Bath Without Traumatizing

[Dantes]

Someone on this forum showed me these.

I have yet to order one, but it seems like a really good idea.

That was probably me. I have three of them now. Duma goes into the tub and looks for them, even when there's no water in the tub. Yesterday Duma escaped my backyard (my fault) into my neighbors' backyard and into her cat door to play with her cat Maggie (part Bengal). She told me that he went into the bathroom and tub looking for his goldfish lol

To date Duma has never stunk and has never needed a bath. He has occasionally bathed himself in the bathtub by accident, however. And once in the estuary, while attempting to chase some ducks. His poo never stinks either, possibly because of his mostly raw diet.

 

[MattM]

When the kitties jump in the shower, they usually end up well-rinsed so I don't generally take "precautions"... they don't usually end up with too much shampoo etc on them... although there was a time I was showing one cat who every morning jumped into the shower and she would smell of the shampoo I used, the judges would comment how nice she smelled...if a bit damp for the first ring of the day ;-)

I am very envious of you cat owners with pets that like to jump in the shower. When was the first time your cat did this? I'm pretty sure mine does not like water.

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

MattM, it has varied...some kittens that are raised here seem naturally interested in water, all seem very unconcerned with getting wet. Our backyard is enclosed over the top and they have a pet door and all (except the British Shorthair) will go out when it is raining and come in soaking wet without seemingly being at all bothered by it.

Baz was not that into bathtubs as a kitten but when he was about 2 years old and I ran a bath for the kittens he just jumped in first and was totally into it...so some come to a love of water later in life I think...

 

[Dantes]

I am very envious of you cat owners with pets that like to jump in the shower. When was the first time your cat did this? I'm pretty sure mine does not like water.

Just to be clear, Duma does not jump in the shower and does not seem to particularly like water. I think he just gets curious or playful or more interested in his goal and forgets that the water is evil. Then he gets wet and gets upset. He's pretty funny. If he gets a little wet, he'll act all startled, then shake it off and continue on with whatever he's after. If he accidentally dunks himself (usually an arm or so), he'll shake it off and walk away, but then by tomorrow he's forgotten how the evil water got to him.

The reason I say that is if you want your cat to be interested in water even though he doesn't seem to like it, you might try to make him forget the water's even there, ie. have an even better goal that will justify the risk of getting wet.

 

[Christina_]

I had a few spare (clean) low-sided litter bins, and I filled them with 2 inches of lukewarm water and stuck some floating toys in there. Now she has progressed to sitting at the door of the shower and I'll open the door for her to come in. She'll either do a loop around the shower and head back out, or she'll hang out under the seat area where she doesn't get sprayed as much. There's alsp a ping pong ball in there so she likes to play with that sometimes.

If I ever turn on the kitchen sink tap on, she darts from wherever she is to either watch the water or stick a paw in it. Also, if I flush the toilet (after she gets off of my lap of course) she'll put her two front paws on the seat and watch the toilet flush. I think it's mostly a fascination to her.

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

Be careful with the toilet flush fascination...I once sold a kitten who tripled his owner's water bill before she worked out that he'd learned to flush the toilet to watch the water swirl down again and again and again :-(

 

[Christina_]

That's actually pretty funny...in a terrible sort of way (i think).
We just pay a flat rate for water here, but I'm sure she's well on her way to figuring that out. On the plus side our toilets are always super clean. I don't want her playing in a dirty toilet of course!

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

Just putting down the lid solves the problems...both of them taking an unexpected bath and the incessant flushing...

 

[Pam Flachs]

...not to mention that for a very young kitten, an open flushing toilet could be a tragedy in the making I have seen posts elsewhere of that happening, for any breed of kitten.....

I have had older kittens and cats fall in the toilet, "accidentally on purpose" of course; usually when my male better half is using it Some cats really seem to be fascinated by the toilet flushing. Knock on wood, no one here has figured out yet how to operate the flush lever, but we keep the door to the bathroom shut always.

 

[Diane]

Might help if the bathroom door is kept shut unless their litter box is the toilet!