Why do we bathe cats?
Cats produce a natural protective oil called sebum, which covers their skin and coat. When cats don’t groom properly—due to conditions like arthritis, obesity, or high-maintenance coats that aren’t brushed daily—or when they produce excess sebum (common in certain breeds or cats with health issues), this oil can mix with other substances like saliva, dead skin cells (dander and dandruff), fecal matter, and shed hair, leading to matting.
Bathing helps to remove the buildup of sebum, dander, saliva, fecal matter, and dead skin, while also loosening the coat to prepare it for shedding. Conditioning the coat nourishes the skin, keeping it healthy.
Blow-drying further separates the hairs, allowing the released coat to come off more easily and reducing excess dandruff. It also prevents matting by drying the hairs separately rather than clumping them together.
Together, these steps help reduce matting, allergies, hairballs, blockages, and skin problems
