Is it possible to wash a pregnant cat: how to wash a cat, dry wash product

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Cat owners sometimes wonder whether it is possible to bathe a pregnant cat at home. In principle, pregnant cats can lick their fur with their own tongue, thereby replacing your decision to wash it. Considering this and the fact that the sebaceous glands of cats secrete useful and necessary substances, there is no need to wash your beauties of any breed, for example, the Sphynx, too often.

There is no exact answer to this question, but the decision to bathe a pregnant animal does not have any negative consequences.

The nuances of this procedure:

It is necessary to wash a pregnant cat only if there is a danger of harmful substances entering her body during washing.
wash it very carefully, as any damage can have a detrimental effect on it;
To prevent small particles of the detergent from getting inside the body during bathing, you should sometimes replace the cat shampoo with dry scrubs prepared at home. For the base of such scrubs they use oatmeal, starch and powder for small children. Remember that chemicals can ruin a mother's lactation after childbirth.

Why is bathing necessary at all?

Bathing is not an easy task, washing the paws after a walk outside, or when they become heavily clogged.

The process involves completely immersing the cat in water, and this is done in the following cases:

for prevention;
if there are fleas;
a thick layer of dirt has formed on the fur.

Long-haired pets should be bathed more often, exclusively before exhibition days. Owners often ask whether it is allowed to bathe a pregnant cat?

There is no clear answer to this question. In general, pregnancy has no contraindications to swimming.

But, it is necessary to take into account a number of nuances:

It is recommended to wash cats indoors only if there is a threat of some harmful or toxic substances entering its stomach;
Even the tiniest trauma can affect children, and their psyche in particular;
To ensure that any remaining shampoo that enters the animal’s digestive system does not harm future babies, it is often possible to replace ordinary cat shampoo with homemade dry scrubs. They are based on oatmeal, starch and baby powder. Chemistry can ruin subsequent lactation after birth.

When deciding whether it is permissible to bathe a pregnant cat in water without violence, keep in mind that the result will be as follows: it is still better to shift attention to other methods of care. Let's say your pet needs to be taken to the veterinarian periodically.

He must examine her for the presence of worms, which can harm babies. You also need to make sure there are no fleas. If they are, then ask about a non-hazardous way to get rid of them.

A proper diet and the presence of fresh water are of great importance for health. The cat's litter box must be clean, and consistently. However, if for significant reasons bathing is irreversible, it is necessary to do everything possible to ensure that this process goes smoothly and painlessly.

How to choose shampoo for a cat

Due to the different acid-base balance between humans and animals, there is no need to use soap products that people use. This can injure their skin and damage their fur.

The following cat shampoos are used:

Liquid. They contain a high flushing efficiency. They are available for various purposes, they wash away dirt perfectly, and the wool becomes nice to the touch. In all likelihood, it is worth using the imported, more precious, option. But domestic shampoos are not much inferior in quality. It is impossible to use all of them more often than 3 times a year, as this disrupts the sebum balance;
Dry ones are an easy solution when your pet has a panic attack about water. The difficulty of using them is that some animals do not allow detergent to be combed out of their wool. This procedure is especially difficult for long-haired cats. Remember that a good shampoo contains substances that have an effect similar to a balm that makes combing easier. It is also canceled in that it is suitable for frequent use, it is safely allowed to wash a cat’s hair, and it is suitable for bathing before exhibitions;
Sprays. They have the same functionality as dry shampoos, but are more comfortable to use. In addition, they have a perfume scent and antistatic protection.

How to prepare for the washing procedure

When preparing for a swim, consider the following points:

With the use of dry shampoo, one that resembles powder in consistency, there will be no problems other than combing;
The cat may be frightened by the sound that accompanies the use of the spray. If this is the case, then it’s better not to torture her;
Regular washing is invariably stressful for a pet, so it is necessary to carefully prepare for it;
The cat is not fed 4 hours before the bathing process;
The risk of injury when swimming in water increases.

Before taking a bath, you should check the temperature. Meowing pets quickly become hypothermic and, accordingly, catch a cold. The room temperature should be above +22°, and the water should be strictly heated. You can check how convenient it will be to wash by putting your elbow in a basin. It is necessary to achieve such a result that when testing with your elbow, the water is not felt (which is traditionally monitored at its temperature of 36.6°). In order to protect their pet from colds, owners must avoid drafts in the house.

