Cats can lick their fur for hours on end. By grooming their fur with their tongue, they smooth their hair, regulate their body temperature, make their fur water-repellent, remove foreign odours and reduce stress. The cat's tongue is equipped with papillae that capture even the smallest particles of dirt and bacteria. Frequent grooming makes most cats' coats appear clean and well-groomed, so it is usually unnecessary to wash or bathe the cat. There are few circumstances where cats need to be bathed or where a bath is appropriate.

 

Naked cats or cats with very thin and very fine fur should be bathed about once a week. A cat's fur absorbs body oils; if there is no fur or only a thin down, the cat's skin can quickly become greasy and clog the pores. Earwax can also accumulate in the ears. It is best to use a special cat shampoo for bathing to prevent the cat's skin from drying out. To get your cat used to bathing, bathe it from an early age. After bathing, it is particularly important to keep naked cats warm.

The fur of long-haired cats is so long that it quickly becomes knotted. Long-haired cats must therefore be combed every day with a cat brush. For long-haired cats, a weekly bath is recommended to keep the coat clean, as grooming the cat by licking is not sufficient for the dense and long hair.

Young cats in particular are often infested with mites, which can cause very itchy eczema. The disease itself is treated with medication, but regular bathing can prevent this unpleasant skin disease. Flea infestations used to be treated by washing the cat thoroughly, but this is no longer necessary as fleas can be removed very effectively with flea medication.

Cats that spend a lot of time outdoors can occasionally come into contact with substances that they cannot easily lick off with their tongue. A cat that has diarrhoea is also not always able to clean itself. In these cases, a bath is advisable. Substances in the fur that cannot be washed off even with shampoo should be carefully cut out with scissors.