When To Bathe A Cat After Giving Birth ? Here's The Answer !
When the mother cat has just given birth, the mother cat's body will be dirty and smelly. Her hair, which was once beautiful and well-groomed, is now dull, dirty and smells bad. Dirty and the smell of this cat's body is due to the amniotic fluid and blood that hit his body during childbirth.
Seeing the condition of our cat today, of course, many of us want to bathe our beloved fur friend. But we give up our intention because we do not know whether it is okay to bathe a cat after she has just given birth.
And also we feel that the condition of our cat is still very weak so it is much better for the mother cat to rest first. After the cat looks healthy and energetic then our desire to bathe the mother cat appears again.
In order not to be mistaken, of course, we will find out first whether a new cat giving birth can be bathed and when is the right time to bathe it and then think about what actions we should take. Now for those of you who are curious and want to know the answer, Good Readers can read to the end of Angora's explanation below to find out.
Can A Cat Be Bathed After Giving Birth ?
Is it okay to bathe a cat after giving birth? The answer may be on the condition that we have to bathe it at the right time. How about a cat who has just given birth, can we bathe him shortly after he has just given birth.
The answer is no. No matter how dirty and smelly the mother cat is after she gives birth, she should not be bathed right away. It's best to let the cat recover first. And let him enjoy his precious time with his beloved new born child.
There are 3 reasons why cats should not be bathed immediately after giving birth. These reasons include :
1. Physical And Weak Cat Body Endurance
Cats that have just given birth have a very weak physical body condition. In addition, the cat's immune system also weakens. Forcing the cat to bathe in this condition will only make the cat fall ill ( fever, flu and the like ).
2. Hormones In The Cat's Body Are Not Yet Stable
Another reason is that the hormonal conditions in the cat's body that have just given birth have not been stable. Bathing a cat with its condition instead of making it healthy and clean will only make the cat fall sick and get even more neglected.
3. Cats Don't Like Water
Cats are animals that are often described as animals that really hate water. When a cat is about to be bathed, most cats will struggle and fight so that their owners find it difficult to bathe them. This also applies to cats who have just given birth.
Even though he is physically weak and he has lost a lot of energy from having just given birth, the cat will still struggle when he is about to be bathed. This can make the cat weaker and worsen its health. There are cases where cats who run out of energy when they have just given birth have died.
That's why when a cat has just given birth it shouldn't just be bathed right away. We must be patient and wait for the right time to bathe him. Some of the reasons above may make us realize that we should not bathe a cat that has just given birth.
Undoing our intention to bathe the cat is the best choice for now and patiently waiting for the right time to bathe the cat.
Then When Cats Cat Be Bathed After Giving Birth ?
You can bathe the cat when it has fully recovered. Usually this will take about 3 to 4 weeks. At this time you can bathe your cat so that his body is clean and fragrant again. Maybe you think a month is a long time and letting the cat continue like this is not a good thing.
While this isn't a "kind of good" thing, it's the best thing for cats. This also doesn't make the cat experience health problems if the body is left like that because the cat can clean itself by licking its own body. Although this is not as clean as bathing with a special cat shampoo, it is still good for cats.
So, for now being patient is the best action we can take considering the condition of our cat and for the health of the mother cat and the good growth of the kittens that have become part of our family.
What About Newborn Kittens, Can We Bathe It ?
Just like a mother cat that has just given birth, a kitten that has just been born should not be bathed. This is because the condition of the kitten is still weak and does not yet have an immune system. They still need breast milk to complement their immune system.
In addition, the kitten must have a temperature that is maintained, which should not be below 27 degrees Celsius. If below that temperature, the kitten is prone to death due to hypothermia problems. So, don't bathe your kitten if it's not fully grown.
Wait for the kitten to reach the age of 2 months and then after that you can bathe the kitten. When the cat is over 2 months old, the cat's physical body and immune system are strong. At this age, the cat's cartilage is strong and the cat is not prone to death because he is able to control his body temperature.
Even though the body and its immunity are strong enough and able to properly control its body temperature, we must bathe the cat in the right way.
The correct way includes :
Choosing the right time to bathe the cat
Use slightly warm water
Using cat shampoo products
Gently bathing the cat
Drying the cat's body until it's completely dry
What Should We Do With Our Cat Who Just Gave Birth ?
Instead of thinking about bathing our beloved cat who has just given birth, it is better for us to think about what care we should do to our beloved cat who has just given birth.
What we can do include :
1. Cleaning The Mother Cat's Body
The body of a cat that has just given birth is definitely dirty and smelly but we can't bathe a cat considering its weak condition because it has just given birth. Even if you can't bathe a cat, you can use other methods.
The trick is to clean the cat's body using a clean cloth previously moistened with warm water. Oh yes, the cloth used is not too wet. Clean the cat's body that you feel is dirty and smelly with the cloth. To clean your cat's body, you don't need to lift it, just wipe its body with its lying position.
This way you can clean the cat's body a little without making the cat move or struggle. Can this method also be done for kittens? It's best not to use this method for kittens because there is a possibility that the kitten's smell will change so that the mother cat can't recognize her kitten and makes her not want to nurse and care for her.
2. Move Mother And Kitten To A Clean Place
The place where a cat that has just given birth is usually smelly and dirty. This is due to the presence of fluids such as amniotic fluid and spilled blood. These two things have made the place dirty plus the smell that comes out of these two things makes it even more dirty and smelly.
Move the mother cat and her kittens to a safer place where there are no cats or other animals around and out of reach of children. Also make sure the place is not only safe but also clean and comfortable for the mother cat to live with her kittens.
3. If The Mother Cat Doesn't Want To Move, Then Let Her Stay There
There are many cases where the mother cat does not want to move from the place where she gave birth to her kittens. If we move the child to another place, the mother will carry the child using her mouth to return to its original place.
If this happens to our beloved cats then the solution is simply to let them stay there. It's just that we need to first clean the place of liquid, blood and strong odors. Then we provide a clean cloth base as a cat bed and to help the kitten's body stay warm.
4. Providing All His Needs Nearby
Mother cats who have just given birth have an overprotective attitude and are always aware of their surroundings. This causes the mother cat to always worry if she leaves her kittens unattended for too long.
This makes it difficult for the mother cat to eat and drink in peace. That's why we should provide all the food and drink right near the child. Also place the litter box near or in front of where the cat and its mother live.
This way you can allow your cat to eat and drink in peace so that he can focus more on caring for his kittens.
5. Provide Nutritious Food
The food we give to cats must be healthy and nutritious food. In addition, it can restore the energy and condition of the mother cat that has given birth. This food can also ensure that the cat stays healthy, happy and full.
6. Conduct A Health Check
Just like humans, cats also need to undergo medical tests after giving birth. This we must do to prevent cats from diseases that are common in cats who have just given birth. These diseases such as mastitis, endometritis and hypocalcemia.
7. Take The Cat To The Vet
When we feel that something is wrong with the mother cat and her kittens, we should immediately take the cat to the nearest veterinarian for examination and immediate treatment. Early detection of health problems will make the disease easier to treat.
That's a discussion about whether a mother cat can be bathed after giving birth and when is the right time to bathe her. Hopefully this article can help you get a satisfactory answer.
