Many the us have dogs and cats as family pets, and since we bathe our dogs much more than cats, it’s herbal to wonder if we can go ahead and use the dog shampoo on ours cats. The short answer is no, yes sir a an excellent chance her dog shampoo will be harmful to her cat, but there room a few exceptions we deserve to discuss.

You are watching: Can i use hartz dog shampoo on cats

Join us while us take an thorough look at the dangers and also safety precautions forced for utilizing dog shampoo on her cat.

*
Should ns Bathe my Cat?

The an initial question you might be questioning is if you have to bathe her cat. We’re all acquainted with the sight of our cats consistently cleaning themselves almost non-stop. Cats also hate water and also can come to be quite aggressive around getting far from it while do the efforts to to wash them.

*
Image Credit: tookapic, PixabayThe best reason to on regular basis bathe your cat is to acquire them offered to the water in the occasion that they get into miscellaneous that calls for a bath. If your cat has no experience getting wet and they conference a skunk or dangerous chemistry you don’t want them to ingest, you have the right to be in because that a real difficulty when you try to placed them in the water. Early and frequent socialization through bathwater have the right to make the procedure much simpler for both you and also the cat.

Related Read: How come Bathe your Kitten: 5 straightforward Steps (With Video)

*

Why Dog Shampoo danger to my Cat?

Here are a few reasons no to usage dog shampoo on her cat.

Permethrin

The main thing you have to worry about when making use of dog shampoo top top a cat is flea and also tick medication. Your dog’s flea medicine is much different than cats, and it deserve to be toxic to your pet. Dog flea medication consists of a chemical called permethrin that is for sure for dogs but dangerous come use approximately cats. It’s so dangerous that many vets recommend keeping the dog and cats separate for a time after applying the medication to your dog to mitigate the hazard of your cat getting too close.



pH

The hair that provides up a cat’s cloak is various than a dog in numerous ways, including length, thickness, and also pH. The pH of a cat shampoo is much more acidic than dogs with a pH the 6, if the dog shampoo is likely closer to 7.5. It could not sound like a huge difference, but it will have a vast impact on the shine and also softness the the coat, and also it might also affect their ability to groom themselves.



Essential Oils

Dog shampoos have the right to contain crucial oils like tea tree oil in concentration that have the right to be harmful to cats. While dogs are likewise sensitive to necessary oils, many products contain a little amount the tea tree oil because of that is antibacterial and antifungal properties. In tiny amounts, that can assist your dog recuperate from skin irritations and bug bites, particularly from fleas. However, also an amount considered safe for dogs can have serious consequences for a cat, so friend shouldn’t usage it.



Tar

Tar is another ingredient in countless dog shampoos for its therapeutic value. However, there is no worth in tar for a cat, and applying it come their fur can take away their ability to groom themselves, resulting in the cat to become dirty again quickly and also adding significant stress to the cat.

*
Image Credit: KDdesignphoto, Pixabay

Shampoo Alternatives

There room a few alternatives come a shampoo the you deserve to use in a tie that is better for your cat’s wellness than dog shampoo and also will work good in one emergency. Prior to you use any type of product, make sure to check out the label and avoid using any kind of products the contain tea tree oil, glycerin, lavender, peppermint, and also jojoba.

Natural Soap

There are plenty of brands of organic soap that carry out not use any kind of harmful perfume or ingredients. Pure Casile fluid soap is a good option that isn’t as well expensive, however there are many other comparable soaps obtainable also.

The downside to using natural soaps is the they have the right to leave an unpleasant flavor top top the fur that your cats don’t enjoy.



Dish Soap

You can use several brands of food soap, if it no contain vital oils. The most renowned brand to use is Dawn, and it will certainly also help rid your cat of any type of fleas it might have picked up. The soap is usually gentle ~ above the skin yet effective for removing dirt, grime, and also chemicals.

The fence to making use of dish soap is the they are really effective at break up oils, causing dry, itchy skin if offered too often.

*
Image Credit: KDdesignphoto, Pixabay

Dog and also Cat Shampoo

Unless it’s severe emergency, the best thing come use when bathing your cat is cat shampoo. There room dozens of brand available, every formulated come clean her cat safely. A cat shampoo will certainly leave her cat with a soft coat the smalls nice without irritating your skin or making use of harmful ingredients. Numerous brands permit you come clean her cat there is no the require for water, which allows you come sidestep the most complicated part of shower them.

Using Shampoo for sure on your Pets

In current years, there has actually been a huge increase of brands that case they are an ideal for dogs and also cats and also may even be appropriate for rodents and also horses. If these products are safe for your cat and don’t contain any type of of the harmful chemicals we have actually mentioned, it’s unlikely to work as well as a cat or dog shampoo since of pH and other components unique to the cloak of each animal.

We recommend only using dog and also cat shampoo if you have actually a large number of animals, and the cost of to buy separate species is cost-prohibitive, or you space unable to discover a brand in your neighborhood store.

*
Conclusion

You have to avoid making use of dog shampoo on your cat, mainly due to the fact that it might contain harmful flea medicine or necessary oils. If you recognize the shampoo no contain those ingredients, you deserve to probably gain away through using it once, but it will most likely dry out your pet’s skin due to the pH difference. You space much better off going v a shampoo for cats, or at least one that specifically says it’s because that cats and also dogs to save your cat coat clean and soft there is no damaging or irritating the skin.

We hope you have delighted in reading end our discussion about the proper form of shampoo to use on her cat. If you have learned something new and think the can assist others, please share this overview to what you should know around using dog shampoo on a cat ~ above Facebook and Twitter.

See more: You Belong With Me Junior Jewels T Shirt In Music Video? You Belong With Me



An American expat living in metro Manila, Philippines for over a decade, Christian is a lifelong cat lover and the proud papa of 2 rescue cats, Trixie and Chloe. Both girls to be formerly among the droves the strays that roam the cities and also countryside. Three-year-old Trixie was pulled indigenous a litter found under the porch that a neighbor’s house, while two-year-old Chloe was brought home by Christian’s young son, Henry, who uncovered the kitten crying in the parking lot. As Editor in chef of tasiilaq.net, Christian is thrilled to it is in a part of the pro-feline movement.