Should I bathe my cat?

Yeah, the question is, do you want to bathe your cat and most people's answer is no. But the question is, should we? And that answer is yes. And so I generally recommend to people, at least every six months would be fantastic. The dermatologists will tell you that at least once a month will be best, but you just have to figure out what's best for you and your cat.

That's a good question. Again, it will differ between cats. A lot of cats will be fine just grooming themselves, maybe getting some supplementary brushing, and never needing a bath. Cats that have an underlying skin disease and indoor-outdoor cats that don't adequately groom themselves can benefit greatly from the occasional bath. But that's challenging because it's often a very stressful event for your cat. I suggest you speak with your veterinarian to determine if it's necessary. For cats that are just a bit stinky or not grooming themselves well but their skin is healthy, considering soapless shampoo that doesn't require water could be helpful. You could facilitate the process with a damp, warm washcloth. This could help you accomplish what you want without traumatizing the cat. However, if your cat genuinely needs a bath, I suggest getting some help because it can be scary.

For the majority of breeds of cats, just very limited bathing is needed. Keeping up with regular brushing and letting the cat take care of the majority of his or her grooming needs will be sufficient. There might be situations where they have gotten into something that's caused them to get dirty, if there's matting in their fur, or if there's a medical condition, it might require bathing. Then, of course, jump in. Otherwise, nature usually does best and minimal bathing is required. However, if you're like me and have a breed of cat that requires more of what they consider high maintenance, for instance, I have a Persian at home, and he does require a scheduled grooming service. So you'll see things like going in for a maintenance groom where he gets a thorough brush. I try my best to do daily brushing at home. About once a year, he'll go in and get bathing, brush out, and trim, and they'll shave out any mats and clean up the potty patch area so that there's no poop or any areas where litter can get stuck. Whether this is your aesthetic preference or if your cat needs it due to a lot of matting, you will see longhaired cats get what they call a lion cut. So they'll do trimming, usually leaving hair around the face and little boots around the feet. This is something to keep in mind as well. So if you are on the fence about deciding if you want a shorthaired cat or a longhaired one, keep in mind that those longhaired varieties will require more maintenance on your end than a shorthaired cat, which has an easier brushing routine than those longhaired friends.

Most cats do not need to be bathed as they essentially bathe themselves through grooming. However, in cases of skin conditions or other medical issues that prevent them from self-grooming, a bath may be necessary. Be warned, most cats do not enjoy baths!