PetSpa

[snopes]

Comment: Someone has come up with a new product called the PetSpa, which gives pet owners a fast and easy way to bathe their animals. