Can you use baby shampoo on cats? Most cats are pretty good at grooming themselves, but when they get dirty enough you can be left with no choice but to give them a bath. If that’s the case, baby shampoo can work if you’re in a pinch, but it’s not the best choice for your cat’s skin and hair health.
Can I Use Baby Shampoo On My Cat?
Yes, you can use baby shampoo on cats, but it’s usually better to use a cat shampoo that’s specially formulated for cats.
Baby shampoo is a good cat shampoo alternative if you have some on hand since it’s made to be gentle on a babies skin, and tearless baby shampoo has the added benefit that it won’t irritate your cat’s eyes while you’re giving them a bath.
Even though baby shampoo is gentler than regular human shampoo it still can strip the protective oils that keep your cats fur from drying out. This can make their hair brittle and prone to breakage, which can lead to excessive shedding and furball problems.
That’s why you should always try to use a cat shampoo if you want to keep your cat’s skin and hair from drying out. In addition, most cat shampoos also contain Aloe Vera and protective oils that most baby shampoos lack. These ingredients can help protect a cat’s delicate skin, and they can keep their fur from falling out.
Can You Use Human Shampoo On Cats?
Most human shampoo is way too harsh to use to bathe a cat. Regular human shampoo can also contain substances that can be harmful to a cat. The only decent cat shampoo alternative is baby shampoo, but even baby shampoo has its own drawbacks.
Difference Between Human and Cats Skin
In order to understand whether you can use baby shampoo on cats, you need to understand that human skin is far different than that of a cat.
Human skin is acidic since it usually has an average pH of about 5.5, and most human shampoos and soaps are made to match that. While a cats skin, on the other hand, tends to have a pH level of 7.0 to 7.5, which means a cat needs to be washed with a pH balanced shampoo to keep their skin from drying out.
Best Cat Shampoo
| Image | Name | Rating | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Espree Natural Silky Show Cat Shampoo |  | |
 | FURminator Hairball Control Shampoo, 8.5-Ounce | |
Earthbath Cat Shampoo and Conditioner
Earthbath Cat Shampoo and Conditioner (Buy Online) is a very gentle Hypo-Allergenic shampoo that’s 100% safe to use on a cat. This shampoo uses all-natural plant-derived ingredients that are sourced in the USA and it is completely non-toxic. Earthbath Cat Shampoo is also pH balanced and it contains natural conditioners to keep your cat’s fur shiny and tangle-free.
Earthbath Cat Shampoo uses the most gentle cat shampoo ingredients that are all-natural and biodegradable, so they are safe for both the environment and your cat. The main ingredients in this shampoo are Coconut based cleansers, Organic Aloe Vera, vitamins A, B, D & E, and it has a wonderful botanical cherry fragrance.
The coconut-based cleansers in this shampoo will gently remove dirt without stripping the protective oils off your cat. While the Aloe Vera serves as a conditioner that helps keep your cat’s hair soft and smooth. In addition, Aloe Vera can also heal dry skin, and it can help reduce dandruff.
Overall this is one of the best all-around cat shampoos if you really need to give your cat a bath. It will help ensure your cat is always looking and smelling their best, and it will definitely keep your cat’s skin healthy without having to resort to using baby shampoo which can dry a cats skin out.
Espree Natural Silky Show Cat Shampoo
Espree Natural Silky Show Cat Shampoo (Buy Online) is one of the best cat shampoo options for long-haired cats. This shampoo is the go-to shampoo for most show cat breeders since it contains special proteins that nourish a cats fur and give it a silky smooth shine, and it can also help prevent tangles and matted hair.
The main ingredients in Espree Natural Silky Show Cat Shampoo are Organic Aloe Vera, Coconut Cleansers, Vitamin B5, Jojoba Oil, Vitamins A, D, & E, Safflower Oil, and Silk Protein.
Jojoba Oil acts as a very effective moisturizer that can help replenish and rejuvenate your cat’s skin every time you give them a bath. While the Silk proteins will help strengthen your cat’s fur and give them a luster the can’t be matched.
Espree Natural Silky Show Cat Shampoo also has a very subtle fragrance that won’t overpower you or your cat. This bottle of cat shampoo will also last quite a while since it contains enough shampoo for up to 6 to 8 baths.
FURminator Hairball Control Shampoo, 8.5-Ounce
FURminator Hairball Control Shampoo (Buy Online) is an excellent cat shampoo if your cat is coughing up furballs all over the place. This shampoo is made to be used monthly as part of a regular grooming regimen to help limit loose and damaged hair from falling off your cat.
The main ingredients in FURminator Hairball Control Shampoo are Surfactants, Wheat Protein, Oat Protein, Omega 3 & 6 Fatty Acids, Cranberry Seed Oil, Calendula Extract, Vitamin E, Chamomile, Aloe, Papaya, Safflower Oil, Sunflower Oil, and Glycerin.
The Wheat and Oat proteins found in this shampoo will help soothe any irritation on a cats skin which might be causing excessive hair loss. The Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids also help nourish a cats skin, and they will help coat a cats fur with a protective layer of healthy fats.
The other plant extracts in this shampoo will help heal a cats skin and some of them act as antioxidants that help reduce oxidative stress. The best thing is that all of the ingredients in the FURminator Hairball Control Shampoo work in conjunction to keep your cats hair healthy from the follicle all the way to the end of the hair shaft.
How to Bathe a Cat Without Getting Scratched
If you have a cat that isn’t fond of bath time then you’d probably like to know how to bathe a cat without getting scratched. Most cats dislike water, and they also don’t like feeling trapped. When you put these two situations together it can cause them to lash out and scratch.
One way to avoid this is to use scratch-proof grooming gloves (Buy Online) that can help protect your hands, but sadly they won’t do much to protect your arms and face from an attack.
Luckily there is a good solution to reduce the risk of injury when you’re giving your cat a bath. The CatYou Cat Grooming Bag (Buy Online) is a bite and scratch resistant mesh bag that you can put on your cat before you give them a bath.
The CatYou Grooming Bag is made of a soft mesh fabric that allows water to pass through so you can lather up your cat and rinse them off inside the bag. The bag will keep you protected from your cat’s teeth and claws while you wash them, and it also helps keep them in place so they can’t run out of the bath while they are soaking wet.
How to Bathe a Cat That Hates Water
Everyone knows cats absolutely detest getting wet, and this can make it almost impossible to give a cat a bath. If you’ve tried everything possible to give your cat a normal bath to no avail then you’re going to need to give your cat a waterless bath.
There are a number of waterless cat shampoos available that are just as effective as regular water-based cat shampoo. These waterless cat shampoos can either be applied as a spray or foam, and they make it easy to quickly clean off any dirt or foul odors that might be lingering on your cat.
If you’re interested in learning more about waterless cat shampoos you can read this article to find out how to bathe a cat that can’t stand to get wet.
READ: How To Wash a Cat Without Water
How to Bathe a Cat
Difference Between Human and Cat Shampoo
Human Shampoo Ingredients:
The chemicals used in human shampoo are much harsher than cat shampoo ingredients and they can contain substances that are toxic to cats.
Human Shampoo pH:
The pH of most human shampoo is usually far too acidic to be used on a cat. A good cat shampoo will have a neutral pH that is much gentler on a cats skin and fur.
Skin Sensitivities:
Human shampoo can cause skin dryness and it will strip the protective oils off your cat’s fur. This is especially true for a kitten since the have very thin skin that can easily dry out. That’s why you should always use a specially formulated cat shampoo on a kitten since even a baby shampoo can be harsh on the delicate skin of a young cat.
