Outdoor cats have their own grooming and bathing requirements. Encounters, such as those with skunks or unpleasant materials, will require a bath. Further, outdoor cats can acquire fleas or other parasites that, again, will require a bath.

If you're prone to allergies, bathing and grooming your cat can help. Cats groom themselves with their own saliva, which ultimately dries on the fur, and in their saliva is a substance containing allergens that can lead to allergic reactions like itching and sneezing. By bathing your cat, you can remove that substance and help reduce your allergies.

Ideally, cats should be brushed every day or two and bathed about four times a year. More frequent bathing will be required if your cat is exposed to fleas, skunks or the like, or if someone in your family is allergic to cat dander.

Previous about grroming and bathing your cat.