I noticed my cat kinda smells bad, and all the carpets smell like bad cat, and whenever the vacuum cleaner runs it blasts out hot bad cat smell. I thought maybe it's time to wash the cat. The smell isn't as bad as the cat releasing its anal glands, but it's kind of a subtle wet dog smell that he has. I don't have a bathtub so thinking of washing him in the shower but I think it might be hard.
Anyway, does anyone here not wash their cats?
It puts the lotion on the skin or it gets the hoes again!
Hoes? Male cat then.
Mix in some seasol, the owners would love it :D
anal glands
SFW?
Lisa needs braces
Dental plan
Cats wash themselves. If it smells it might have another issue such as a skin condition, poor diet, bad teeth.
I tried it once. Wouldn't recommend.
“I tried it once. Wouldn't recommend.”
Lmfao
This, if your cat smells bad you should take it to the vet. One of the benefits of cats over dogs is they don't smell (as long as you keep the litter clean).
Hey I never said dogs didn't have any advantages over cats. I'm jealous of people that get to do Flyball or Agility, and I love watching sheepdogs in action. But the smell thing is a definite cat win.
@coffeeinmyveins: To me, i feel like short haired dogs smell more. But it might just be that short hair means I get more doggo oils etc on my hand from patting them, than a longer haired dog. I'm not complaining tho, I'll pat any dog that will let me. Or cat. I'm not a catist.
@coffeeinmyveins: Only dog owners think dogs don't smell. Just like smokers will have a shower, get dressed, go out, then wonder why people avoid being near them (because everything they own stinks of cigarettes so showering solves nothing).
Only dog owners think dogs don't smell.
Get a 3kg moodle that doesn't shed and come back to me mate.
But the smell thing is a definite cat win.
Except most cat homes stink like cat pee even if the litter box is frequently cleaned. So while the animal may not smell as much, the environment smells worse.
@jjjaar: Agree, nothing worse than visiting a home where a cat just laid a fresh deuce in the kitty litter lol, honestly worst smell in my opinion, even though everyone's poop ain't roses
@jjjaar: that's why we keep the litter boxes to one area, that area definitely smells bad, even though the litter boxes are changed at least once a day, with the soiled litter removed as it is noticed throughout the day.
my grandfather kept the litter boxes in the garage when he had cats
dogs smell better than cats, but only when they taken care of, my father has two dogs that have not been brushed or bathed in years, they also regularly swim. you can feel the grease on your fingers after you pat them, but that's because they are lazy owners. on the other hand, my grandmother has a dog that smells better than my cats, which is not to say that it doesn't have a smell, but it's a clean smell.
@[Deactivated]: The only way dogs smell better than cats is if they're regularly washed, and you don't have to wash cats for them to not smell so that's a cat win. Homes that smell of cat pee are because the cat pees in the house and they don't clean it up well enough. Homes that let their dogs inside regularly smell strongly of dog even if the dog never has an accident in the house. The smell of dog isn't dog pee, it's the dog's coat and breath.
@Quantumcat: I don't know what to tell you, while my grandmothers dog is clean, it isn't washed regularly. It's also been an inside dog its entire life, only taken outside for walks and to go to the bathroom, the house does not smell like dog. It's not bias, either, as I do not own a dog and I am not used to their smell, it would be apparent upon entering if the home smelled like dog.
Litterbox aura pervades any room it is in, sometimes several rooms if the house is built badly, no matter how vigilant you are.
As for the dogs coat and breath… some dogs coats, yes, others, no, but cats also have bad breath. Some cats smell bad, too.
@[Deactivated]: What quantumcat is saying is just a statistics thing. Exceptions exist. If I owned a pet shop and someone asked me about what to expect when it comes to smell dog vs cat, it’s very simple: cats generally require less work and expenses for the house and the cat not to smell, except the litter - that has to be cleaned 1-2 times a day. Dogs generally require more work and expenses. Many dogs will smell even then, sorry to say - like shitzus and their mouth area. Some cats will also smell if they have a health issue and, specially, if the owner is very lazy and leaves the litter for days. With the litter, if you clean daily, use a closed box and apply specific products to handle the smell, the smell will be minimal and very localised.
There are exceptions to the above, but that is the general rule I have observed over the years.
@Quantumcat: Whippet dunk
Almost no smell, eats like a cat, only pees/poops outside.
Agree that schnauzers/pugs etc that are marketed as a inside dog all reek from their skin folds and drool.
@Jzzzz: I have heard they're really lazy too so that's even better. Walk them when you want to instead of having to do it every day or twice a day. And you still get the fun of training them to do tricks etc.
@Quantumcat: Enormously lazy, mine (8yo, has been this lazy since 2yo) regularly sleeps in until noon.
