I wonder

[Mythkitties]

When ever I was my cat's they miserable, I know this is not a trick or any thing I was wondering if any one new of any kind of trick to make it easier, I try and talk them through it and use as little water as possible and cuddle them like crazy after wards but they still cry so much. I like keeping my cats pretty clean and fluffy so i was them about once every month or two. I was thinking they would get used to it but they dont. Any ideas? also any tricks for nail clipping. Io just hates it. she bites my nose when I do clip her nails.. I feel bad but it is neccesary, I also brush thier teeth every so ofter they are noth completly opposed to this, but they do tend tobite the little brush. Again any advice?

[kat505hi]

I have a couple suggestions that might help.

Cats are naturally clean creatures and do not need regular baths, however, they make powdered baths and waterless shampoos that you could look into. If its a scent thing, you can find body spray that are pet approved. Make sure you avoid the face and a little goes a looooong way (trust me).

If you still want to wash them, use easy cheese or peanut butter that takes them longer to eat and keeps them distracted while you wash them (rub on the wall of the sink/tub to leave your hands free to wash them). Remember to use something they find over the top rewarding so that the good yummies get paired with the bad experience of a bath so they start to think "bath=yummy!" instead of "bath=water/torture/etc"

For cutting nails, invest in a good scratching post that they like (some cats prefer one type over the others, so you might need to try out some) Ed does a good job keeping her front nails looking good, and short enough to retract. We do cut her back nails since she cant scratch them down. We always use two people to cut her nails for everyone's safety. My fiance holds her just behind her front legs, around her chest where she cant move or use her legs to scratch him. He then holds a bunch of food/treats in one hand and keeps it right on her nose while I quickly trim up her hind nails. We do this 1-2 times a month at most.

I hope you use only pet toothpaste, or an empty toothbrush for their teeth. Human-grade toothpaste is bad for their systems. I doubt you'd avoid toothbrush biting since you are putting it directly in their mouths. I'm amazed that they are so tolerant of that though.

[Emau]

Hi Mythkitties,
You have a very good question. I sometimes wonder about bathing Emau herself. I started when she was a about 5 months old and up to this day its no walk in the park.
Over time I found a few tips that made it easier.
I like to place a towel or rubber mat in the tub b/c they tend to want to claw on to something and to avoid slipping while being washed. Also you should make sure that Ajax and Io's ears dont get ANY water in them b/c this might cause them discomfort and sometimes a trip to the vet. I also know that water temperature is key, testing the water temperature should be like testing a baby's milk bottle. Put some on your wrist and it should not be too hot or too cold. Emau did not like the water spray so I have a little bucket that will help me in rinsing her. Some cats actually like bathing, but for now our little babies will do Hey we love them anyways and yes I do love how fluffy and clean they get soon after. I am sorry this is probably no help but just know you are not alone.

[Cougar]

When we got Cougar he was about 3 months old, we knew we never wanted to declaw him. So we decided to always touch and rub his paws as a kitten.
Most cats find this bothersome, but I think that he got used to it and now when we trim his nails he barely moves. He knows that its not a big deal and it will not hurt him.
We were also always careful not to cut into his 'quick'.

[Mythkitties]

Wowow lots of replys thank you very much. I am going to try to respond all at one time tee hee . I am pretty sure you are right they don't need to be bathed as much as i do...I kept wondering why my boyfriend looks at me like I am nuts every time I do take them into get a bath. I always wash the in the sink because well for one i can keep a good hold on them and try to be closer to them when they do get mad at me. I am trying to use as little water as humanly possible, I always keep a cup to rinse them off to keep it short and sweet and again i love them and cuddle them and i have a space heater in the bathroom with me so they stay as warm as possible. I will tone down bathing so much. I have not once gotten water in their ear so far. I did a ton of research when I first got Ajax just to make sure I do everything right. Okay onto the nail clipping, i do have a scratching post but it isn't probably the best quality i am currently trying to save up to get a nice big one they can climb and play on. I haven"t thought of any of the "tricks" you have said cause well I am always trying to do it my self. I figure when I am able to get a cat scratcher I will probably be much happier/ The tooth paste is the one for kitties, i bought it at petsmart and it is malt flavor haha. My boyfriend Still thinks I am crazy for that one! Thank you for the tips and advice you are all very informative! And so nice!

[scrabbles]

I wouldnt feel bad mythkitties doing things such as bathing, brushing and clipping is all part of being a good meowmee
You are just trying to help them out, any little thing we can to make them feel more comfy and less scared of course is necessary. We all seem to be having the same issues with our babies.