I have 3 cats, there I have said it... I am officially a cat lady!
But saying that, I have also noticed that 2 of my cats are not the best at grooming themselves. Many people think cats are self caring when it comes to grooming, but not all cats...
That being said, they have started to leave shadows on my furniture of old dry fur and dander, and since my daughter in law is allergic, I thought maybe if I helped to groom them, there would not be so much fur and dander floating in the air when you simply pet them and the shadows would stop forming on my couch.
If your cat looks at you like this, then you don't want to be torn to ribbons by trying to dunk them in water.
It can be done, but why stress yourself? Save your skin and give this a try!
DIY Cat Shampoo - Dry
Since no way in "beep beep" my cats would let me come anywhere near them with water, I decided to try this dry shampoo recipe. You may already have these things in the house, but if not they are affordable.
- Recipe
- Equal parts of:
- Flaked rolled oats (not the steel cut ones, nor the flavored ones, just the plain rolled oats usually sold in a bag for making breakfast oatmeal)
- Cornmeal (this being slightly abrasive, helps to remove ground in dirt, since my cats do go outside this can be a problem for me)
- 2 x tablespoons of baking soda (perfect for controlling odors)
Method:
In a bowl stir together the above 3 ingredients. I started with a cup of each oats and cornmeal and then added the baking soda. You can keep this in a airtight container for next time.
Brush Your Cat First
This will get rid of lose fur and dirt. If your cat loves to be groomed he/she should already be relaxed by this process.
Grab a small handful of the mixture with one hand while petting with the other hand and start to rub in the mixture quickly but gently over their body the best you can and as close to the skin as you can.
Stay away from the face, they are usually pretty good at taking care of their own face.
Start Brushing the Dry Shampoo Out
That is all there is to it. You will have helped to loosen dirt and excess dander. My one cat tends to have dry skin and dandruff and I found this helped loosen dead skin as she is 14 and doesn't groom herself as well as she should.
If you are not a fan of this Homemade Dry Shampoo for cats, but like the idea of washing them without water, you can purchase specialized "waterless cat shampoo" online for a good price.
This is another affordable option. My kitties do not like any kind of "spray noise" anywhere near them, so for me I would spray this into my hands away from them, and then rub it in. It doesn't take much to spook a cat and the last thing you want is a half washed cat running around. It looks like foam.
The Trick Really is to Get Them Relaxed and Purring
Carve out some time for you and kitty time, don't be in a rush, but using either the diy dry shampoo or the waterless shampoo will keep them groomed and smelling fresh.
The added bonus ... no more fur shadows on my couch or fur floating in the air.
What if I Don't Want the Mess of Dry Shampoo or the Fuss of the Waterless Shampoo?
Don't give up on having a nice clean cat, you can also get these quick wipes. These remove excess dander and are good for the older cat or non grooming cats.
You can do this very quickly. Simply wipe your cat down with these wipes. Everything is safe and is a quick way to give them a instant bath.
So, there are 3 good options above for helping to groom your cat. This can also keep excess fur to a minimum and dander.
This would be like a spa day for your cat!
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