A cat is an extremely prudent and emotional animal. Consequently, she can figure out in advance what awaits her ahead. In order to somehow fool you, you shouldn’t open water or a tube of shampoo when you have a pet. She is most frightened not of water, but of the noise that it makes when it flows from a tap or splashes in a container.

You need to prepare one basin for bathing, the second for rinsing. But it’s cooler to bathe everyone in the bathtub, and then the cat won’t be able to cling to the sides with its claws. This tendency to break free will interfere with thorough washing.

And one more thing: water should be collected along the tier of the pet’s abdomen.

After you go into the bathroom, it is impossible to throw the animal directly into a container of water. It’s best to pet and comfort him, and then carefully set him down. After this, wet the wool and hold it firmly in your hands. Bathing should proceed without sudden movements and screams, which can frighten even more. Cat shampoo foams easily and takes a long time to rinse off. Therefore, it must be applied in small quantities in order to avoid unnecessary inconvenience.

And the cat should not be poisoned by the remnants of the shampoo, because after bathing it itself will try to lick the fur using the best method. It is also important to ensure that water does not get into your ears. This unpleasant moment can lead to a lot of health complications associated with inflammatory processes and diseases of the auditory system.

The final chord of each epic will be drying. The pet is wrapped in a towel and the wet fur is blotted. If he doesn’t mind the sound of a hair dryer, he can speed up the drying process. Never allow an animal to shiver from the cold.

In theory, this is all that is needed to redeem your meowing happiness three times a year. Remember that the cat’s psychological state may be disrupted after bathing. But, after a couple of hours, there will be no trace of stress left, and she will trust you again.

A pregnant cat does not need special care. But there are some nuances that owners should be aware of. Her diet should change a little, and it is better to avoid physical activity and high jumps, especially in the last stages.

How to recognize pregnancy

The gestation period for almost all cat breeds is about 9 weeks. However, this period may be longer or shorter by approximately 7 days. And that's quite normal. During the first few weeks of pregnancy, your cat begins to eat less. Sometimes this condition is accompanied by short-term vomiting and apathy of the animal. After about a month, the cat's nipples turn pink. After a month and a half, embryos are already palpable.

To do this, you need to very gently press on the abdominal cavity. At 6 weeks, the cat's abdomen rapidly increases in size, and the embryos can no longer be palpated individually. Only after 7 weeks can you feel the kittens. Cats at this time begin to behave very restlessly and look for a place to give birth.

Character and education of sphinxes

Another frequently asked question is how to train a Sphynx to use a litter box. This breed of cat has an intelligence above the average cat level. They quickly understand what the owner wants from them. It is enough to show the kitten once where to do its business, the kitten will go here in the future.

These animals also get along well with other cats; they are not prone to conflict. If such situations arise, the cat will prefer to simply tactfully step aside, taking a neutral position. They behave well with children, but do not like excessive squeezing and other children's pranks. They will also rather hide from them than become aggressive towards them by biting or scratching them. This is extremely rare for such cats.

Feeding a cat during pregnancy

In the first month of pregnancy, the cat’s diet does not need to change much. But it wouldn’t hurt to add foods high in calcium, protein and vitamins to your diet. For this you can use special feed. After a month, you can introduce food rich in protein into your pet’s diet.

In the middle of pregnancy, veterinarians recommend starting to feed the animal more often than usual. But there is no need to increase the portions. The cat must not be allowed to gain much weight, otherwise the kittens will be large and the birth will be very difficult. Cats usually lose their appetite a few weeks before giving birth, so there is no need to be alarmed.

If the cat is fed only natural products, the majority of its diet during pregnancy should be meat. And it should only be boiled. In addition, the cat needs fish, boiled eggs, cereals, dairy products and vegetables. In this case, it is necessary to add special supplements containing vitamins and minerals to the diet.

Your cat also needs to drink a lot, so she should always have access to clean, fresh water. You can give your cat a special decoction of raspberry leaves, which is prepared as follows - 1 tsp. leaves are poured with a glass of boiled water. Just before giving birth, the animal can be given nettle leaves. They are poured with boiling water and fed to the cat after cooling. This helps the milk flow.

