How to Bathe a Kitten

Bathing a kitten is a little different to the process of getting other pets like your dog washed. Dogs will generally tolerate the water while cats are much more sensitive to it. They’ll avoid the rain at all costs and aren’t known for their love of anything wet. As predators that rely on being light on their feet, cats don’t often like to get wet as it weighs them down and their fur takes a long time to dry. Getting a kitten comfortable or at least tolerant of a bath is important in case they ever need a medicated bath, but it’s a slower process than if you were to introduce a bath to a canine friend.

There are several steps to getting a cat comfortable with being bathed - you won’t be introducing water straight away. First, you should be getting them used to the environment. Since kittens are so small and you don’t want to overwhelm them, bathing them in a container might be better than a bath. A washing up bowl is the perfect size for a kitten bath and you can keep the water nice and shallow to avoid panic.

First, start with an empty container and make the experience enjoyable. Let them play with a toy in there or feed them a treat. Webbox Cats Delight Lick-E-Lix with Chicken Cat Treat is great as a reward for practicing getting into the bath. They can lick some paste from the end to make a positive association with whenever you put them in their little bowl for a bath. Getting your furry friend used to something new is all about making positive associations with it. If you get out a special treat every time they get into the tub then they’re going to start looking forward to it.

You can start by giving them a massage with no water before gradually starting to wet your hands and do the same thing. Eventually, you can introduce wetting their fur however avoid using the showerhead. It’s loud and scary so to keep bath time calm, use a jug or a cup to pour water on them. You should never leave your kitten wet after a bath. There’s no quicker way to undo the good work of getting them used to the bath than leaving them cold and wet. Dry them in a towel the best you can and then wrap them in something dry and warm to dry off the rest of the way. Microfiber towels like the Pet Living Super Absorbent Micro-Fibre Towel are great for soaking up most of the moisture from your beloved pet’s coat to help them dry off quicker.

Bathing a kitten isn’t like having a canine companion who needs regular grooming. Cats will generally take care of most of this themselves so you should only bathe a cat when you really need to. Frequent baths can strip important oils from their coat and skin and leave them with dull or damaged fur and dry skin. If your kitten gets themselves into something dirty or sticky, something you may not want them grooming out of their own coat then it’s time to bath them but they don’t need regular baths if they’re looking after themselves.

You shouldn’t be using any old shampoo on your kitten. Make sure you have a shampoo gentle enough for your kitten’s coat to get the best result. A shampoo like Johnson's Manuka Honey Shampoo is safe to use with its gentle and cleansing formula. It will leave your kitten’s fur clean but well-conditioned so it doesn’t lose its softness.

If you want a shampoo made more specifically for kittens then The Spa Puppy & Kitten Fresh Baby Powder Shampoo is a great option. It’s an especially mild formula for puppies and kittens with a gentle baby powder scent to make getting a bath a pleasant experience for both you and them! Free from parabens and silicons, there are no nasties that can damage their coat and it will just leave them clean and smelling fresh.

Bathing a kitten with fleas is exactly the same process as bathing an adult cat that has fleas. The best way to keep your kitten flea-free is through keeping on top of their flea treatments. If you happen to miss one or if you take them home with an infestation of fleas then a flea bath can help to manage it and reduce the burden of fleas on them. A flea bath is a little different to a regular bath. First, you need a shampoo like the Johnson's Cat Flea Cleansing Shampoo. The shampoo works by cleansing fleas from the coat but then continues to act as a scented repellent. The water will also help to drown surviving fleas so it will clear out their fur in several ways. The shampoo will need to sit on their coat for several minutes and it’s better to use a deeper bath of water to rinse them so you can drown any survivors.

You’ll need to really amp up your treat game for a flea bath and it can sometimes be beneficial to ask for a helping pair of hands to help keep your kitten nice and calm throughout.

There are more ways than just bathing your kitten to help keep them clean. If they only get a little messy you can sometimes get away with using pet wipes like Rufus & Rosie Aloe Vera Pet Wipes to clean them up. If they have a little food on them on them, you may not need to bathe their entire body so you can just wipe them off before it dries into their coat. Some kittens, especially long coated kittens will struggle to keep themselves clean if their coat is knotted. Regular grooming is the key to making it easy for them to keep themselves clean which will result in fewer baths. Brushing them doesn’t have to be just a tiresome chore either, it’s a great way to bond with your new fur baby as they tend to love the feeling of it.

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