Cat Shampoo Guide

Cats usually do a pretty good job of keeping themselves clean. Sometimes however, they need a little help. This guide is here to help you inform on which cat shampoo matches your needs. 

Best Shampoo for Cats Is…. Saliva?

You read that right! But don’t start licking your kitten yet. The best cat shampoo there is, is actually the cat’s own saliva. Felines are heavily into grooming themselves, and come equipped with all they need for the job: nails. tongues, paws, teeth and saliva.

Also never use cleaning products made for people on your feline. Certain chemical compounds in hygiene products made for human use are too harsh for a cat. However calm and gentle a human’s grooming product may claim to be, always buy one that is specially formulated for cats.

Special formulated shampoo´s can be bought on the grooming aisle of you local pet store, or online. If your pet has special needs like an anti-dandruff or an anti-flea shampoo, you´ll find these items wide available as well.

Best Organic Pets Washing Product
Sometimes hygiene products can be used on both cats and dogs.

When looking for cleaning products for pets, stick with natural solutions. Rule of thumb: the fewer chemicals, the better. Nowadays, a lot of manufacturers use homeopathic and/or botanical oil blends instead. These oil blends help cleaning your feline, and make sure he/she smells nice. And best of all, they’re safe for animal use..

 

 

Before you buy an expensive cleaning product in a fancy bottle, check for the following ingredients. Avoid these!

  • Parabens
  • Sodium Laurel Sulphate
  • Artificial dyes
  • Petrochemicals

Cleaning and Deodorizing

Sometimes your feline just… smells. You have two options:

1) You decide he/she hasn’t seen the great outdoors for a while and should spend some more time there, or

2) You invest in a gentle cleansing & deodorizing cat shampoo

 

Eathbath Cleaning Product for felines

There are many options available. But which one to choose? Keeping the list of ingredients to avoid in mind, you might want to go for a all natural cat shampoo like Earthbath’s . This one is made specifically for felines, and has amazing customer reviews on amazon.

 

 

Waterless / Dry

So your kitten can’t stand water. At all. And he’s not afraid to let you know this by scratching, biting and mauling. Luckily there are also dry / waterless shampoos for cats available.These products reduce hairballs, condition the coat and give your feline a nice smell. You can buy these as sprays, powder formula’s or towel wipes.

 All Natural Hypo-Allergenic and Fragrance-Free Wipes

 

Dandruff, Dry Skin and Coat Conditioning

Skin conditions are quite common. Especially in older felines. Some of these conditions may trigger excessive flaking and itching. This can dry the fur and strip it of it’s natural protective oils. Hygiene products containing natural oils like aloe vera or chamomile help sooth the skin, fur and help relieve itchiness. Like this one from Top Performance for example. (pictured left)

If the skin has open sores, or is irritant, bring your pet to the vet. Your veterinarian can check for infections or other health issues that may require medical attention.

 

Hairballs and (Excessive) Shedding

Cats shed hair. Some more than other, but generally speaking, they all do.If your pet sheds excessive, you might want to consider getting a hygiene product that helps control excessive shedding, like 8 in 1 Cat Excessive Shedding & Hairballs. It can also help detangle knots, and reduces hairballs.

 

Tip: Brushing is an effective method to help your kitten get rid of excess fur. While brushing, you also stimulate oils to condition the coat. If you have a long haired kittycat, regular brushing is something that becomes more necessary.

Fleas, Mites and Tick Control

Fleas can be a real nuisance to your pets and to you. The same goes for mites and ticks..

If you decide to use a special formulation, make sure the active ingredients aren’t harmful to your pet. This one fights against fleas and ticks using a natural botanical, d-limonene. It has a pleasant citrus smell.

 

General reminders

  •  Don’t bath your pet too often. It’s best to let your kitten do it’s own hygiene, and you should only intervene when necessary.
  • Before you decide to wash your pet, make sure you remove any tangles. If you don’t, there’s a chance your pet’s hair may get matted.
  • If you have a kitten under 6 weeks old, don’t bathe him/her without consulting your vet first.
  •  Avoid getting any in the feline’s eyes, nose or ears. Even if the manufacturer claims it’s “tearless”.
  • Consult your vet for advice before using any product that is not specifically produced for animals.

Thanks for reading. Any questions or comments, please let us know in the comments