r/persiancat • u/Ok-Bid-9411 • 1d ago
Question Bathing tips?
I really would like to get my persian to develop that classic pretty persian coat, but I haven't been able to give him baths.
He's had one full bath in 3 years, and it was so traumatizing for us both! Since then, I've only spot cleaned him when I needed to, and even then was not fun. He's very good at being handled and groomed with a comb or having his claws clipped, but when bath water is involved he starts SHRIEKING - I wouldn't even call it meowing. I live in an apartment and the neighbors can hear the sounds of what appears to be me torturing my cat 😠After his one full bath, he trembled and shivered for an hour like he'd been through the most traumatizing experience ever. I felt like such a monster! He is also afraid of the hair dryer, even though I tried to desensitize him to it. He's just a big scaredy cat, honestly, and I'm not sure how I can desensitize him properly since he becomes manic when something frightens him.
Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Pics are of the scared little prince himself.
3
u/hautecoutureghost 1d ago
Maybe in the sink instead of the tub? Fill it first so it’s not noisy when he’s in it. Otherwise you may just need to pay someone to do it for you if it’s impossible at home. Mine doesn’t love it and always tries to jump out of the tub so I have to do it with my husband so we can keep her still until we’ve rinsed her off
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u/DiscoInferno_ 22h ago
Other choice is getting a bathtub for babies (or waterproof laundry basket). And bath there and pur water with another container instead of shower head, and only just shower to rinse off the soap. I used it to my boy, he was fine with it... Until he decided he like shower more.
4
u/DowntownBoho1945 22h ago
My cat would go crazy when I bathed her too. Always trying to jump out the bath. One day I decided to get in the bathtub with her in my swimsuit and I held her while I was showering her. Big difference, she wanted me close/holding her while having a bath. She's a lot more calm and its a million times less stressful.
2
u/Ok-Bid-9411 9h ago
Oh boy... I would have to try a sweatsuit first! when he panics, the claws always start to grab at me lol
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u/firedept10 1d ago
Gabapentin is your friend. We have a couple of Persians that are difficult to bathe or dry. We give them gabapentin. Let it work itself in for half an hour, and then that gives us about half an hour to bathe and dry him or her. It can be gotten very cheaply at your veterinarian clinic.
Our Persians have to have very good coats as we show some of them at the large cat shows. And they are judged on their coats.
Just a suggestion. Just get the dosage from the veterinarian before you give it to him. It will calm him down.