During pregnancy, it is better not to disturb the cat too much, giving her the right to choose where and when to sleep, etc. If the animal is too active, you need to slightly limit its movements so that it does not harm itself and the kittens. This is especially true on high surfaces, as cats tend to be very clumsy due to their size. It is also important to limit contact between a pregnant cat and small children. In this state, animals can react aggressively to games, tail twitching, etc.

You should also not allow other cats near a pregnant cat, and in general it is better to keep her at home during this time. Otherwise, she may get into a fight, and street cats can easily infect her pet with dangerous distemper. When a cat is pregnant, she really needs various manifestations of love from her owners. Therefore, it is necessary to pet her as often as possible. Moreover, cats often change their mood during this period. And young cats do not always understand their condition and can become very nervous.

It is also necessary to take care of the pet's cleanliness. But bathing a cat, especially with shampoo or soap, is not recommended. It is best to brush it thoroughly with a brush. And if you cannot do without bathing, then it is better to consult a veterinarian about this. And choose a detergent that is safe for animals.

You definitely need to find a place so that the cat can safely give birth to kittens. A shallow box is suitable for this purpose. You need to put something soft inside, for example, an old blanket. The box will need to be placed in a quiet, secluded place where the animal will feel safe. There should be no drafts. It is better not to touch the cat during childbirth, but you can be nearby so that it can see its owners. Typically, an animal produces from 3 to 6–7 kittens from one litter.

Description of breed standards

If a cat's body is not covered with hair, this does not mean that he is a representative of the Canadian Sphynx. Even the smallest deviation from official standards turns the animal into an ordinary hairless cat. Features of the appearance of the Canadian Sphynxes are as follows:

The size of the pet is small. As a rule, they weigh no more than 6 kg. Females are somewhat smaller than males. Their weight is about 4 kg.
Animals are distinguished by a muscular and strong physique, but at the same time they have soft and smooth body contours. They captivate with their grace and elegance. Sphynxes have a round belly that resembles a ball.
The chest is quite wide, which is why the pet’s paws are always widely spaced. The limbs are medium in size, thin and strong with long fingers, on which sparse fluff may remain. The hind legs are longer than the front legs, which makes the gait special.
The head is wedge-shaped, medium in size, with prominent cheekbones.
The bridge of the nose is wide, the nose is small, slightly covered with short hair.
The ears are set far apart and may droop. They are large with a wide base and rounded ends without brushes.
The eyes are large, deep and very expressive, shaped like a lemon. Color may vary. Usually it harmonizes with the color of the animal, but most often the bright green shade predominates.
The tail is long, sometimes with a tassel at the end. Animals most often roll it up and press it to their body.
Mustaches are practically absent, but their presence is allowed.
The nose, the area behind the ears and the tip of the tail are the only places that may be covered with short hair or fluff. Canadians' skin is quite soft and velvety.
The color can be absolutely anything: monochromatic or in various combinations. Black, purple, silver, white and other shades are allowed. Due to their susceptibility to pigmentation, tri-colored individuals are often found.

One of the peculiar features of Sphynx cats is that they have interesting folds that do not straighten out even if the cat is pulled out to its full length. The presence of folds on the forehead, neck and limbs is considered mandatory.

Pet health

You cannot give the animal even the safest medications during this period. The only thing veterinarians allow are probiotics. Dangerous symptoms during cat pregnancy include high fever, bloody or purulent discharge, lethargy and exhaustion.

During pregnancy, your cat may go into heat. This usually occurs approximately 20 to 25 days after fertilization. During this period, the animal may begin to ask to see cats and behave inappropriately. Often such cats mate with male cats and can become pregnant again. These kittens are born several weeks apart. But there is a great danger that during the “first” birth a miscarriage may occur. Therefore, it is better not to allow this to happen.

Miscarriage can also happen due to poor nutrition, any injury, infection, hypothermia or overheating. If this happens, the cat needs to be taken to the vet immediately. In healthy cats, pregnancy and birth are easy. But the owners still need to carefully monitor the condition of their pet and help her in time. You can do an ultrasound on your cat to find out the number of kittens. It is also important to control the birth of the animal and prevent the cat from giving birth in hard-to-reach places.

It is normal for a cat to have a drop in temperature before giving birth. But its increase indicates that the inflammatory process has begun. And after giving birth, it is best to leave the cat with newborn kittens alone. It is necessary to place a tray and a bowl of food near the box so that the animal is not separated from the babies.

