet-specific ear cleaning tool to clean your kitten’s ears if they are dirty. Avoid pouring water into your kitten’s ears.
- It’s a good idea to trim your kitten’s claws the day before the bath. This will prevent them from accidentally scratching you during the bath. Only trim about 2-3 mm off the tip of the claws so they are less sharp, as the core of a kitten’s claws is not deep inside.
Warnings
- Only fill the bath with about 3-5 cm of water and never leave your kitten in the water without supervision.
Items You'll Need
- Kitten
- Kitten shampoo
- A cup for pouring water
- Warm water
- Towels and washcloths
- Bath tub
