Dry Thoroughly: The most important part of bathing your cat is drying them off afterward. Dry them off as quickly as possibly with a large towel, and keep them in a warm room until they've completely dried. If your cat lets you, you can also use a hairdryer on its lowest warmth setting to speed up the process.
Let your cat air-dry. Keep the air temperature in the house moderate while they're drying so they don't get a chill. If your cat has long hair, comb it out while it's still damp. (You may need to add conditioner to his coat to keep it from tangling.)
You shouldn't because cats tend to get anxiety around loud noises. Towel-drying is better for cats. But if your cat doesn't seem to be affected by the loud noise of the blow dryer then I guess it wouldn't be harmful. Just make sure it's not too hot so it doesn't burn them.
Your cat's groomer will likely allow the excess water to drip from the cat before using a towel to slowly and gently dry the cat's fur; continuing to using dry towels until all water is absorbed. Sometimes groomers use warm towels, to help high-stressed cats to calm down.
Gabapentin. Gabapentin is a medication that can be used for several purposes, including seizure control, anxiety relief, sedation, and pain management. It's a common cat sedative for grooming, travel, vet visits, and other short-term events.
Wet food is more expensive and less easy to use but can be beneficial in cats prone to lower urinary tract disease, constipation and that are overweight. Dry food can be a very efficient way to provide calories in thin cats with food volume limitations and allows for the use of food puzzles and food toy dispensers.
In general, cats should be given a bath once every 4-6 weeks, depending on how often they groom themselves, and the environment they're usually in. If your cat is more outdoorsy and soils itself while playing, it's a good idea to help with the grooming process as they alone won't be able to properly get cleaned.
If you want to clean their face, use a damp towel to wipe it down. Never dunk their head into the water or splash water into their face. Only a damp towel should be used on your cat's face and ears.
It may be a normal occurrence after you bathe your cat and it is soaking wet or if the weather is cold outside and its body temperature is lower. These instances are common and have simple solutions to help your cat.
It's fine for cats to dry themselves with air dry in open surroundings. As soon as possible you might want to give her/him a good combing. The bathing tends to loosen lots of fur and she/he may develop a hairball from grooming himself after the bath in some occasions.
Offer water to drink. Spray cool water onto your cat's fur. Use a fan or any available breeze to help your cat to cool off. If possible, continue this treatment while transporting the cat to the vet, which you should do immediately.
Water makes a cat's coat feel icky
We could write it off as one of those unexplainable cat facts, but Dr. Cohen has a theory. “When a cat becomes wet, their hair/coat is heavier, colder, and uncomfortable. It can also take a long time for a cat's hair to dry on its own,” she says.
Because most cats aren't used to water and being bathed, bathing a cat too often could have some harmful effects. Your cat could develop dry skin. “Bathing too frequently can dry the skin, so healthy cats shouldn't be bathed more frequently than every four to six weeks or so,” Dr. Coates said.
MOST cats, including my beloved kitty now, are pretty darn miserable DURING a possibly necessary bath -- IF you can even manage to get them IN that position. However, once they're thru the ordeal, and wrapped in a towel/s, and relatively dried, they seem BLISSFULLY happy to be super CLEAN!
Schedule the bath for a time when your cat is tired and mellow, such as after a long play session with a cat dancer or some catnip.
Generally, cats do not need baths. After all, grooming themselves is something cats do often and well. In addition, with their barbed tongues, they are usually capable of keeping their own coats clean without any help from their humans.
Many cats, like humans, prefer their beverages chilled. You'll promote more water consumption if you serve it cold. It's hard to keep refilling your kitty's water bowl, but luckily you can buy products that keep it chilled for hours.
Cats sometimes prefer drinking water that is cold, because they might perceive cold water to be fresher. Keep your cat's water cold by replenishing it regularly. You could even pop a few ice cubes in the bowl if the weather is particularly warm.
Brush Before a Bath, Not After
To avoid making a bad situation worse, brush out your cat's fur before the bath and not after. When mats and tangles get wet, they get worse and often impossible to untangle.
For shy or anxious cats, they may prefer for a towel to be draped over the head while the groomer works on the back or rear end. Some feisty or even nervous cats may respond well to being wrapped up snuggly in a “kitty burrito” while having ears, eyes, and nails done.