Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Cats on Tuesday

Cats on Tuesday I am honoured that Gattina asked me to host Cats on Tuesday while she is on vacation.

Clean Dragonheart enjoying the sunThis week, I will share with you the steps that my humans undertake when they give me my weekly bath.

First of all, my mom clips my claws, front and back. My nails grow quickly, due to my fast Sphynx metabolism, and so my front nails need to be clipped about twice a week, and my back ones once a week.

Then my mom cleans my ears. She puts some ear cleaner especially designed for cats in my ears, gently massages the base of the ear to loosen the wax, then carefully wipes out the inside of my ears with a cotton ball. She sometimes uses a q-tip as well, but only on the outer, visible portions of my ears. She never sticks it into the ear canal.

If my eyes are "goopy" and in need of being cleaned, my mom then cleans them. Since I have no eyebrows or eyelashes, my eyes tend to accumulate more "gunk" than normal cats' eyes. My mom dampens a cotton ball with a gentle eye cleanser, or with distilled water, and gently wipes around my eyes.

Next, I get brought up to the bathroom. There, my mom dampens a washcloth with warm water, and gently cleans the rest of my face. Dirt and oil tends to accumulate in my wrinkles, so she really concentrates on cleaning out the wrinkles very well.

Next, I am wrapped in a warm towel, and one paw at a time is exposed. My mom applies some cat shampoo to a washcloth, and cleans each of my paws, toes, claws, and claw sheaths in turn. Sometimes I try to escape at this point, but normally I sit quietly until at least two or three paws are clean.

Clean Dragonheart enjoying the sunThen, my mom unwraps me, and places me in the sink. The sink has been pre-filled with about 5-10 centimetres of warm water (2 to 4 inches) and there is a towel in the bottom for my feet to hold onto, so I don't slip. My dad holds me gently while my mom makes sure her washcloth is nice and warm. She then places some more shampoo on the washcloth and begins to wash me.

My mom starts by washing my back and tail, then cleans my hind legs and between my hind legs, while my dad holds my front legs and chest. Dirt tends to accumulate in the creases where my hind legs meet my body, so she focuses on that area a lot. Then she washes the rest of my belly.

She then moves on to wash my chest, my front legs, and my "armpits". The "armpits", where my front legs join my body, is another area where dirt and oil tends to accumulate, so she gently, but firmly and thoroughly, scrubs that area.

After I've been washed all over (rinsing the washcloth as necessary and adding more shampoo when required), my mom fills a plastic cup with warm water and proceeds to rinse me. It takes several repeats with the full cup of water to ensure all the soap has been rinsed off of me. This is the point where I usually try to escape, having stood quietly throughout the washing procedure, and so my dad keeps a good hold of me while I'm being rinsed.

Clean Dragonheart enjoying the sunOnce I'm rinsed off, my mom grabs another warm towel, sits on the floor of the bathroom, and dad places me in her lap in the warm towel. My mom then dries me off. At this point in the procedure, I am always squirming. The bath is over, and I just want to escape and get my extra serving of stinky goodness! But my mom insists on thoroughly drying me off.

Finally, after I'm dry, the bathroom door is opened! I head downstairs, straight for my food bowl, because I know I will get an extra serving of stinky goodness for having been bathed. Normally I am fed Almo Nature wet food, either chicken and shrimps or tuna and shrimps, as a treat for getting a bath.

After I've eaten my stinky goodness, I normally sit down and finish my bath with a good grooming session. As good and thorough as the humans are, nothing can compare with my tongue. So I finish things off with a good tongue grooming.

The end result: a nice, clean Dragonheart, as can be seen in my photos.

All in all, getting a bath isn't all that bad. Although I don't enjoy it, I do tolerate it, since I need to be bathed weekly to stay healthy. If I'm not bathed regularly, the oil that my skin secretes can build up and cause all kinds of skin problems. Besides, I get extra stinky goodness after a bath.


49 comments

Oscar the Puppy Cat said...

Your bath time sounds like family time! What a special way for you all to spend time together. You may get a thorough cleaning, but you get tons of special Drangonheart time AND extra stinky goodness. And the warm towel? Way to go Grago's Mommy and Daddy!

