How to Bathe a Kitten

Make sure your kitten is at least 8 weeks old. Bathing kittens less than 8 weeks old is not recommended. ^[1] Before the kittens are 8 weeks old, the mother cat will take care of her grooming. If you need to clean a kitten less than 8 weeks old, you can use a soft, damp cloth to wipe the dirty spots on the cat’s fur instead of taking it to the bath. ^[2]

• Even if your kitten doesn’t need a bath by the time she’s 8 weeks old, it’s still a good time to start getting her used to bathing. That way, you can easily bathe your cat as she matures, whether it’s to prepare her for a show or to relieve a cat allergy. If you get used to it from a young age, your cat will be more comfortable with bathing. ^[3]

Train your cat to get used to being held in your hand. If you want to bathe a kitten, you should start holding the kitten in your arms as soon as possible. Not only must the kitten learn not to be afraid of water, it also takes time to get used to the feeling of being held in the bath. ^[4]

• Grab the kitten’s paws and stroke its toes, belly, back, and inside of its ears. ^[5]

Place the kitten in a tub without water. Perhaps the first idea that comes to mind will be to bathe the kitten in the sink, but this is not safe as the cat can jump out of the sink and get injured. Bathtubs are a much better choice, as cats won’t be able to jump out of the tub. Put the kitten in the dry bath, let it sniff around for a few minutes, and praise it.

• You can do this step before the kitten is 8 weeks old to get her used to the tub before adding water.

Dip the cat’s paw in the water. Once the kitten is comfortable in the dry bath, try dipping her paws in the tub filled with water. Fill the tub with warm (not hot) water so that the water level is about 3-5 cm high (just enough to cover the cat’s paws) while the cat is in the bathroom so it gets used to the sound of running water. Perhaps you have to close the bathroom door to prevent the cat from escaping. Use one hand to support the cat’s belly and place the cat’s paw in the water. ^[6] Petting and praising the cat calms down, and rewards the cat after it has stood for a few minutes without struggling or trying to get out of the tub. ^[7]

• If your cat isn’t calm in the water, don’t praise and reward it, as you’re encouraging unwanted behavior. Instead, remove the cat to try again the next day. You may have to repeat this step for several days to get your cat to stand in the water without resistance. ^[8]
• Any time you see the kitten panicking, gently grab it by the nape of the neck and lift it out of the water. When you hold the nape of the cat, it will naturally calm down and relax.
• You can put a non-slip mat in the tub, as kittens are more likely to panic if they slip in the tub.

Use a dry towel to wipe the cat’s paws. Kittens are very susceptible to shivering when their fur is wet. When training your cat to get used to bathing, be sure to dry her coat whenever she comes out of the water, whether it’s just soaking her paws or when her entire coat is dripping with water.

Keep calm. The process of getting a kitten used to being held and exposed to water takes time and patience. Either way, don’t get angry or raise your voice at the cat, as doing so will only scare the cat and delay the training progress.