Munnima need not Bathe. Ever!

Munnima just did not like to bathe. You should have seen what a tantrum the little one threw while being bathed! Then, one fine day, it was decided once and for all that Munnima would not be given a bath – PerhapsNEVER!
My dear readers, this is not a fiction. This is a true story of Munnima ,our beloved pet.
Do you have a pet cat? For more than a decade we had nearly forty pet cats! Not surprisingly, then, we have many true cattales in our kitty! Here is one which holds useful information for you if you have a pet cat or intend to get one.
Munnima was a tomcat. When we rescued him and brought him into our lives, we did not know its gender and that explains the feminine name that he got! At that point of time, we did not know much about cat care. Munnima encouraged us to learn. And we did.
The first lesson was on bathing a cat. Munnima violently protested having a bath, claws and all. What to do? We decided to consult our vet, the late Dr. Telang. He ran his pet clinic for small animals at Sion, Mumbai. So,Munnima was cajoled into a basket and taken for his first visit to the doctor. Munnima slept peacefully through the drive in her basket on my lap. At the doctor’s too he seemed fairly calm, which surprised the doctor as well. Perhaps the blessed cat intuitively knew that whatever would happen next would be in his favor! After examining him thoroughly, the doctor placed him back in his basket that was kept on the examining table. He told us that health-wise,Munnima was fine. Then, he explained to us that cats hate taking a bath and one need not bother bathing them unless it was absolutely necessary.
Cats are blessed with a sand-paper like, strong, long and versatile tongue. With its help, they can effectively lick themselves clean. For a cat, its saliva is akin to soap and shampoo for a human being. Moreover, cat’s saliva stimulates the glands of its skin to disburse natural oils through its skin and fur.
However, the doctor stressed, “If Munnima is not grooming himself properly, has matted hair and smells, take him to a vet to rule out any underlying health problem.”
And then, as if, to resolve the bath issue once and for all, Munnima climbed out of its basket, sat on the examining table and diligently groomed itself.
“See!” exclaimed the vet. “There is really no need to bathe a cat!”
Moral of the story: It is enough for cats to lick themselves clean. If you must bathe them, choose to do so in a small locked space to ensure they do not escape. To protect yourself from being clawed at, use gloves and cover yourself well.