No post bath pics yet

I will get some later today, but I just wanted to add a few things, based on your comments. Basically, I used to give the cats a bath about every 6 months - on the day the time changed (that way I knew I was consistent). This started when Floyd was a baby (his first bath was because he jumped into a bowl of chocolate pudding (I was eating it out of a large bowl and he wanted it - I think I had about 2 spoonfulls before he did it). I had always known I wanted to bathe them, because I knew a girl growing up who did and it made it easier because it did help get rid of the shed hair. So when I got Floyd I started with him (he was big so he needed it anyway - he had issues reaching the back end if you know what I mean) and when I got Kirzon I added him to the mix. He hated it, and the first time he kind of shredded the shower curtain liner a bit trying to escape. I thought I would try blowdrying - big mistake there. I have a lovely scar on my chest from Kirzon being afraid of the noise (I actually have a scar from every cat I have owned - and honestly I love them all because they are like having a little remider of all of them) - he stil hates it even when it is off. We got Lola and she was added to the bath mix (mainly Floyd needed them and it just seemed unfair to only to one at that point). When we moved into the house we live in now I did bathe them at first, but then I stopped (it was just a lot of work). Then we got Virgil, and he has had to be rinsed off a couple times but nothing more than that. Kirzon has oily fur and dandruf, and so he needs it more than anyone (since Floyd has lost so much weight he has an easier time cleaning himself, and although he lost a lot of his fur he is actualy matting a lot less).

Since Floyd is feeling better and getting his fur back, and Kirzon really needed it, I decided to start the baths again with those two - with 2 getting one and 2 not it seemed more fair (Lola and Virgil don't really need it). They don't really like baths, they complain the whole time, but they aren't mad, they are just scared a bit. I used nice warm water, and since i can't blowdry I make sure the house is nice and warm. I try to cover anything I can in towels (I have a ton to wash today). and try and let them just do their thing while they dry. My urge is to wrap them up in a towel and hold them, and I ususally do a bit at first, but they really just want to go off and lick themselves. They also shake their paws a lot to dry off. I towel them as best as I can (I think the pics were pre-towel) but but that point they just want to leave. Lola hates bath day and is still growing and hissing at all cats she sees (even Virgil). She does that with vet trips too. She was so mad she wouldn't even go in the kitchen to eat - she went in, saw them (they were dry by then) and left both for dinner last night and breakfast. Since I don't want her to skip meals I brought her food to her in the living room.

By last night they were as snuggly as ever. If you ask me Krizon really could use another bath - he was much harder to wash than Floyd was and his fur still seems a bit grody. I am going to do a damp cloth on him to see if that helps - I know I got all the shampoo out but his back end is still very oily. I couldn't believe how gross the water was after this bath with him. I think that the oily fur must hold in dirt, no matter how much he licks himself clean. I think he will need more frequent baths. Floyd looks great - a lot of his old fur that was in his coat came out, but I think it needed to anyway because it was loose but stuck. He looks much more fluffy, but I think he will be getting baths too. He is also a bit oily towards the back - I knowt he vet at one point mentioned stud tail, and so I think that could be the issue. I think that they are more comfortable now because the old fur came out. Their heads don't look different, because I don't wash them - I don't want to risk soap int their eyes. I did wash their chins because of the cat acne.

Since it is easier, I usually end up in the bathtub at least partly when I bathe them, and end up soaked and covered in fur. I can't tell you how furry I was afterwards. I needed a bath myself! So then, once they were clean, I decided to break down their litter box and clean it. I have one of the automatic ones, and although it is pretty clean most of the time, I took it apart and really carefully cleaned it (one of them has bad aim sometimes I learned). I had cleaned the whole thing to almost new, which took like 2 hours. You have to be careful because if you get water in the motor then it won't work (I did that once). This is our 5th automatic litter box - 1 broke because it just got old, the second was a newer version that was crappy, the third, well, it got washed poorly and the motor stopped (which was bad because I was able to order the older, good version online), the fourth was the newer version again, which I hated, and the new one is the older version again. The newer ones don't last nearly as long and are much harder to keep clean. So I broke it down and cleaned, and then cleaned the floor in the area by hand (there are times the machine has problems either at night while we are asleep or while I am at work, and one of the cats hates it and pees on the floor if that happens - I clean it up but I did a really deep cleaning yesterday). I then decided to clean the whole laundry room and reorganize so I could set up a second litter box (regular - I had it from when Virgil was a baby, and use it when Iam cleaning the automatic). I decided to keep that one available and reorganize the garbage cans. It is a small room but there is nowhere else to put another litter box, so they are next to each other. With the self cleaning I don't worry - if they were regular I would need at least 4 boxes. I have to say that even though they die after a year or so, they are worth it when you have more than one cat. It makes it easier during the day.

Wow, I sure rambled a lot - I planned on being quick. I will be visiting everyone's blogs either today or tomorrow - I still have a ton of non-cat cleaning to do (including a LOT of towels).

Have a great day everyone!!!!