Can I Use Dog Shampoo On My Cat. You can wash a cat with a shampoo meant for a dog. The two animals may very well be different in terms of both size and temperament but one thing they have in common is that they are both mammals.
So using the same type of shampoo on either animal seems logical enough. What you might not know about dogs is that their canine hair follicles have an affinity for active ingredients found in flea medications like the insecticide permethrin.
Which has toxic properties that aren’t even safe for dogs. Because cats don’t possess the Fc-epsilon receptor protein dogs do, it would be medically prudent to never use any canine medicated products intended for use on man’s best friend on your feline companion.
Can I Use Dog Shampoo On My Cat
If your cat is dirty and you’ve never bathed one before, you’re definitely curious about cat shampoos. Because specialty cat shampoos are difficult to come by, normal dog shampoo for cats may suffice. Cats are said to dislike water and should not be bathed frequently, so if you decide to use dog shampoo on your cat, make sure you don’t get any in their eyes or ears.
Bathing a Cat
There are plenty of natural substances that are harmless to you but harmful to your cat. These include certain fertilizers, liquid dish detergents, and even things such as chocolate or garlic.
If you suspect something might be toxic to them, seek the help of an animal expert before proceeding.
Why Not
Using dog shampoo on cats may trigger harmful side effects for one’s dear feline friend. This can happen by making a few simple mistakes it happens when one assumes that dog and cat shampoos are identical because they’re not.
Dog shampoos contain ingredients that are not made for cats and should never be used since these ingredients are completely toxic to felines.
Some of the ingredients to be clear of include tar, tea tree oils, selenium sulfite, and permethrin which can cause serious problems because using dog shampoo on cats is often assumed to be harmless due to their familiar relationship with dogs.
If You Use Dog Shampoo On Cats
You should never use dog shampoo on cats, as it can be very dangerous for them. While some dog shampoos are safe for your dog, they tend to either contain ingredients that are toxic to cats such as permethrin or essential oils.
Permethrin is a topical pesticide that’s usually added to flea shampoos used by dogs.
It is extremely toxic to cats, and since essential oils aren’t very toxic to dogs, these ingredients might be included in small amounts in most dog shampoos for their scent or for soothing or flea-repellent properties.
Dog Shampoo pH
The hair that makes up a cat’s coat is different than a dog’s in several ways, including its pH level (.01 – as opposed to 6.5 of a dog).
A cat’s pH is more acidic than dogs with a pH of 6 (vs. 6.5), while the dog shampoo likely has a higher ph (7 vs. 6).
It might not sound like much, but it will have a huge impact on the shine and softness of their coat AND the ability to groom themselves.
FAQs
What Can I Use Instead Of Cat Shampoo?
You can use a variety of goods to clean your cats instead of cat shampoos. These goods include soaps and shampoos for both people and other animals, such as Johnson & Johnson’s baby shampoo and Dawn dishwashing liquid soap.
Avoid using anything neutral or scented for human use, as this may prove harmful to your cat and possibly even toxic.
Conclusion
You should avoid using dog shampoo on your cat. The main reason you should stay away from it is that the pH level in dog shampoo can be very different from the pH level of your cat’s skin and hair, in addition to potentially including flea medication or essential oils which could be harmful to your pet. We hope you enjoyed reading about why it’s not such a good idea to use dog shampoo on your cat.