My new kitten smells bad. How do I get rid of the shelter smell?

If you don’t think they will let you bathe them, than I would recommend a few things. Use a warm wet wash cloth to wipe them down a few times Today. Also, next time you are running errands stop by a Pet supply store and purchase some of the dry shampoo. This can be really helpful. If these cats are males and have recently been neutered then the odor may take a few weeks to resolve as the hormones fade. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! That is not normal. She just may need a bath. You could do that just make sure to warm her up very well afterwards. That is likely going to help. Good luck and have a great day!

The bad smell should be investigated by a veterinarian as soon as possoible. It is not normal for a cat to have such a bad odor and it could indicate some kind of infection somewhere to cause it. As far as the rough play is concerned, keep in mind a kitten's life is all about play, and play is all about prey. Every race down the hallway, every pounce from behind a door, every swat and nip is a display of a kitten's hunting skills, instincts that are just as strong in today’s housecat as they were in her ancestors thousands of years ago. To a kitten, everything in the house is potential prey, including you. A kitten's first playmates are his mother and littermates, and from them he learns how to inhibit his bite. A kitten separated from his family too soon may not have learned that lesson and doesn't know when to stop. Also, if people use their hands and/or feet instead of toys to play, the kitten may learn that rough play is okay. In most cases, it's not too difficult to teach your kitten or young adult cat that rough play isn't acceptable. Don't let your kitten play with your hands or feet (or any other body part). Use a toy when playing with her. Drag a toy, preferably a fishing pole-type toy that keeps your hands from kitty’s mouth and claws, along the floor to encourage your kitten to pounce on it, or throw a toy for her to chase. Some kittens will even bring the toy back to be thrown again. Give your kitten something to wrestle with, like a soft stuffed animal about her size, so she can grab it, bite it, and kick it with her back feet. This is one of the ways kittens play with each other, especially when they're young. It's also one of the ways they try to play with human feet and hands, so it's important to provide this type of alternative play target. Encourage play with a "wrestling toy" by rubbing it against your kitten's belly when she wants to play roughly—and be sure to get your hand out of the way as soon as she accepts the toy. Don't hit or yell at your kitten when she nips or pounces. This will only make her fearful of you and she may start to avoid you. The idea is to train her, not punish her. Equip yourself with the right training tools: toys, toys, toys, and a water pistol.

Hello. It is very difficult to say how well the momma cat will accept the kitten. It is not necessarily a time issue, more the presence of strange & unusual scents the kitten will return with. What I would do is introduce the kitten back to mom after it has had a few hours at home & with its siblings. Rub the new kitten & the siblings alternating between everyone & hopefully familiar odors will be imparted to the returning kitten while diluting anything strange brought home. I do not think I would bathe anyone since this is just stressful. Maternal behavior is very strong so hopefully the family will just settle in together. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

You can give her a bath at any time! A soothing shampoo with aloe or oatmeal can help keep her skin from becoming too dry. If she doesn't like the bath, you can also use pet or baby wipes to wipe down any very dirty areas, or even a wet washcloth with a little waterless shampoo sprayed onto it.

Hello, its likely that your kitten has an of smell from the hospital. You can wipe him down with non-scented baby wipes to remove the smell from the hospital. And wrap him in blankets or towels that are used by your other cats so that he may regain his natural scent. Once he has fully healed from his surgery you may also bathe him to rid of the smells. Hope this helps and best of luck.

You can try bathing the area with kitten shampoo, but be very careful not to get the shampoo near the eyes. This could be some staining of the fur which will eventually go away as the fur grows, and if it isn't bothering your kitten and the skin appears normal then I would not worry too much about the discoloration.