Anonymous said...

Dragonheart, you sound like such a good boy about being bathed, and I'm so glad you have a wonderful mom and dad who take such good care of you. And way to go, stinky goodness!

Purrs and snuggles from Marilyn.

The Furry Kids said...

Dragonheart, you are sooo good when you get a bath. Momma does not even want to think about having to give us a bath. Hahahaha!
It sounds like you and your Mom and Dad get in a good bonding session during your baths. That is very sweet.

Love,
Tazo

Anonymous said...

what a good, well-behaved kitty you are! I had half a bath once...they'll never try it again.
Grr

Anonymous said...

Wow your bath time sounds like alot of work.Yet your lucky to get extra stinky goodness.

Donny and Marie and Casey said...

Wow - that sounds like a real luxurious bath....like a kitty spa! Does your mommy and daddy take customers? ;)

Zoey and the furballs said...

Wow that's an involved process, but at least you get some good-quality bean time and extra stinky goodness!

Zippy, Sadie, Speedy and M'Gee said...

::shiver:: ewww a bath! Well, we gess if we needed it to stay helthy, but yoo are furry good to be nice fur yoor mom and dad fur yoor bath.

Andree said...

Your mom and dad are so lucky that you so calmly bathe, Dragonheart. I know it would be hospitalization-time for me. I love that stinky-goodness myself you know! You take care now and I'll check in again real soon!

Anonymous said...

Wow Dragonheart! You get a weekly spa treatment. It sounds lovely, especially the stinky goodness!

Big Piney Woods Cats said...

Wow, that is quite a pro-seed-jure! You are way more patient than I would efur be........I would last 1 minute, tops!! Then I would do the squirms.......

Patches

Celeste said...

The treats sound like a good reason to get a bath!

Obsidian Kitten said...

oh, stinky goodness sounds wonderful!

a bath--maybe not so wonderful. but not all *that* bad, as it sounds like your humans treat you very, very well!

Phoebe said...

You certainly are the model of cleanliness, Dragonheart. Your mom and dad must love you a lot to do all that work. But I'm really glad that I am not a sphinx because I hate the water.

Anonymous said...

You're really brave Dragonheart. None of our three cats would tolerate that.

Kimo and Sabi said...

Whew - that makes us tired just thinkin' about all that work! Yer beans are furry patient and loving!

michico*Adan*Lego-小芥*阿丹*樂高 said...

Your bath is good. And my bath is like in hell. I really hate bath.....http://adan-way.blogspot.com/search/label/%E6%B4%97%E6%BE%A1

Karen Jo said...

Bathing you is quite a procedure, Dragonheart. You are a very patient kitty to wait until you are being dried off to start squirming. I'm glad you get extra stinky goodness as a reward. I bet thinking of that delicious treat helps you get through it all.

Daisy said...

Oh, it was really interesting to learn all about your bath time! I have never had a bath before. It doesn't sound too bad. And you are very patient.

Parker said...

It's great to get all of that attention, but I don't know how happy I would be about all of that water! You are a good boy for letting them do it (even with treats involved!)

FelineFrisky said...

What a wonderful family time chore! Bathing doesn't sound too bad at your house!

Can I get a warm towel, PLEASE??? LOL

D :)

Rosemary B❤️ said...

Dragonheart, you are so clean, you sparkle!!
You are a really obedient kitty boy for putting up with a bath like that... I bet when you are two you might actually like it... maybe.

*~Princess

Jodi said...

What a bath you have Dragonheart! Now Miss Lulu on the other hand, she will only go near water if it is her doing only.

Forty Paws said...

Oh my goodness. That sounds like cat torture to us. Claw trimming is bad enough!!! You are very brave to endure that every week!

Luf, Us

Unknown said...

DH,
we get baths too but we sure don't like them! It's a neat process to hear about how your mom and dad do it. next time we get baths, we are going to demand warm towels and stinky goodness!

Luna und Luzie said...

Hallo Dragonheart. You are a good boy and you looks content on your beautiful blankie in the sun.Luna had one time a bath but it is horrible with her long fur. We brush and comb her only.
Have a nice day :-)

Ali & Fiona said...

