Washing my diabetic cat without a fight

I am looking for advice on how to bathe my cat Ollie. He is an 8-year-old tabby who has been diagnosed with diabetes. He is currently on insulin injections and has a skin issue on his hind legs that the vet said needs to be kept clean.

The problem is that Ollie is very afraid of water and restraint. He hisses and scratches when I try to pick him up. I am worried that the stress of a bath could cause his blood sugar to spike. I have tried using a regular bath mat, but he slips around and gets more agitated.

Does anyone have a technique that works for a cat who is both diabetic and afraid of water? I want to keep him clean without causing him too much distress.

I have a calico named Mittens who is also a bit of a fighter. I found that using a non-slip rubberized mat makes a huge difference. It gives the cat something to grip, which stops the panic. Also, I always have a second person hold the cat by the shoulders while I do the washing. It takes the pressure off you and keeps the cat from twisting.

Since Ollie is diabetic, you might want to check out this thread about stress and blood sugar. It has some good points on why minimizing handling time is important.

@mikej64 Thank you. I did not think about the slipping. Ollie does slide around on the plastic mat I have. I will look for a rubber one.

I read that thread but I am still worried about the physical struggle. Is there a specific way to hold him that you recommend? I do not want to hurt him or get hurt myself.

My mainecoon Rex is 10 and he actually likes the water part, but he hates being dried off. I use a large, soft towel and just wrap him up like a burrito. It takes a bit of time but he stops struggling once he is wrapped.

For the holding, I have found that a gentle but firm grip around the chest works. You can see more about that in this thread about safe restraint. It is not about squeezing, it is about limiting his ability to twist his hips.

I will be honest, I stopped bathing my Willow when she turned 11. She is a senior and her joints are not what they used to be. The stress of the bath was doing more damage than the dirt was.

I use unscented baby wipes and a little water in a spray bottle to clean the areas that need it. It is not a full bath, but it keeps her clean enough. You might want to look at this thread about alternatives to bathing to see if that works for Ollie. Sometimes less is more, especially with older cats.

@SparrowHollow That is a good point. Ollie is not quite as old as Willow, but I can see how the stress could be bad for him.

I will try the wipes for now. Do you have any advice on how to dry him if I do end up giving him a bath? I do not have a blow dryer that is quiet enough, and the loud noise scares him. I saw this thread about drying without a dryer but I am not sure if the methods there are safe for a diabetic cat.

I would avoid the blow dryer for sure. The heat can be bad for the skin, and the noise is stressful.

For the skin issue, you might want to check this thread about home care for skin irritations. It has some tips on using a gentle cleanser that does not need to be rinsed out as much. That could help with the drying time too.