Is it possible to wash a cat in winter?

It is possible, but without fanaticism. It is better to exclude swimming in cold weather from a cat’s biography.

It is better to wait for warm days, because it is not so easy to completely dry a cat after water treatments. A poorly dried pet can easily catch a cold and feel unwell.

Finally, we invite you to watch a video with a perfectly calm Maine Coon in a bath cap. He's clearly got Zen!

Video: how to tell if a cat is pregnant

For caring owners this is often not enough. Our mailbox regularly receives letters with non-standard questions and descriptions of situations of concern to animal owners related to pregnancy in cats. In this regard, we decided to seek advice from high-level specialists. Today, the doctor of the Vega clinic, candidate of veterinary sciences, Alexander Dmitrievich Kablukov, answers the most popular questions about cat pregnancy.

— What tests are best done on a cat before mating?
— It is necessary to be tested for the presence of hidden infections: chlamydia, mycoplasmosis, ureaplasmosis.
A vaginal smear is taken and examined using the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) method. Is it possible to breed cats - brother and sister, father and daughter, son and mother? What are the consequences of inbreeding? - You can, if you want to get mutants. Inbreeding is prohibited for everyone. Such breeding significantly increases the likelihood of developing mutations and genetic abnormalities.

— How long after giving birth can a cat become pregnant again?
- 14 days after giving birth, cats go into heat and can become pregnant again.
— Can a cat get pregnant at 15 years old?
- Yes, but it’s bad for the cat and the offspring.
The birth will not be normal. — What threat to a cat’s health does early (at 7-8 months) and late (after 10 years) pregnancy pose?
— At 7–8 months this is not an early pregnancy.
She is early by the standards of human views, but by the standards of physiology this is a completely normal age. Late pregnancy can threaten the development of diseases of the mother and fetus. How to reliably determine whether a cat is pregnant? Are there any special pregnancy tests for cats? — There are no special tests. The only reliable diagnostic method is ultrasound examination (ultrasound). It is carried out starting from the 30th day of pregnancy of the cat.

— Can a pregnant cat ask for a cat?
- Usually no, this does not correspond to normal levels of hormones in the blood.
If this is the case, then the cat has a pathology. — How to distinguish a real pregnancy from a false one?
— False pregnancy is a neuropsychic disease of an animal in which, after a certain period after estrus, usually two months, the animal begins to show signs of pregnancy: lactation, withdrawal, certain toys appear, which the animal nurses as its own offspring.
This pathology is typical for dogs and does not occur in cats. Does a cat have to gain weight? Does it happen that a cat’s pregnancy is almost invisible? — Some cats do not change their constitution until their last days, and by appearance it can be difficult to distinguish a pregnant cat from a non-pregnant one.

— What does a pregnant cat’s diet consist of?
Will professional food be enough for her or should she be given vitamin supplements? Usually there is enough food, just increase the daily volume of the diet.
But using vitamin-mineral complexes during pregnancy will never be superfluous. — What to do if a pregnant cat sheds heavily or her whiskers break off?
— It is necessary to analyze the diet and include vitamins and minerals in it.
— Is it possible to bathe a pregnant cat?
- It is possible if the cat tolerated bathing well before.
— If a pregnant cat periodically mates with a male cat, how can this affect the kittens?
“Usually this does not happen and may indicate a pathology of the animal’s hormonal levels.
But in general, mating cannot harm the fruits. — If a pregnant cat ignores the litter box, what could this mean?
- This is not a serious sign, but this can happen, including with the development of inflammation in the bladder.
You need to check your urine. — Is it typical for a pregnant cat to refuse food?
— No, this may indicate the presence of some pathological changes: the appearance of pain, nausea, the development of inflammation, etc.
— Is it harmful for a pregnant cat to lie on a hot radiator all day?
- No.
— Can kittens be harmed if a pregnant cat lies on her stomach?
No.
— Can a pregnant cat make new unusual sounds?
- No, all sounds are normal.
Rather, it is a feature of the behavior of a particular individual. — Is it normal for a cat to become angry during pregnancy, constantly growling and hissing?
- No, this is not normal, but it can occur during pregnancy and childbirth.
In this case, the animal is not allowed for breeding and must be sterilized. — Is it possible to vaccinate a pregnant cat?
— It is not advisable to do this, since vaccination can cause the development of fetal diseases.
— How to rid a pregnant cat of fleas?
- It is best to treat for fleas before pregnancy, but if they are still present, it will be better to treat with mild preparations such as Frontline spray.
— What to do if a pregnant cat has worms?
— If this is detected, then it is necessary to treat the cat with mild preparations, for example, drontal for cats or dosalid.
— Is it a pathology if a pregnant cat has a larger belly on one side than the other?
- No, this may be due to the uneven location of the fetuses in the cavity of the uterine horns.
— What can cause bleeding in a pregnant cat?
- Either with the onset of the birth process, or with pathology of the uterus.
— What does discharge from a pregnant cat indicate?
- Most often this is due to an infection of the uterus or vagina.
— Are diarrhea and vomiting a dangerous symptom in a pregnant cat?
- Such symptoms usually indicate poisoning with something that requires appropriate treatment. — A pregnant cat sneezes often. What could it be? - This can be associated either with a cold or with the presence of diseases of the upper respiratory tract, more often with polyps of the nasal passages.
What to do if a pregnant cat falls from a height, but no changes in behavior are observed? How can you tell if kittens have been harmed? — It is necessary to conduct an ultrasound of the uterus to determine bleeding and fetal viability.

