First Bath

Mama decided I needed a bath shortly after she brought me home. I spose she was right. I had been at the humane society for a few months. She had another reason, too. It was getting near Christmas and Grandma and Grandpa were coming over for Christmas Eve dinner. Grandma is allergic to cat dander. Mama didn't want to close me away for the whole visit and she had heard that bathing a cat can reduce the dander so it doesn't affect the allergic person so bad. She tried to be nice about it and get me used to it gradually.

First Try

She quietly filled the bathtub with a few inches of water and casually took me into the bathroom. I took one look at that water and wriggled loose. She came after me and held me tighter and took me back into the bathroom. I screeched and screamed (Dad said it sounded like she was killing me) but she wrestled me down so my feet were in the water. I quieted a little and foolishly lightened her grip. I took off. Unfortunately she had closed the door. She grabbed me, dried my feet and let me go. I ignored her for a few hours after that.

Second Try

The second try (a few days later) went pretty much like the first, except she kept a better hold of me and I never got away.

I overheard a conversation she and Dad had after that try. She was telling him that she didn't think she could ever get me used to water and she was just going to have to do it. I couldn't believe my ears. I thought she'd give up.

Third and Final Try

Mama was really sneaky this time. She waited til I was upstairs asleep (the bathroom was downstairs). She filled up the tub and then came upstairs. She started scratching me and petting me and loving me. It was great. Then she picked me up like she always did. She started going downstairs. Still wasn't unusual. She often came upstairs and got me when she thought I'd been up there too long. She went down the stairs and before I knew it we were in the bathroom and she had closed and locked the door. She got into the tub herself and dunked me in the water and I let out a howl. I was WET!!!! I still can't believe she took a bath with me. I have to admit she was good. She used her legs to hold me in the water while she soaped me and rinsed me. Of course I screeched and howled thru the whole thing. I ignored her for a full day after that.

So that's the story of my first bath with Mama. I've gotten pretty used to it now and she doesn't get in with me anymore. I still meow and struggle (I gotta do something to preserve my dignity). The simple fact is she thinks I need a bath every so often and she's stronger than me so I just have to deal with it. Besides, now that I don't struggle so much it goes quicker. I don't even get mad at her and ignore her anymore.