If its cold and wet outside he will only duck outside for the shortest distance and time to goto the toilet.
Extremely trainable, he can go offleash quite comfortably pretty much anywhere just under verbal control.
@[Deactivated]: Not long after I got my cat I woke up one morning to the smell of her crap. I assumed she’d done it in the bedroom and started looking around for it.
Turns out she’d used her tray, in the laundry, downstairs. But the smell was so potent it was like she took a dump in every room.
She’s gotten quite good at gassing us out of the entire bottom floor of the house. I think I might need to take up that garage idea.
@freefall101: If it smells that bad you might want to look at her food. Especially if her number 2s are a bit wet.
@Quantumcat: Nah, mostly good these days, it was just when we adopted her it wasn't so good. She was eating the cheapest kitten food (she was almost 3 years old too!) and was pretty badly malnourished. These days I probably should take out the temptations treats, but they were what we used to wean her onto having some dry food in her diet and she'd probably murder me in my sleep if I took away her snacks.
It's also now mostly tolerable, but she still drops the occasional bomb. But when we got her it was the most god awful smell I have ever experienced, all coming out of this tiny 2.5kg cat.
@freefall101: Has she been to the vet since you got her? There's probably something wrong. She could be allergic to something you're feeding her or have some unrelated illness
@Quantumcat: Yup, several times. Went through a lot of different food getting her back to health and this is the best she has been smell-wise.
Some cats love it. Gotta have it nice and warm and introduce them slowly and gently.
They don't wash… they spit on themselves.
My advice if doing it… take them into the shower with you
Don't really have to hold on for dear life to contain them
Just take them in, turn the water on and let them tire themselves out before you apply shampoo
Cats smell neutral. Get your sense of smell checked.
Get your sense of smell checked.
Where do I do that?
Your own anal gland?
And what should my own anal glands smell like? tbh I think I actually know the answer..
Bit like dogs, don't get water in their ears and you'll ok. Washing in the shower is good as with the door closed, the car can't run away :)
Use handbrake and don’t leave it in N.
I always had more success in the shower, in a tub they claw out. A detachable shower head that isnt noisy or a bucket and cup if you dont have that is the least stressful. I also use a near new micro fibre sponge (car type) for extra foaming action and also use conditioner for super soft fur. rinse twice as long as you think is necessary
Smelly cat, smelly cat, what are the feeding you?
Whikas adult tinned food and Purina Friskies Adult and Senior Seafood Sensations.
Smelly cat, smelly cat, it's not your fault.
FYI pretty much all vets suggest not to feed Whiskas garbage. It's all grain filler and animal byproducts with very little actual meat content. Not great for your cat in the long run. Might me worth checking the specific types you feed.
For example, on the ingredients panel of a standard sachet of Whiskas chicken in gravy, the first thing listed is “meat and animal derivatives (38%, of which 94% natural, including 4% chicken)”. Then it's cereals, minerals (0.5%) and “various sugars”.
Yeah my vet told me to feed mine pretty much anything but Whiskas. I wasn't sure if she just had a prejudice but I obeyed
@Quantumcat: Royal Canin or Hills Science is the way to go. My cat won't even bother sniffing whiskas for more than a second.
@Quantumcat: There's worse foods for sure, it ranks near the top for palatability, to the point where some vets recommend it for sick/dying cats that refuse to eat
But for healthy adults it's basically just cheap filler ingredients padded out with cheap meat byproducts, on the same level as a cheap mystery meat hotdog
For a similar price you can get other brands with actual dehydrated chicken or salmon protein and good quality fillers like brewers rice, which is much better for the cat as there's less garbage to filter out… garbage that you end up smelling in the litter box
94% “natural”.. what.. is the “unnatural” meat?
@haemolysis: No idea, I'm guessing soy products or such?
Note that it's 94% of the 38% of "meat and animal derivatives". So basically ~30% offal and other byproducts and the rest is filler junk.
My cat smells neutral when she eats the Royal Canin dry food. I've grabbed supermarket brands when I've run out and she gets stinky when she eats those.
As others have said, it’s the food you are feeding your cat. We use advance cat food, but it in bulk so don’t have to think about buying it regularly (20kg)bag for two cats. No smells, they are makes and have never had anal gland issues. How old is your cat? Kitten or older?
If a good change doesn’t help, then definitely see a vet
Hi
my cat's breath smells like cat food
— Ralph Wiggum
I would recommend taking your cat to the vet to get checked out, it is not normal for a cat to smell bad like that.
Unless they are sick or really old, cats tend to clean themselves quite well.
Unless taught as a kitten, most cats do not like baths.
If you really do need to bathe your cat, maybe try wiping him down with a warm wet cloth.
