Review of bathtubs for washing dogs and cats
Today, pet owners have the opportunity to choose from a large range of products on the market. Therefore, the determining factors will be not only functionality and price, but also product quality. The design, thought out to the smallest detail, will help you quickly and safely carry out hygienic procedures.
Grooming baths come in several varieties:
- plastic and metal;
- with adjustable legs;
- on electric/hydraulic lift;
- with pet door and ladder;
- with holders and shelves, etc.
Some models can be installed in your own bathtub or outdoors, as well as indoors in any convenient place. High sides will not allow dirt and drops of water to fly away in all directions, and the increased height and the ability to adjust it will remove the additional burden from the owner’s back, which usually occurs when washing an animal in its own bath or shower.
It is also convenient that most models have a special tray with a grate that collects dirt and hair from the animal, so you can always avoid clogging the drain.
The rating will present three categories of baths, which cover both home grooming and salon grooming:
- Plastic - for home and salon use. One of the lightest and most mobile models, you can use it in your apartment or take it with you to the dacha. Plastic is not the most durable material, so some owners are afraid to buy it.
- Professional grooming baths are made of stainless steel or durable hygienic polypropylene; such products are more durable and can withstand even very heavy breeds. However, they are quite heavy and inferior in mobility to plastic structures, so they are intended more for professional animal care salons, nurseries and veterinary clinics.
- Profiled bathtubs with electric/hydraulic lifts allow you to lift and lower a heavy structure, which is very convenient when it comes to washing heavy animals. Also, the ability to adjust the height allows you to reduce the load on your back and use the bath for animals of different breeds.
How to wash a cat without water
Bathing a cat without water can be done using other alternative and effective methods:
- special dry shampoos that are sold in pet stores and are presented in the form of a spray or powder. The composition of such products is based on the content of koalin (white clay) and other mineral components that maximally absorb fat and dirt. After treatment, the wool is combed out with brushes;
- a special paw comb does a good job of combing out applied dry shampoo and other dirt. It can be purchased at a pet store or grooming shop;
- the use of wet wipes that are designed for cleaning cat hair. These tools are convenient to use while traveling. At the same time, ordinary devices for people are not suitable in such cases;
- preparing a bran bath. Dry washing a cat can also be done without water, but this method is best suited for short-haired cats, since mats can form with long hair. Warm bran is rubbed into the animal's skin, massaged well, and then the remaining mixture is carefully combed out.
Important criteria when choosing a bath
Number and sizes of pets
Equipment in salons should be aimed at dogs of various breeds and sizes, while simple models with less functionality are more suitable for home use. When choosing, you should also take into account the presence of additional bottom levels, which will allow you to bathe both large and small dogs and cats.
Material of manufacture
Despite the fact that manufacturers use plastic that is resistant to damage and wear in production, it is still not as durable as options made from steel or polypropylene. Therefore, if you plan to wash a large flow of animals, then it is better to opt for more durable and wear-resistant options.
Inexpensive plastic options are quite suitable for home use. However, it is worth considering that pets that are too large and heavy should not be bathed in them.
Weight and dimensions of the structure
Professional designs should be larger and heavier, because in salons the grooming bath is used much more often than at home. Home options should be lighter in weight and more mobile, so that they can be conveniently disassembled, stored and transported.
Manufacturer's warranty and maintenance
An important criterion, especially when purchasing expensive models with lifting mechanisms. When purchasing, check the warranty period and the possibility of service from the seller.
How to bathe a kitten
To prevent the kitten from remembering the bathing procedure as something frightening, you should accustom it to water gradually. Try to get him to go into the bathroom more often and hear the sounds of running water. It is recommended to start by washing your paws. If the baby resists, do not insist.
Read also: How to help a child with chills?
Bathing a kitten
Take him in your arms and show him a trickle of water. Perhaps he himself will want to play with a new fun “toy”.
Attention! Bathing should begin at 4 months of age.
First bath
Since small fidgets get dirty more often than adult cats, you need to bathe him as he gets dirty (if he went to the toilet carelessly, got dirty, or there are fleas and ticks). It is not recommended to carry out the procedure too often unnecessarily, so as not to wash off the protective layer from the skin.
Important! If the kitten is very afraid of water, then you can buy dry shampoo in the store. This is a good alternative to the usual product. It is a dry powder resembling powder. The shampoo is rubbed into the fur, then small particles are removed using a combing brush.
