Can I Bathe My Cat?

Yes, you can bathe your cat. But the real question is, should you? Or, do you need to give your cat a bath?

Cats are completely equipped to take care of their own personal hygiene. If your cat is an indoor cat, and isn’t one of the longhaired breeds know for having a high-maintenance coat (like Persian cats), it is completely possible for your cat to go its entire life without ever being bathed. It’s just not necessary.

But, if you have an outdoor cat, the need for bathing may arise if they get into something and get sticky or particularly dirty. Or smelly! A bath may also be needed to help get a bad flea infestation under control. If you need to bathe your cat, you can get the products to do so at a pet store or from your vet. It’s not recommended to use shampoo for humans, or any other soaps, on cats. Human shampoo isn’t toxic to cats, but they’re not accustomed to regular contact with detergents and soaps, and will be much more sensitive to skin irritation from fragrances, dyes, and other ingredients than we are.