Cats Bathing

Question
I don't have any mats of hair, I do brush them. I have been asking for some one around here to help but ever one is to busses. That is why I am trying to find away to do this alone. one cat plays a little with water. They all have had baths it just not often enough. are there mussel for cats? Maybe if I get the claws cut with a mussel I and some kind of arm protestor I can do this. I just wish I could do it with out them fighting it so much. It takes for ever for scraches to heal. Thanks Sharon
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-----Question-----
We have 4 wonderful cats, 3 of them are young 1-2 years old. One is very old this is the only one we let out side she is an inside and out side cat. I keep finding my cat laying in the yard dead and no signs of any problems. I think some one around here has poison out so when I got new cats I made them inside cats. I have very thin skin and just a bump can make me bleed. Now I want to cut there nails but they tare me up. They all so need bathes because of all the hair. Brushing does not seam to help much. So the question is there a trick to grooming cats? Would cat nip calm them down or is there a behavior that I need to teach them ??????? Please any suggestion is appreciated.
I have wraped themin a towel to cut their nails but they fight so much I can not hold them still while I cut.

Thanks again Sharon
-----Answer-----
Sharon,

Can you get someone to help you out?  Cats have to have nail clipping and bathing and combing (not brushing) done starting as small kittens so they will tolerate it.

If you had some help with someone else holding the cat and you clipping the nails, this may work. You can even look at a local vet tech.  They get paid so little, one may be willing to help you out for not much money.

Combing every day will help keep the knots and mats out.  Make it into a fun thing for the cat with extra affection and treats (cats often really like meat babyfood or pouch tuna and the like).  If the cat is knotted, brushing is ineffective and combing will pull and be uncomfortable for the cat.  Cats do not mind small knots being combed out, but large knots and mats are problematic.  If the mats are particularly, bad, it may make sense to clip the cat down (local grooming parlors or your vet can usually do this) and start over, making sure the cat is combed at least once a week for semi-longhairs (like Maine Coons) and daily for longhairs (like Persians).

Cat nip will not help.  If the mats are bad enough, you may have to have the vet anaesthetize the cat and then clip.

If the claws are clipped, bathing may still be a bit of a tussle.  We like to use a utility sink outfitted with a kitchen faucet and sprayer.  We have all the shampoos ready and rinse thoroughly between each shampooing. We like to use Groomer's Goop to start and rinse, rinse, rinse, followed by Suave clarifying shampoo and rinse, rinse, rinse, followed by a color enhancing shampoo (Tomlyn makes some good ones for cats) and rinse, rinse, rinse, followed by a conditioning shampoo for fine hair and rinse. rinse, rinse.  You can blow dry or use a Holmes heater to help them dry off.

I know that this is a lot, but if you can get someone to help you, much of this is doable without getting yourself torn up.

Best regards... Norm.  

Answer
Sharon,

Yes, I have seen muzzles for cats, but I do not how effective they are.  If you have a pet supermarket, you may see what they have available.  You can also check out the Fosters & Smith

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Shop.cfm?N=2002

and Revival

http://www.revivalanimal.com/Default.asp?bhcd2=1172582131

web sites.  These are pet supplies catalogue shopping emporiums.

One trick to bathing may be to fill a large container full of water to start and get your cat by its four feet and tail and swish it in the water to begin with and then put it in a sink and soap it up.  You can then use the large basin full of water to try to rinse the soap out.

To dry, you can get a wire dog crate and put the cat in the dog crate and blow dry them there.  I prefer a high velocity low heat hair dryer for cats (like the Metro Air Commander).

You can also where rubber kitchen gloves and heavy denim clothes to help keep you from getting ripped up.

Very often bathing cats is a contact sport.  If they are not used to it as kittens, they will put up a fuss.  If your coats are not matting, you may want to bath them about once a quarter, especially now that shedding season appears to be upon us (in North America).  

The shampoo I would use is Suave Clarifying or Pantene Clarifying.

Good luck and best regards... Norm.