If it smells bad or has got into something it can't clean off by itself then yes, bath time (a specific type of cat bath).
If the smell doesn't go then please go to the vet, healthy cats shouldn't have a smell
Anyway, does anyone here not wash their cats?
only the people who like cat saliva and toxoplasmosis. all hale our feline overlords
If you decide to go down the path of washing your cat in the shower please have a tripod and camera prepared to film the event.
No matter the outcome, it should bring in the views that could pay for your medical bills and the cats vet bill 😂
Pervert
I don’t imagine most people washing their pets would do so in the nude and film it for the sexual gratification of the masses. (Can’t imagine thats a popular market)
But anyone stupid enough to try washing a cat in a shower will get their face clawed and with it on film be able to become a YouTube viral video.
Can’t believe i had to explain that…
No, but I hose the neighbours cats down on a regular basis when they come in my yard.
You're 1.5hrs too late in making that joke!
It’s not a joke. It’s a statement.
regular basis when they come in my yard.
Doesn't seem to work, if they keep coming back?
Different cats. I live in an area with a fairly high transient population (airforce and mining), so there are always new neighbours and new cats. Always a steady flow of new cats to hose.
Don’t have a cat so probably not qualified to speak. I have house sat for an extended period with cats. I do think cats have a subtle smell which I don’t really like. I suspect it’s not just unhealthy cats. I don’t know if I’d wash a cat though - sounds dangerous to me.
Cats seem to absorb the smell of the owners perfumes/colognes. They have a kind of pleasant powdery smell.
The current cat I have didn’t smell too good and it was because there were ulcers on her tongue caused by a food allergy and they had become infected. Licking the fur made it smell bad.
Since treating it with Prednisone from the vet, the ulcers clear up.
I read "Do you wash your car?". For the record, no. And I don't have a cat 🚫😺
Maybe the cat is inheriting the smell from your carpet.
Have you tried washing your carpet in the shower?
Carpets wash themselves. If it smells it might have another issue such as a fiber condition, poor rubber, bad nylon.
I tried it once. Wouldn't recommend.
Take your carpet to the vet
Occasionally we take our cat for a shave - lion cut (every couple of years). Mostly cos she hates brushing so while we get brave after a year or so she will have rubbed some tree sap into a mat.
i was also going to suggest giving the puss a shave. I know in hotter climates they do this but i believe cats are meant to lick themselves for some reason
As an aside. If your cat smells and your carpet smells…… So do you
Ewwww. That brings back the PTSD of dealing with crazy cat ladies and that unforgettable cat lady stink.
I do regularly change my bedsheets and I don't sleep on the carpets
Yeah….. That's not how it works.
People who have smelly dogs that don't sleep in their bed still smell like dog.
In any case a cat that smells isn't a good thing, they should be self grooming. Could be something wrong with it. Off to the vet
My kitty is self cleaning
If you decide to hop in the shower with him to shower him. Have fun at hospital
:D you might want to conceal the family vegetables
I only wash them if they accidentally step in their own poop, or if the poop gets stuck on their hair (only happened a couple times).
I think it's actually easier to wash them in the shower, assuming you have a detachable showerhead and you have a shower door (not a curtain or they probably will bolt)
If you do it, make sure you use a pet shampoo or a baby shampoo (I use j&j).
Also go slow, make sure the water is lukewarm AND don't wet their heads (they will not like that).
Towel dry, put them somewhere warm, and then give them a treat.
Usually though, I think cats smell like the house they live in. Assuming the cat is healthy, maybe get your carpets clean as well otherwise you might get stuck in a bad smell cycle.
So the heading asks "do you wash your cat?" I suppose everyone who answered the poll noticed it asks the negative, "does anyone here not wash their cat?"
Its questions like this that remind me how old I am. You might find this hard to believe, but nobody used to wash their cats. Not unless they were show cats.
I was unable to decide if the poll was related to the title or the question in the body text so just didn't answer.
I guess that not having a cat also made it easier to not answer too.
YES! How can you post a poll where the title and body completely contradict one another!?
It means that the OP can interpret the poll results to mean whatever they want to support their own opinion.
Rarely, though just today in fact. He's almost 2 and has had about 4 baths total. Today he'd stepped in poop and had crud in his head hair.
I wouldn't make it out alive if I tried it in the shower though, I use the laundry sink.
I wash our cat about 4 or so times a year but mainly because he's a white Ragdoll and starts to look grubby if not washed.
Cats should be banned in Australia, then they wont stink
You can buy cat perfume from most pet stores
I could just spray him with Glen 20?
It's probably the carpet that stinks and when the cat sits on the carpet, the smell gets into cat fur
If I wash the cat and carpets then nothing should smell.
Any cat in my yard gets a free shower, courtesy of the garden hose.