Does your pregnant cat have brown growths between the hairs on her chin? What is this and what causes it? - Most likely, this is acne - skin lesions associated with excess sebum production. This manifests itself with a decrease in immunity or with the development of certain metabolic diseases.

— Is it possible to sterilize a pregnant cat?
- This procedure will certainly cause a cessation of pregnancy and lead to a miscarriage. To terminate a pregnancy surgically, it is better to resort to amputation of the uterus or sterilization of the animal after birth.

There is no exact answer to this question, but the decision to bathe a pregnant animal does not have any negative consequences.

The nuances of this procedure

It is necessary to wash a pregnant cat only if there is a danger of harmful substances entering her body during washing.
wash it very carefully, as any damage can have a detrimental effect on it;
To prevent small particles of detergent from entering the body during bathing, you should sometimes replace cat shampoo with dry scrubs prepared at home. For the base of such scrubs they use oatmeal, starch and powder for small children. Remember that chemicals can ruin a mother's lactation after childbirth.

When thinking about whether it is worth carrying out such a process, look for information about other methods of care that will be more suitable for the lady. For example, you can simply take your animal to a professional veterinarian, who will examine her and clean her fur of fleas. At the same time, it will not harm the kitten, which is in the womb. Also, if you wish, you can consult a doctor about possible and safe ways to care for your animal.

To properly care for your pregnant pet, you need good food and fresh water. The toilet should be as clean as possible. If for some reason you cannot avoid washing, then try to do it as correctly as possible.

Types of cat shampoos you can use to wash your pet

In order to wash a pregnant cat with shampoo at home, choose the type that will not harm your star’s body. Below you can see examples of such products that you can use to wash your animal.

With liquid shampoos, washing will be easy and simple. If you have a chance to buy an imported product, take it, since the domestic product has proven itself a little worse in this regard. Such shampoos cannot be used more than 3 times a year.
Dry shampoos. They are used if animals are afraid of water, and you want to wash it. The problem with using such shampoos is that some violent animals simply do not allow the shampoo to be combed out of their fur. This is typical for long-haired cats. Dry shampoo may contain substances that make combing much easier.
Special shampoos. They are completely identical in their functions to dry shampoos, but are much more convenient to use. They also additionally have a pleasant scent that you can choose any day.

Safe cleaning products

When using water procedures for a pregnant pet, it is recommended to select those products that can have the least negative impact on the body. It is worth choosing these:

Liquid shampoos. It would be more correct to purchase imported goods, because domestic ones are of lower quality. Such substances should not be used frequently, only when the pet is heavily soiled.
Dry detergents. They are used to quickly clean the coat of dust and dirt if the cat is afraid of water. The main problem with these products is that active pets may not allow their owners to comb them out of their fur and then lick them off. This is typical for cats with long fur. The advantage is that after using this shampoo, the combing procedure becomes much easier.
Specialized products for pregnant cats. They are similar in action to dry products, but they are often released in the form of a spray, which makes the washing process easier. The composition is the safest, they can be used every time you bathe.