Reviews
Many owners use regular bathtubs and sinks to bathe their pets, but sometimes this is not the most convenient solution. Discussion on the pesiq forum
Opinion from a user from the labrador forum:
To summarize, we get the following summary - if you want to restore less often or completely change the bathtub, then buy your four-legged friend a separate one. In the case of salons and nurseries, the choice is more obvious; a groomer’s bathtub is an indispensable accessory; it’s good that the choice today is quite wide.
Product benefits
Manufacturers make these products in different colors.
The mesh like bathing bag comes in different sizes and colors. Made from nylon. Thanks to the laces, which are located at three points (at the neck, in the middle and at the back), you can fix the animal, adjusting to its size. In addition to water procedures, the device also has additional functions and helps to carry out the following procedures with a cat:
- nail trimming;
- veterinary procedures;
- hygiene sessions.
Return to contents
About smart cat litter boxes
Smart cat litter boxes are designed to make life easier for pet owners. Thanks to auto toilets, you can forget about the daily, routine cleaning of the litter box. Changing a regular litter box is not that difficult, but if the owners are often away from home, or if there are several pets, this process can be tedious. An automatic toilet helps solve such problems.
Porcelain and plastic cat litter
First of all, it is worth saying that smart toilets for pets come in two types: porcelain and plastic. Porcelain smart toilets are connected to sewerage and water supply, sometimes to electricity, and in appearance they resemble a regular human toilet. In their design they resemble dry closets.
Both plastic and porcelain smart litter boxes for cats work automatically, although there is still a difference between them.
Porcelain toilets are good because they are virtually completely flushed automatically, and excrement goes straight into the sewer.
Although plastic cat litters flush on their own, the waste has to be thrown away periodically, as it ends up in a special poop bag.
Another distinctive feature of plastic cat litter is that they use granules, that is, regular cat litter. He falls asleep in the toilet every few days. Plastic smart toilets usually have a built-in system for cleaning and flushing the granules, so there is no need to worry about constantly replacing the litter.
By the way, it is thanks to the granules that a cat can be easily accustomed to such a toilet at a young age, or even retrained from a regular litter box. With porcelain toilets, this trick is much more difficult to pull off - cats are not so willing to get used to it.
Automatic operation of cat litter
Smart toilets certainly make the owner’s life easier, but they do not solve all problems. Moreover, smart toilets have different operating principles. Some smart toilets (usually porcelain) are connected to sewerage, water supply and electricity, while others (plastic dry toilets) are not connected to these communications.
This directly affects the operation of the toilet. In the first case, a person only needs to wash the porcelain toilet occasionally, while in the second, he needs to regularly change the filler and throw away excrement. Typically, a smart cat litter box has a sensor that detects the cat and automatically commands the litter box to clean itself some time after the pet leaves.
But the most primitive models of dry closets may not have a sensor, in which case the excrement slowly slides into the tank along the poured granules. Such dry toilets do not rely on electricity, but at the same time they mask the smell worse.
Important! Smart toilets make quite a loud noise when flushing. This often scares away pets, which is why manufacturers set a certain delay for flushing: the toilet operates only after a certain time after the sensor realizes that the cat has left. However, even this does not always help.
Types of plastic dry toilets
Plastic dry closets come in open and closed types.
Open ones are similar to a regular tray, but are equipped with a reservoir and other attributes of a smart toilet.
The closed ones look like a basket, inside of which there is a tray with granules, as well as other elements of the toilet.
Closed litter boxes mask the smell better and are easier to clean, but adult cats are reluctant to use them. Open ones have these disadvantages, but pets can easily be retrained from regular trays to open automatic ones.
Plastic dry closets differ in the filters they use. Filters are needed to clean granules, absorb moisture, and combat unpleasant odors. The simplest dry toilets are equipped with carbon filters. More complex models have a multi-level filtration system or operate on the principle of replaceable cartridges.
How to choose a quality product?
Before cutting the material, you need to take measurements from the animal.
Having purchased a bag, you no longer have to be afraid that during the water procedure the cat will pull out another trick. Purchasing a device will also significantly save money on trips to grooming salons. But, before purchasing a mesh, you should carefully study the information on the packaging, which displays the maximum permissible number of washes and fabric composition. If you are not sure that you will be able to purchase a quality product, you should try to make it yourself. For this you will need:
- Buy thick mesh fabric.
- Measure the cat's parameters.
- Cut out the bag yourself.
- Fasten the laces.
A product treated with high-quality paint will help avoid unwanted changes in the color of the cat’s fur under the influence of chemicals. You can check the durability by pouring boiling water over the product. Scalding will also help disinfect the bag. Most often, synthetic fabrics are used to make mesh, which have the following properties: easy to wash, dry quickly, and durable in use.
