A lot of people ask if they can bathe their Siberian cat, and if so – how often?

While you certainly can give your Siberian cat a bath, in most cases you don’t have to and probably shouldn’t. Unless you are getting your cat ready to be in a cat show, in which case you would most likely either know how to bathe them or use the services of a professional groomer. Bathing your Siberian cat on your own might not be the best idea.

As you might have noticed, cats don’t really like water all that much, unless it’s in their drinking dish. They tend to like baths even less. Your kitty might act quite feisty if you try to drag them into the bathtub. Remember they have claws and teeth, and, no matter how much they love you, if they are scared or displeased enough, they will use their weapons.

Also, Siberian cats, in particular, might be not the best candidates for baths, as they have extremely dense coats with long, thick hair. It will take you a while to get your cat wet and to get shampoo into its hair if you are planning on using shampoo. The worst part comes after – when you try to get the shampoo out of them 🙂 You don’t want any shampoo left in their coat.

They will, of course, try to lick it off and shampoo isn’t the best thing for a cat to ingest. Also, if there is any shampoo left in their fur, it will darken and possibly mat. Also not good.

The other thing is, Siberians have a protective layer of oil in their fur that helps them keep warm in cold weather (remember they originated in some really cold climates!) and cool in the summer. By washing them you wash that layer of oil out of their fur.

If you have to give your cat a bath, start slowly. Bring your cat in the bathroom. Let them get used to the sound and look of the water. Slowly place them in the bathtub. Remember to be careful.

A frightened cat is the most dangerous animal on the planet 😉 Try not to use too much shampoo (and do I need to say only use specialised cat shampoo?), and pay attention to getting all of the shampoo out of your cat when done. Wipe your cat with a towel to get rid of extra moisture.

You can also avoid washing your cat and just wipe them with a wet towel if you think they really need it. Another good idea, if you absolutely have to give your kitty a bath, is to use the services of a professional groomer.

They will know exactly how to get your cat ready for the bath, how to wash them, which shampoo to use and how much, and how to wash it out of your kitty. It might cost you a bit, but you might avoid a whole lot of mess in your bathroom and some scratches on your arms!