Cleaning Cats

[ownedbycats]

I know this is going to sound silly, but what's the best and safest product to use for getting stuff out of a cat's coat that they can't get out themselves?
Up until now, everything has either come out over time with regular grooming or been so awful I've resorted to scissors.
Misty had an ear infection, and I treated it for the two weeks, now the inside of her ears is squeaky clean, but the stuff ran out occasionally and the area around her ears is all greasy. I tried plain warm water, and that didn't work. I'm not sure I want to use humman soap on her, just in case she accidentally swallows some, although part of the reason this is a problem is because she can't reach this area to wash it herself.

[luckypenny]

I would think a gentle, unscented soap would be fine or even baby wipes to get the grease off her fur. You can rinse well with a wet face cloth/paper towel to ensure there's no residue left over

[Koteburo]

Well for the outer ear area you could use some kitty wipes. It's like baby wipes but for cats you can get them at any super market in the pet area or at your vet (they usually have higher quality products).
We had a poopy butt situation for a while and those wipes we got cleaned it well and they're actually called "Kittywipes"

[growler~GateKeeper]

You can also check your local pet supply store for pet shampoo I personally like the EarthBath company as their products are all natural, they do also have wipes.

You don't need to bathe the entire cat to use the shampoo you can use a small amount on a wet face/hand towel to clean smaller areas.

[hazelrunpack]

When the dogs have ear infections, the hair around the flap gets all greasy, too. I've never found anything that was very effective in removing the residue. Normally we just keep the area combed to prevent matting and let it wear off with time. If you do find something that works, for sure post back! I'll try it on the dogs, too!

[ownedbycats]

Thanks everybody, I'll look for the wipes next time I buy pet food. It's not bothering the cat, but it bothers me. She's pure white, and lloks so scraggly with her fur in a mess. fortunately Misty is shortfurred or I would likely be dealing with mats out of this, and I really don't like cutting fur too close to delicate ear flaps.
Hazel, if something works well on the grease, I'll let you know.
Hmmm, they use Dawn on oil-spill effected wild life, maybe I should try it on my greasy (oil-like) cat, and just rinse really well. That's probably overkill. I'll try the wipes first.

[patchdog]

I would suggest a cat shampoo or even baby shampoo. Baby shampoo is very gentle and it should get rid of the grease.