Instructions: how to bathe correctly

This is a very careful animal. A pregnant cat, unlike others, can easily guess what events await her in the future. In order to somehow wrap your pet around your finger and wash it, you can simply not open the bottle of shampoo in front of it. She may be more afraid not of the water itself, but of the noise it makes when flowing from a tap or splashing in another container.

Where to begin

In order to bathe a female, you need to prepare one free container for bathing and another for rinsing. It will be better if you bathe your pregnant cat in the bathtub

. In this case, her great love of freedom will not interfere with the careful process of bathing pregnant cats at home. Also remember that the water level should be up to your belly.

At the very beginning of the process, just before bathing the cat at home, you cannot immediately lower the female into the aquatic environment. To calm the animal, pet it, calm it down and then carefully place it in a container of water. Lightly wet the animal's fur while holding the pregnant cat tightly in your hands. This procedure for bathing a pregnant cat should be done gently, without unnecessary and unnecessary movements or screams that can frighten the pet. Apply shampoo in a minimal amount to avoid any discomfort.

Drying

The logical result of this entire washing procedure will be ordinary drying, during which the pet is usually wrapped in a comfortable towel, soaking the wet fur with it. If such an animal is not afraid of the sound of a hair dryer, then the drying time after washing can be greatly accelerated. The main thing is that your pet does not suffer from cold after the procedure is completed.

This is all that is required from you to ensure that your big animal is absolutely happy. Don't be surprised if your pregnant female is in poor condition after you give her a bath. In exactly a couple of hours, not a trace of this stress will remain, and your furry happiness will again be the same as before. Thus, we can say that a pregnant cat can and should be bathed at any stage of pregnancy

, following a certain procedure. Washing an animal is as easy as shelling pears, the main thing is to do it correctly.

Bathing domestic cats is one of the necessary hygiene procedures that the owner must perform quite regularly. This procedure is especially important for all types of Sphynxes: Don, Canadian, Peterbalds, since they secrete a special oily substance that serves as a lubricant and protects the skin; this substance has a brown-brown color and has a rather pungent odor. You can read more about this on our website: “Cat care: Once again about bathing cats”, “Cat care: Sphynx skin care”, “Don Sphynx care”.

But have you ever wondered how to bathe cats in winter? Are there any special considerations for bathing cats in winter? Today we will talk about this.

Let’s briefly touch on the question again: why bathe cats? If a cat participates in exhibitions, then this question does not even arise, since the exhibition animal must always be in appropriate shape. Why bathe ordinary pets? After all, cats themselves are very clean and take very good care of themselves. By licking, a cat gets rid of not only dirt, but also foreign odors, due to the fact that cat saliva contains an antiseptic. A healthy, well-fed cat simply sparkles with cleanliness! So why wash your cat?

Firstly, if a cat goes outside, then think about what surrounds it? Dirty entrances, trash cans, gasoline stains, exhaust fumes, myriads of microbes... and the cat carries all this home and licks itself with its tongue... Of course, it is not necessary to bathe the cat every day, but once every two weeks - a month is advisable.

Secondly, if a cat lives in an apartment and doesn’t go out anywhere, why bathe it? It's no secret that we, the owners, when we leave the house, then bring the same dirt and the same germs on our shoes and clothes. Of course, the concentration of harmful substances is much lower, so it is recommended to bathe the cat much less frequently, approximately once every three months.

Thirdly, bathing a cat during shedding speeds up this process, and after bathing there will simply be less hair left on furniture and carpets.

Sphynxes can be bathed every day in the summer. Many Sphynx cats love bathing and take baths with pleasure!

Let us remind you that it is not recommended to bathe sick animals, animals after vaccinations, kittens before changing teeth!

You should also be very careful when bathing pregnant cats, especially if they are afraid of this procedure, since stress can cause miscarriage. To prevent your cat from experiencing stress during bathing, it needs to be taught this procedure from an early age.

Now about the features of bathing cats in winter

In winter, your cat needs to be bathed much less often:

if the cat goes outside, then once every 1.5 - 2 months,

if the cat does not leave the house, then once every 3 months, or less often.

If the apartment has a normal temperature, then it is not necessary to dry the cat with a hairdryer, just pat it dry with a towel, the main thing is that there are no drafts in the apartment. Of course, if you are preparing your pet for an exhibition, then blow-drying is necessary.

