As the two most popular pets, why do dogs need to be bathed frequently, but cats don't? The main difference lies in their physiological characteristics, behavioral habits, and skin health needs.
Reasons why cats don't need to be bathed frequently
Physiological characteristics:
Cats' skin is relatively thin and sensitive, with a weakly acidic pH, while most bathing products on the market are alkaline. Frequent bathing will disrupt the acid-base balance of the skin and cause skin problems.
There is a layer of oil on the cat's hair, which has the function of protecting the hair and skin. Frequent bathing will excessively remove this layer of oil, making the hair dry, brittle, dull, and easy to break and fall off.
Microbial balance:
There are certain microbial communities on the skin and hair of cats. These microorganisms interact with the cat's immune system to maintain the health of the skin. Frequent bathing will disrupt the microbial balance on the surface of the skin and increase the risk of infection.
Emotional impact:
Most cats don't like water and the process of bathing. Frequent bathing will keep cats in a state of tension and fear for a long time, which may lead to stress reactions, such as loss of appetite, listlessness, and decreased immunity.
Behavior and habits:
Cats are very clean animals. They spend a lot of time licking their fur every day to clean themselves. Therefore, owners do not need to bathe cats frequently.
Reasons why dogs need to be bathed frequently
Behavior and habits:
Dogs often play outside, even rolling in the mud, or looking for poop in the grass, so it is easy to get poop all over their bodies. Therefore, dogs need to be bathed more frequently to stay clean.
Physiological characteristics:
Dogs' hair absorbs dust, microorganisms, parasites in the environment, and dandruff and sebum produced by their own skin. The purpose of bathing is to remove these potential dangers and remove excess sebum.
Skin health needs:
For dogs with healthy skin, it is recommended to bathe every 7 to 14 days. If a dog suffers from a skin disease, the skin secretions increase, and the excessive sebum and dandruff provide conditions for the reproduction of microorganisms such as bacteria or fungi, so more frequent bathing is required, such as two to three times a week.
Summary
The difference in bathing frequency between dogs and cats is determined by their physiological characteristics, behavioral habits, and skin health needs. Dogs need to be bathed more frequently because they often go out to play and their hair easily accumulates dirt. Cats, on the other hand, do not need to be bathed frequently because of their strong self-cleaning ability, sensitive skin, and easy stress response due to bathing. As a pet owner, you should arrange the bathing frequency reasonably according to the specific situation of your pet to ensure their health and comfort.

Categories: pets