As a cat owner, you must know the struggle of giving baths to the cats. One thing that cats probably hate the most in the world is water.
Although cats are excellent at cleaning themselves, sometimes giving your cat a good wash is essential because they need (and want) to stay clean, particularly the young kittens.
Some cats are messy eaters and will do everything that makes bathing essential. They will walk through food, immerse their head in the food bowl, and play in litter trays.
Or, if your cats are like mine, do messy protest poops in the carrier on the way to the vets! It’s as bad as it sounds!
In such cases, you have to bathe your cats when it is unplanned.
In the process of doing so, you might forget to prepare the bathing essentials like cat shampoo.
Now you might think, what alternative do you have? Well! a few cat owners use baby shampoo for cats. But is baby shampoo safe for cats? And can you use baby shampoo for cats?
Yes, you can use baby shampoo for cats, but as it’s not made for cats it isn’t really recommended.
It’s important to be aware that baby shampoo can cause irritation and some other skin issues in some cats.
It is better to use specific cat shampoo rather than the baby shampoo. But if you are out of cat shampoo, using baby shampoo is fine as a last resort, as long as it isn’t often.
What Are The Ingredients Of Baby Shampoo?
When it comes to baby shampoo, the most common ones are Johnson’s Baby Shampoo, Baby Dove, and Aveeno Baby.
Every household with a little one is likely to have one of these three shampoo brands for babies. If you are about to bathe your cat with one of these, you need to understand what they are made of.
Is Johnson’s Baby Shampoo Safe For Cats?
To answer this, let’s dive deep into the ingredients of one of the most famous baby shampoo brands.
So Johnson’s baby shampoo contains ingredients such as sodium chloride, glycerin, Cocamidopropyl betaine, sodium trideceth sulfate, and citric acid.
Water is also present in Johnson’s shampoos, but this baby shampoo is free of dyes or sulfates. Other baby shampoo brands also have similar ingredients in their formula.
As mentioned, Johnson’s, and other baby shampoos are safe to use, but I wouldn’t really recommend it.
Is Baby Shampoo Safe for Cats?
Baby shampoo works fine for cats. But remember! There are better options out there. And why is that? The answer lies in the name.
Baby shampoo is meant for babies, not cats. No matter how good it is, it is for babies. Cats will be okay with it, but it won’t be as good as a cat shampoo.
A good cat shampoo has all the natural ingredients well suited to keep a cat’s coat clean and moisturized.
Can I Wash my Cat With Baby Shampoo?
Baby shampoo is not as harsh as other shampoos, but it is still not perfect. You can wash your cat with baby shampoo, but some cats’ skin might not tolerate it.
The reason can be the difference in the pH level of the skin. While cat’s pH is more neutral, ranging from 6.39 to 6.64.
In contrast, the human’s pH is relatively lower. It is on the acidic side, usually less than 5.
Therefore bathing a cat with human shampoo can upset normal pH and acid mantle on the cat’s skin.
The disruption of the acid mantle (a thin layer on a cat’s skin) can lead to increased chances of microbial contamination and dehydration.
Thus using baby shampoo only once is fine, but extra use can cause problems.
Can I Wash my Kitten With Baby Shampoo?
Adult cats naturally maintain better hygiene than kittens. Kittens are trouble makers who like to get into everything and get their coat dirty which can sometimes make bathing mandatory.
But unlike adult cats, you cannot use baby shampoo for bathing kittens. You may be wondering is Johnson’s baby shampoo safe for kittens if it’s safe for cats and babies? It’s not.
Kittens’ skin is more sensitive than adult cats; hence using baby shampoo can cause skin infections such as pyoderma.
Always use the shampoo for kittens which a veterinarian recommends to you. But also remember that mum cats do an excellent job of keeping their kittens clean.
How To Choose A Good Quality Cat Shampoo?
When choosing a cat shampoo, make sure to look out for the following synthetic and artificial ingredients that can be harmful to your pet.
These components include parabens, permethrin, pyrethroids, alcohol, phenol, pyrethrins.
Choose a cat shampoo free of artificial additives and one that consists of constituents like aloe and lanolin.
If your cat’s skin is dry, choose a shampoo with an additional moisturizing effect. And if the cat has some allergy, then shampooing with a gentle formula is the best.
What Different Types of Cat Shampoo Are Available?
Pet product companies are introducing cat shampoos with unique formulations. They are meant to clean the cat’s fur, remove dead cells, and keep fur healthy and smooth.
Here are some common types of cat shampoo available in the markets.
Shampoo and Conditioner
This kind of shampoo is two in one offer. That means it serves both as shampoo and conditioner.
It makes the cat’s hair shiny, glossy, smooth, and tangle-free. It is economical and saves cat owners money.
Traditional Shampoo
This is the traditional type of shampoo whose formulation suits all skin types. Such shampoos use organic ingredients; hence they are safe for cats.
Waterless Shampoo
If your cat dreads water but needs bathing, waterless shampoo is the best. It comes in the form of powder, spray, and foam. This shampoo makes the fur clean, healthy, and dirt free.
Conclusion
Baby shampoo works fine for cats but remember, don’t use them often as they are not meant for cats.
Baby shampoo formulation can cause skin infections and dehydration by disrupting the skin’s pH and normal moisture level.
The best option is always to keep an extra bottle of cat shampoo recommended by vets.
