Cat baths: A humorous photographic essay…

Warning: No kittens were harmed in the following photos. At the house which I once owned I would regularly find stray kittens which needed homes. I would capture the kittens, bring them into my house, give them a flea bath and get them eating solid food before finding them a home. Being a photographer I never passed up the opportunity to photograph the cat baths.

HOW TO BATHE A KITTEN:

The first step in bathing a kitten is to find a kitten who is dirty and needs a bath. If your house was like mine was, this is not an issue. I often had a whole cage full of volunteers.

Select a kitten from your list of qualified candidates.

Next it is very important to explain to the kitten that what you are doing is for it’s own good and you are not going to harm it, so as to avoid a reaction like this:

You will know if you have been successful in explaining to the kitten what is about to happen when the kitten curls up against you like this:

Next fill a sink with warm soapy bath water in preparation for the entry of the cat into the bath.

Once the bath is ready, place the dirty kitten into the water gently.

Try not to let the dirty kitten get too deep into the water. Most kittens are not adept at snorkeling.

If the kitten looks like this, you may need to let an inch of water out of the sink.

If this happens you may get a reaction similar to this. Should this occur it is important to remind the kitten gently and calmly that what you are doing is for its own good. If it is a rational cat it should soon agree with your reasoing without too much trouble.

Next gently lather up the kitten and make sure it gets good and clean. It is imperative to get any fleas and any other dirt from its former outdoor life off the kitten who will soon become an indoor cat.

Always be aware that the kitten will be looking to escape its soapy destiny.

Cats can be very quick in their movements and if you are not careful you may soon find yourself with a situation like this happening.

This is to be avoided at all costs!

At this point the kitten may be wondering what on earth just happened to it!

Should this occur, simply re-submerge the kitten into its bubbly abode. Warning the second and subsequent submersions of the kitten will not be as smooth as the first one was as the kitten will already know what is in store for it.

Gently remove the kitten from the water in order to make sure the kitten is sufficiently clean before proceeding to rinsing. Warning, it is best to gently grip the kitten while it is in the water in order to avoid getting clawed.

Inspect the kitten thoroughly!

Yes, I think this kitten is good and clean!

Once the kitten has had enough of its swim and is sufficiently clean it is ok to let the kitten hang on the edge of the sink while draining the sink in order to remove some of the suds before its final rinse.

Drain all of the suds from the sink in order to begin de-soapifying the now clean kitten.

Make sure you get the kitten rinsed of all of the soap.

Give the kitten a thorough rinse to make sure all final soap is off it. If the kitten still looks like this, it needs another rinse. Do not let it fool you into thinking it is free of soap! Those who are truly skilled in the fine art of kitten bathing will not get clawed in the process!

Be prepared for a dirty look or two as you are rinsing the kitten of its suds.

Now that the kitten is sufficiently rinsed quickly wrap the now clean and soap free kitten in a towel to begin the drying process.

Wrap the kitten good and tight in the towel to make sure it drys off.

Remember the kitten may not yet be ready to thank you for your kindness and generosity!

Once the kitten is somewhat dry, blow dry the kitten before its final towel drying.

Once the kitten has survived the near hurricane force of the blow dryer, quickly wrap the kitten in a towel for its final drying process.

Once the kitten is thorougly dry, give it a hug to let it know that it is loved.

Second warning, only attempt this if you are a seasoned professional and it your volunteer is still a young kitten. Trying to do this with a grown cat could be a fiasco.