Now especially

Let's talk
about sphinxes
.

For hairless cats, winter is a real challenge. Sphynxes love warmth, so they need clothes in winter. Daily bathing will have to be canceled until the summer, since when bathing, the same brown-brown lubricant secreted by the sebaceous glands is washed off, which protects the skin of sphinxes not only from germs and drying out, but also from hypothermia. Of course, you need to use a special shampoo that does not dry out the skin.

Since our Rat loves to swim and asks to be bathed, sometimes he even jumps into a bathtub filled with water, we bathe him once every 1-2 weeks in winter.

Our cat especially likes to catch bubbles, so we often turn on the hydromassage especially for him))) You can also give yourself a New Year's gift - buy a bathtub with hydromassage.

After bathing the sphinx, you need to pat it dry very well with a towel and wrap it properly in a warm blanket.

If you have not yet sewn warm pajamas for your pet, we advise you to hurry up, as your pet will find them very useful in winter. And in the near future we will publish a pattern for a bathrobe for a cat

, in which you can wrap yourself up perfectly after swimming.

Author of the article: Lyubov Ilyina (veterinarian).

Removing fleas and other external parasites from pets is a simple procedure. However, the owner often faces a problem if the pet is expecting offspring. How to remove fleas from a pregnant cat without harming the expectant mother and babies?

How many days after can a cat be washed after castration?

It is generally accepted that cats are castrated, and female cats are sterilized. In fact, each of the operations can be performed on an animal of any sex.

Sterilization

— ligation of the fallopian tubes in a cat (or removal of the uterus) and ligation of the seminal ducts in a cat. Other genital organs are not affected and remain functional.

Sterilized animals will not produce offspring, but they will retain the thirst for mating and the ability to perform sexual intercourse.

Castration

- removal of those organs of the reproductive system that are responsible for reproduction. The testicles are removed from cats, and the ovaries and uterus (or just the ovaries) from cats.

Removal of the entire set (ovariohysterectomy) is preferable, this will avoid gynecological diseases in the future.

Castration stops the production of sex hormones and changes the sexual behavior of animals. No more estrus, marking territory, or searching for partners.

So in most cases, both males and females are castrated.

It is better to bathe the cat a couple of days before the operation, because the rehabilitation period lasts two months.

Water should not get into healing wounds to avoid suppuration. However, a nuisance often occurs: involuntary urination when the animal recovers from anesthesia.

Let it smell sweet for two months? Reducing the water-free period is possible if there is an urgent need, but you can still bathe a castrated cat no earlier than a week after surgery.

A convalescent person should be washed very carefully. Before the expiration of seven days, it is only permissible to gently, without pressing, wipe the contaminated areas of the animal’s body with a damp cloth.

A recently neutered pet is washed with a minimal amount of moisture, not at all like a healthy one. It does not need to be placed in a filled container and watered from the shower.

It is enough to wipe problem areas with a moistened sponge. It is better to do without shampoo, replacing it with a decoction of chamomile or calendula, which does not need to be rinsed.

No twitching, rubbing, or sudden movements.

The animal should be dried gently. After the procedure, the cat must be placed in a warm place.

If the operated area is dirty (feces have entered), you can clean the dirty area with saline solution (pharmacy 0.9 percent sodium chloride) or warm salt water.

Then you need to dry the problem area to prevent bacteria from multiplying and migrating into the wound.

If the four-legged animal actively licks the operated area, this can lead to sutures coming apart. After castration, the cat’s empty scrotum is not stitched up; the skin grows together on its own.

But a cat's tongue can interfere with this process. The animal disturbs the wound and, moisturizing it, fills it with bacteria. A special “Elizabethan collar” from a pet store will help prevent licking of the surgical field.

An ointment specifically designed for this will also help prevent wound licking. Its smell will turn the cat away from an exciting activity.

Another option for preventing wound licking is to put on your four-legged friend the smallest size diapers with a pre-cut hole for the tail.

Help a friend

Symptoms of the presence of “living creatures”

Fleas, lice, lice and other living creatures are quite frequent guests of pets. And even if the cat has never left the apartment, insects can settle on the animal if they get into the room with the shoes and clothes of household members.

