My Persian cat hates baths, shivers, and pees. Is this normal?

Hello, I would not consider it abuse to bathe an animal, even though they may dislike it. If Strawberry is so stressed by being bathed that you feel the need to use excessive physical force to restrain her, I would recommend talking to your vet about getting her a prescription for anti-anxiety medication to give her prior to future baths. Gabapentin is a drug commonly used for stressful situations like this. If she is just sad about being bathed, then that is completely normal as cats typically dislike water. Like most pets, they will occasionally get dirty and need to be cleaned, so it is a necessary (though not fun) part of cat ownership. Using treats, like special canned food, tuna, catnip, or toys to reward her after baths may help her cope with stress as well. If she is more smelly than dirty, a foaming waterless bath spray may help to extend the time between full water baths. I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

It could be that Mennu doesn't like baths, and she's shaking afterwards due to fear or cold. Baths can be stressful, and that can lead her to be lethargic. I'd avoid bathing her unless absolutely necessary. Best of luck.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Penguin! His symptoms are strange and possibly indicate pain. My biggest concern would be if he is having trouble urinating. Check his litter box and see if there is urine present. If there is no urine (and that is unusual) or if there are small drips of urine then I would take him to the Vet. If he gets up follow him to see what he does. Check the house for vomit and be sure he is eating. Any excessive grooming of his penis may also indicate a urinary problem. I hope this helps and keep up posted!

Poor Nato! It's possible the bath scared him to the point of urinating on himself (which can happen), however if he's suddenly having a behavior change and doesn't want to be handled, or has started urinating on the bed it could indicate an underlying issue such as pain or even a urinary tract infection. It would be best to have him checked out by your vet and a sample of urine tested to look for possible causes such as this. If he checks out healthy, keeping him out of the room he urinates in, using an enzymatic cleaner to completely remove any accidents, and letting him approach you rather than you try to pick him up may help him relax some. Pheromone collars and diffusers can also help reduce stress and anxiety in cats and may reduce aggressive behavior and inappropriate urination as well.

I generally do not recommend bathing cats at all, if you have some dirt spot issues you can use baby wipes with a tiny amount of peroxide, it will almost always do the job. The shampoo itself is safe, but again, if you ask me- don't do it. and it you chose to do it, definitely do not do it regularly.

Well, it's highly unusually that cats will enjoy a bath. At 4 years old, he's now social mature and would be more comfortable telling you to go away if you're doing something offensive. It's possible he's never really love the bathes but is just now letting you know (like a child in their 20s is going to interact differently with their parents than a 5 year old). The other possibly is that he has pain somewhere that is causing him to suddenly dislike the baths. It can be tricky to find pain in cats, even in the vet clinic, because they are just generally grumpy to be there and don't always get MORE grumpy if we find the spot that hurts. Still, starting with a vet visit is probably the best idea. If his exam is normal, I'd recommend stopping bathing him, he doesn't need it and can clean himself and see if your normal bond returns. He may like being brushed instead, or just sitting next to you. In terms of breed, I would call him a domestic short hair (DSH for short). :) I hope that helps! Your bond isn't going away, but your relationship may be evolving.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Bathing should not cause inability to walk unless you used a product that is toxic (which can be easily accidently done when using a flea shampoo in cats), or if your Paro inhaled some water. I would suggest just being very gentle with the water, and not spraying any water directly on the face. Use a non-medicated shampoo. Best of luck with Paro.