Our momma gots this powder stuff for a water less bath and Ali does not like that even though he doesn't mind a good brushing, momma brushes us everyday to keep our furs from getting everywhere.

Anonymous said...

You are so lucky to have parents that pamper you so much! You actually make the bath sound fun. And thanks for filling in for Gattina this week.

Icon Baxter Bentley said...

Taking a bath doesn't sound too bad after all. It sounds like some nice bonding with your beans.
My fur brother, Kitty, gets baths too, but not as often as you (and for the opposite reason - he has long long fur) and sometimes he pee's in the tub. Don't tell him that I told you!

LZ said...

You're tolerant. I've had one bath and I thought the world was coming to an end. But you look so sparkly and clean, I bet you smell really fresh!

Kaze

The M's said...

Your Mom and Dad are really special people, you are truly blessed Dragonheart.

Silvia Hoefnagels . Salix Tree said...

You are such a good kitty, to not squirm so much! Our Tas needed a bath once a few months back. He was very sick, and wasn't cleaning himself. He was so stinky! And it was all claws, fighting, and screaming! But he felt a lot better afterwards.

Cats~Goats~Quotes said...

We are not members of Cats on Tuesday, but will join soon!

Your bath time with your Mommy and Daddy must make you feel so good after it's over with.
We probably wouldn't be as nice as you are, tho.

The Meezers or Billy said...

wow, that's more steps than mommy takes to gif herself a baf!

Dragonheart, fank you for bisiting and purring for me while I was sick. I am feeling better today and I really appreciate your purrs. - Miles

Christine and FAZ said...

I bet you smell really lovely after all that attention Dragonheart. Purr FAZ

DK & The Fluffies said...

You are a much better cat than I - I would have ripped DKM some new facial features if she'd done that to me.

MaoMao said...

Whatta patient feller you are, Dragonheart! I don't think I'd like a bathie too much, but I'd sure love the stinky goodness!

Kittyhugs and purrs from MaoMao!

Ann M & the Kitties said...

Wow, Dragonheart, you sure are good about getting your bath. And you are so lucky, too, that you and your Mom & Dad get to spend all that time together.

The Furry Kids said...

Thanks for the info on what you eat. It sounds like Mom's been on the right track with feeding us. I'm really sorry to hear that your kitchen is closed at your house. Bummer!

Earl Grey

HRH Yao-Lin said...

you know, that actually sounds like fun. I mean, all that attention? Then, all that stinky goodness? You are one cat that has ALL the devotion in your household! As it should be!

xx

Dorothy said...

Gretchen says that you look very spiffy for a sphinx. She had to have a bath when she was very little and hated it, but she did like the warm towel part. You're very patient.

Unknown said...

....Hello
.....Hello
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........Hello

~ ~ ~ ♥ ♥ ♥ ~ ~ ~

I love the bath time!
Yes and that's an involved process!!

●๋: ●๋:
´´´´´●๋: ●๋:
´●๋: ●๋: Luna Spain ●๋: ●๋:
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kuanyin333 said...

You obviously found the right Mama to take such excellent care of you because she is so good to you! Are you good to her too? Do you give her kat kisses?

LZ said...

I just tagged you for a meme! You have to answer in one word.

Purrs!
Kaze

Tara said...

You deserve extra stinky goodness for putting up with all of that Dragonheart! Wow, you are so patient!
Tara

Unknown said...

Thanks for the invite, Drake! Will your Mom try to give me a bath, too??? Because I think I do a pretty good job all by myself!
Purrs!!!
Stella

Samantha & Mom said...

Wow, if my Mom tried to bathe me, I'd be gone in a flash. You are such a good Mancat to let your Mom and Dad bathe you, because it keeps you healthy. Once a week, too. I bet the stinky goodness is the best part and a great reward.
Samantha & Tigger

Lux said...

Extra stinky goodness! That makes it all worthwhile!

The Crew said...

Wow, quite an ordeal, but you must maintain your image!

I notice several young ladies are interested in you. See, I told you all the girls know you're HOT. And to think D, when you first started blogging you were worried about your looks! I'm telling you, the ladies will be lining up to submit their "girlfriend" applications!

George