How to bathe the kitten for the first time and at what age can you start?

The first swimming in the life of a kitten determines its further relation to water. If for the first time you acquaint the cat baby with water gently, then, most likely, in the future, the washing process will not cause difficulties, and the cat will not panic after hearing the sound of tap water.

In the month or even earlier age, you cannot bathe the kitten, as this process can disrupt the temperature and wash the fatty film off the baby’s skin, thereby opening access to dangerous bacteria. At this age, he has enough maternal washing method. Mama cat carefully licks her offspring, which ensures their hygiene. After one month of age, the kitten is allowed to bathe very carefully only after he has completely got used to the owners and the apartment and will not be afraid of anything. By this time he will get stronger and learn to lick.

Usually, the kittens are not given away immediately after birth, new owners are found at the age of 2-2.5 months, until this point they are under the care of the mother cat, and when moving to a new house they can be bathed. The most favorable age is 3 months. Just at this age, the kitten's body becomes strong and will be able to postpone the procedure of bathing without a cold and other complications. If the kitten is vaccinated, then swimming is possible not earlier than 2 weeks after vaccination.

If everything is clear with the master kittens, then the situation with the homeless is different. It is important to take the foundling immediately to the veterinarian for a preliminary examination and testing, and if the specialist recommends redeeming the kitten, not waiting for it to reach 3 months, then this should be done. In this case, washing the animal is not just a hygienic procedure, but a method of treating wool from fleas, fungi and other parasites.

In total, it is recommended to bathe the animal once every 3 months, but there is nothing to worry about the owner refusing to bathe the pet. Cats are clean animals and are themselves able to maintain the hygiene of their bodies. This is especially true of those animals that are kept exclusively in the house.

However, there are several reasons to periodically bathe your pet.

• Pet, which is regularly washed, has a shiny silky hair, which looks beautiful and pleasant to the touch. If the animal takes part in the exhibition, then the shining wool immediately attracts attention.

• During a molt, the cat, licking itself with the tongue, swallows some of the hairs that often contain harmful substances. All this enters the cat's stomach, causes discomfort in the animal and can provoke a disease. This is especially true of kittens, their stomach is not yet strong. During bathing, part of the wool is washed off with water, which means that the animal is less likely to swallow elements that are harmful to its body.

• Regular washing deprives the kitten of wool, which means that the housekeeping process will be much simpler for its owner.Usually this problem is relevant for apartments where long-haired animals are kept.

• Street kitten is important to get rid of various parasites. For a baby, special pills, sprays and suspensions can be dangerous, a weak organism, deprived of immunity during street life, may not withstand the toxicity of special preparations. Therefore, shampooing fleas may be the only solution.

Before you introduce a kitten with water, review the list of restrictions to this procedure.

While the kitten develops skin and fat glands, it is impossible to bathe him. An animal devoid of skin lubrication during washing becomes available for dermatitis and other skin problems. As already mentioned, wait for the age of three months.

Do not wash the animal after vaccination. Even people from school remember that watering the injection site is prohibited. Vaccination is carried out only to a healthy animal, and during the first bathing the kitten can catch a cold and get sick. Coupled with vaccination, the disease can cause serious consequences, even death.

If the kitten is sick, be sure to consult about the possibility of bathing with a veterinarian. Most likely, all bath procedures during this period will be prohibited.

Try to avoid bathing the kitten in the bath itself. A large space filled with water will cause stress and panic in the baby. To feel more protected, it is important for a pet to cling to something, and in the bath it is impossible to do.

Sink for these purposes also will not work. Firstly, it is dangerous for a kitten, because it will break out and may fall from a great height, and secondly, it is inconvenient for owners: splashes will fall on the walls and floor, the owner may slip, and then a time-consuming bathroom cleaning awaits him rooms

To cat the child did not run away, it is recommended to attach it to the harness.

It looks like a large mesh with a special cord, which is fixed around the neck. Such a bag securely holds the pet and protects its owner from sharp claws and teeth. Through the cells of the mesh water and shampoo penetrate well. This attribute can also be used for other unpleasant procedures for cats, for example, during the clipping of claws or the cleaning of the ears.

In the process of bathing it is very important not to wet the kitten's head and carefully avoid water from entering the ears. To do this, you can use cotton pads or buy a swimming cap. Bast for washing the animal is not needed, hands wash off the dirt from the cat's fur coat is easier, faster and better. In addition, the kitten may be frightened by a foreign object, and he is probably already used to human hands.

In no case do not wash the kitten with shampoo for people, even if it is a hypoallergenic child remedy. Also for the kittens do not fit detergents for puppies, dogs, ferrets and other animals. It is necessary to abandon the use of shampoos for adult cats. In babies, mucous membranes and skin are more susceptible, they can not withstand the action of the components of the tool for adult animals.

The following varieties will do.

Reliable convenient tool that foams well. For one session you will need a very small portion. The wool of the washed animal glitters, and to the touch - soft and silky.

Suitable for pets who are afraid of water in panic. By the procedure of bathing such funds are not relevant. Spray in the form of powder is applied to dry wool, which is immediately combed out. Faded hairs remain on the comb along with dirt.

Apply to the wet hair of a kitten. The advantage is the ability to practically dry the skin, which is important for kittens younger than six months old.

It is more often offered in the form of variants for a specific breed or for animals with a certain type of wool, for example, for long-haired kittens, for kittens of the British breed, etc.

Special shampoos for kittens are expensive. To save money, take bottles of small volume, as the kittens grow pretty quickly, and the small bottle is enough for the entire childhood of the pet.

Before you begin the process of bathing, read the following recommendations.

• Introduce the kitten to the bathroom. Put him in a dry bath and try to play. Let him feel that this place is safe. Carefully open the tap so that a thin stream of water appears, let the kitten get acquainted with an unusual object.
• Prepare a delicacy in advance, which is desirable to reward the kitten for patience and courage after the bathing procedure.
• Talk to a pet gentle voice. The pet will not understand human words, but from the emotions in his voice he will know that no one wants evil to him.
• Use for the first bathing shampoos, no odor.

Now proceed to the session itself.

1. Type in the basin warm water so that its level reaches the abdomen of the pet.
2. Catch the kitten, put on a harness or put in a special bag, close the ears with cotton pads.
3. Take the animal by the scruff of the neck and gently lower it into the basin. Do not forget to accompany all actions with a tender voice.
4. Pick up water in the palm of your hand and wet the pet's hair. Try to stop using the shower during the first treatment. Its sound will frighten the kitten, besides, the shower must be adjusted in advance so that the water is at the right temperature and the pressure is not too great.
5. Foam shampoo and rub into animal hair. Do not take a lot of money, it will complicate the rinsing procedure.
6. Carefully wash the foam from the wool. If part of the product remains on the cat's fur, it will lead to overdrying of the skin, itching and discomfort of the animal.
7. Wrap the washed baby in a towel, blot up the moisture and move it into another, dry towel. Put the kitten to the heater or in the house.

The kitten does not need a special drying procedure. Licking his fur with his tongue, he does it himself. Rough tongue is able to remove moisture, evenly distribute the fat on the hair, comb hairs. If the kitten is preparing for the exhibition, and its wool must be beautifully laid, then you need to accustom the baby to the hairdryer. Choose an average mode for drying, since cold air can catch a cat after a bathing procedure, and hot air can burn the skin. In any case, too often, drying cats with a hair dryer is not recommended, as this device dries the skin of an animal.

How to bathe the kitten for the first time, see the next video.