An experienced owner treats the coat against fleas before mating the animal. However, trouble often happens after mating, during the pet’s pregnancy. Signs of parasite infection do not appear immediately. At first, the animal’s behavior is unremarkable, however, as the number of “tenants” increases, the symptoms also increase.

The owner begins to notice that his pet is behaving restlessly: she often bites herself, literally bites into the skin, and becomes nervous due to bites and itchy skin. Most often it itches in the head, abdomen and at the base of the tail. Often, the owner may notice that the cat meows and immediately begins to itch. Upon examination, traces of scratching and crusts of dried blood are visible on the skin. You should know that even a thorough examination of the skin does not always allow visual identification of parasites. But traces of their presence (excrement in the form of dry dark crumbs between the hairs) are not difficult to detect.

If a pregnant cat has fleas, what should you do in this situation? The answer to this question is clear: parasites must be destroyed before birth.

In what situations do you need help?

If the owner of a purebred cat is not sure that he can cope with the birth process on his own, you need to invite a veterinarian.

In force majeure circumstances, the woman in labor will have to help herself. This happens during a rapid birth: the kittens come one after another, and the mother does not have time to cope with them. An example situation: the cat has not finished licking the first one, the second kitten has already appeared, and attempts are being made on the third.

Assistant actions:

quickly and carefully free the newborn from the membrane of the amniotic sac, slightly cutting it;
using a sterile napkin, release the kitten from the shell;
wipe him, at this moment he should begin to breathe;
if the kitten is not breathing, you should turn it head down and shake it slightly;
if this also does not help, you need to suck out the liquid from the spout using a pipette and do a light massage of the chest - rhythmically press on the heart area;
Place the kitten close to the mother's nipple and help her latch on to it.

The cat did not have time to gnaw the umbilical cord:

Tie the cord tightly with a clean thread at a distance of 1–2 cm from the kitten’s belly;
cut the umbilical cord with scissors from the placenta side;
remove the placenta.

The fetus came out partially, got stuck in the birth canal - the sphinx does not have enough strength to push. In this situation, you need to act as follows:

lubricate the vulva around the fetus with Vaseline oil;
Carefully grab the kitten using a napkin;
wait for the next push, then lightly pull and help him come out;
place the newborn next to the mother.

Normally, childbirth in sphinxes lasts from 4–5 hours to a day. The completion of labor is indicated by the behavior of the cat. She begins her own hygiene after licking the kittens.

To maintain your cat's strength, you can give her warmed milk with yolk.

Why do fleas need to be removed?

External parasites are more than just a nuisance for your pet. Cat fleas pose a real threat to animal health:

carry worm eggs;

contribute to the infection of animals with viral, bacterial and fungal infections;

lead to allergic dermatitis;

promote hair loss, baldness;

lead to infection and inflammation of the affected areas;

cause anxiety to the animal and increase nervousness;

cause anemia and emaciation in newborn kittens.

Having discovered parasites in a pet, the owner must immediately take measures to destroy them.

We recommend reading the article about helminthiases (worms) in cats and dogs. From it you will learn about different types of helminths in domestic animals, symptoms of their parasitism, prevention and treatment measures.

Treatment for parasites of a pregnant cat

Treating a pregnant cat for fleas is associated with the risk of exposure of her body to toxic substances and insecticides used for these purposes. A pregnant pet is the most sensitive and susceptible to the effects of harmful substances. In addition, some insecticidal preparations can be absorbed into the blood and lead to negative consequences: miscarriages, the birth of non-viable or dead offspring. Therefore, the procedure for removing fleas from a pregnant woman should be approached responsibly, following the following recommendations:

Before carrying out the procedure, you must consult a veterinary specialist who will advise how to treat a pregnant cat against fleas and help you choose an effective but safe drug;

the bedding on which the pet sleeps must be boiled or changed;

before using any form of insecticide (shampoo, drops, etc.), the animal must be thoroughly combed, first with a wide-toothed comb, and then with a fine-toothed one;

before processing, you should vacuum the furniture, carpets, floor coverings, then throw away the replacement bag or thoroughly rinse the vacuum cleaner container;

perform the procedure strictly in accordance with the instructions for the drug;

After treating the animal, it is necessary to disinfect the premises, paying special attention to the hallway, front door, and the pet’s favorite places.

Compliance with the rules for using drugs, preparing the animal, and cleaning the premises will allow you to deal with the problem effectively, quickly and safely.