Today it happened -- Kiki's bath.I moved her litter box, swept that corner, and put down a folded towel for my knees. I pulled aside the shower curtain, doing everything early in the day in order to prepare myself psychologically.
This evening, when Kiki came to tell me it was supper time, I was ready. Going into the bathroom on our way to the kitchen, I started running water. To move her toward me, I popped the cat food can and let her smell the food.
Then I picked her up -- without much struggle, even when she saw where we were going. She did panic when she got wet, but not as much as usual. I think she wanted to be clean, but was frightened by the slippery tub. I hugged her while cleaning her with the other hand, and she buried her face against my shoulder. In her wiggling, she turned so that her back was under the running water, but she didn't move away from it. Maybe it felt nice and warm?
She kind of jumped out of the tub when I released her at the end, and I caught her with "her" raggedy towel. Drying off seemed almost worse to her than being in the water. When I let her go, she plopped down in the living room and went to work licking herself dry.
I said, "Treats?" And she forgot all about getting dry. When I put down her supper, she ate before going back to the job of drying herself. I caught her again in the towel, which didn't make her too happy, but neither was she too upset as I rubbed her off a bit more. When I scratched her (damp) back, she sat there and purred.
She's clean now.
Oh, the picture? No, of course that's not Kiki. How many hands do you think I have, anyway? But maybe I will try the sink next time.
haha, that's a great picture! I hate animals and baths. I have had horrible times with that whole process!
ReplyDeleteToday's bath was the easiest one I've ever given Kiki. As an outdoor cat now having to stay inside, she has gained weight -- from lack of exercise, in other words. Being fat makes it hard to reach all of herself with her tongue. I think she wanted to be cleaned up. Really.
ReplyDeleteHere's a photo of her:
http://bonniesbooks.blogspot.com/2008/12/im-moving.html
You, my dear, are braver than I am! I don't think I'd ever want to try and bathe my cats.
ReplyDeleteGlad it went relatively trouble free for you!
cjh
Margreet said (on Facebook):
ReplyDelete"Great story, Bonnie. I don't think I would be able to pull that one off with one of our cats. I'd need a blood transfusion before we were done."
Great story, Bonnie. The sink IS easier for bathing a cat. Mine actually seems to like to take a bath. In the very least, she does not seem to dislike it in any way.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you and Kiki came through the bath unscathed, Bonnie! I've never had the pleasure of bathing a cat, but I've certainly endured many a canine bathing which have usually resulted in my getting as wet as my dog.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I like your new header. Of course, I liked the old one, too. How did you do this one?
ReplyDeleteKatt, Kiki is overweight and I'm not sure the sink would be big enough. That's why I used the bathtub.
ReplyDeleteBeth, I put on old clothes, expecting to be drenched, but I didn't even have to change.
As for the picture in my header, it's from a fun site that I've put on my sidebar under "Links to interesting sites." Click on "Picture yourself this way," and you'll find all sorts of possibilities. I used the photo of myself reading a book -- and acting like I'd found something interesting in it. And this is the "art" it generated.
Success!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations. :)
Emily said (on Facebook, September 17, 2009): "How nice of Kiki to allow you to survive the ordeal, too. I am glad you were able to do this. Cleanliness is nice..."
ReplyDelete