How often do bathe your well maintained cat?

Answers:
I have cats 15, 13 and 12 who have never had a bath. I have had them since they were kittens. I do brush them fairly regularly because they like the "massage" and it does remove excess hair, especially on the one that is long-haired.

When my old cat was about 18 she stopped grooming herself, possibly because of her arthritis. She went to the groomer's every month or six weeks for a comb out and bath. She lived to be 22 and 1/2 years of age.

None of my cats smell offensive. One comes under the covers with me every morning. I have cat fence-in for my back garden so they do go outside and can get "dusty" during our long, dry summers.

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cats clean themselves..shouldn't bathe them really, if anything take a wet washcloth to them

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What do you mean by well maintained??

Honestly, a regular housecat will usually keep itself clean; you can bathe him/her every once in a while (every other months maybe) or if it needs flea treatment (as directed by your vet) or special shampoos for skin conditions (as directed by your vet)... but otherwise, cats will keep themselves clean.

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never.
unless the cat has sticky meds that get all over them, but most cat's hate water, and won't even go into a tub filled with water. Don't try it, you will get scratched, bit, hissed at.. it's not pretty.
If you need to wash your cat, because it's sick, take it to the vet or some pet spa with people who know what they are doing.

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never, cats clean themselves.

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I've showed cats before, and I bathed my cat Dusty a few times (it wasnt the most pleasant experience for either of us!) But most of the time, cats can keep themselves pretty clean on their own and dont need to much help. if your going to, I really woundnt do it more than every two weeks at the max!

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indoor cats get smelly and dirty too. don't physically wash your cat very often, the bathing experience is not pleasant, there are pet wipes out there that work just as well and with out the pain, you can pick these up at most any walmart or pet store. if you bathe your cat make sure the weather is warm so the cat don't get sick and also it would be wise to have someone help and be ready with a towel.

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I bath my kitten once every 2 weeks as needed. I usually do it when he accidently jump into the toilet while i have the lid open (i always keep it shut unless needed, he usually follows me everywhere), or I bath him when he has his poo stuck to his fur. I notice his fur gets soft after every bath. And he's so very cute when he's wet, looks just like a skinny rat :)

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Never.

Unless the cat is ill, or has some sort of condition that requires bathing, it's not necessary. Cat's are notoriously clean animals and will groom themselves - especially a well maintained cat. In all my years of owning cats, we've never bathed one. The only exception was my cat that died last year. He was very ill and wasn't grooming himself as well, so we had to clean him up a few times. He never required a full on bath, though.

If you really feel it's necessary, you can wet down a washcloth (not sopping wet), and run it over the kitty. You can also get cat bath wet wipes from any pet store. They look like baby wipes.

I know that show cats are often bathed before a show, but many are used to it. If they've been bred for showing, than they are introduced to water and bathing at a very young age. An older cat who has no experience with a bath can be quite a handful.

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You shouldn't have to. They are like self-cleaning ovens. They handle the whole works by themselves. However if they get fleas or into a nasty mess (like oil, grease...etc.) bathing is OK if you use a cat shampoo. The best thing you can do for a cat is brush regularly. Cuts down on the hairballs. Otherwise, they clean themselves and usually do a good job until they get elderly. Then you have to watch out. Mats in the fur will be the first indication they are missing spots. But again, regular brushing should help solve even that problem.

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Never, and she is beautiful!

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Cats have owned me for over 30 years, and unless they have gotten into something really disgusting, I have never bathed any of them. They do a very good job of keeping themselves clean. Some of my cats have lived to 22 years old without ever having a bath, and have never smelled bad. They are all brushed daily, since they demand it, and this also helps keep their coats clean, as well as giving them a nice massage and "private" time with me. The few times I have had to bath one of them has not been easy, either on them or me!

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You should not have too- they do it themselves. However, if you have too it could be an all out war depending on your cat's temperment. Baby wipes work for a quick wipe down. But, if you actually have to bath her- make sure the bathroom door is closed. :)