ForestWind Siberian Cats

Bathing your ForestWind Siberian kitten or cat is simple. We start our babies young at ForestWind, and it's important for you to continue their bathing routine.

You can easily split up the nails, ears, and actual bath over three days when you start. Since so many of our families adopt two kittens, this description explains how to do two kittens at the same time. 

First, clip nails: press gently on paws, clip off the "hook" at the end of each nail. Siberian cat nails are most often whitish like ours, no fear of cutting into the tender quick!

Second, clean ears: with cat safe ear cleaner - squirt fluid in ear canal, fold over flap of ear, rub gently. Let kitten shake head. Use soft towel or strong kleenex to wipe out outer ear. 

Third, comb out coat: using a metal comb, remove all tangles, and extra fur. If left in the coat it makes it hard to dry and the tangles get set and really pull your Siberian's soft skin. 

 This is a photo of our bathtime tools

Fourth, prepare bath: Set out several thick paper towels, a warm fluffy towel and a thick absorbent hand towel for each kitten, a brush, a metal comb with close tines, a quiet hair dryer and a terry washcloth each for faces/heads. Fill two deep buckets with bath temp water. Put Dawn detergent in one and white vinegar in the other. Thoroughly soak the two terry cloth washclothes and leave to the side.

Fifth, give bath:

Start with soapy bath: Scruff kitten, put other hand under butt, lower butt first into soapy water. Shampoo your Siberian starting with the neck area / under chin (do head later with the terry wash cloth). Finish up by cleaning haunches and butt.

If necessary, use the metal comb to remove any stuck poop and place on the paper towels (to throw out, of course). Finish soaping - check under tail and the 'feathers' on the legs.

Remove as much soapy water as possible:  Lift Siberian from  her soapy ,and squeegee the soapy water from her fur. Once the soapy water has been squeezed out of coat, lower your Siberian into the vinegar water tub.

Rinse coat in vinegar water: Using the hand that was supporting the butt, rinse the fur carefully and thoroughly rinse the neck and haunch/bottom areas. Use the washclothes to wash off the face and head. Again squeegee the kitten's fur.

Begin to dry kitten: Wrap kitten in the towel and blot her dry. Give to a helper to hold while you wash kitten # 2.  While your partner is holding kitty # 2, take kitty #1 and "scruff" off the wet as much as you can with a thick terry hand towel.  Do this for both kittens.

Fifth, Blow dry your kitten: As you are learning, we are leaving blow drying to last. Turn your quiet hair dyer on low heat and low air. You might want another stack of towels nearby to set the hair dryer onto now and then in order to free your hands up to do more towel drying or brushing out. This is very helpful if you are drying solo.  If you are solo drying takes a bit longer. If you have an assistant, one person can wield the blow dryer while the other uses the brush on the cradled kitten to lift and fluff her coat. Fluffing the coat allows quickest dry time, since the warm air is most easily able to reach all her fur.

Working together, move around the kitten's body over and over so that no one area gets too hot and starts to sting. When you think you are done drying kitty # 1, let her play in the room while begin to dry # 2. Once you've completed Kitty # 2, go back and dry #1 some more - you will be surprised at how damp that thick Siberian coat can still be!

Keep your Siberian warm post-bath: Ensure the room is warm through the next day and there are dry cosy blankets to sleep on (we always make sure to have clean wool pads available at this time).

Bathing can actually get to be routine! As you become more confident, you will learn that you can "quick bathe and dry" your Siberian in less than 20 minutes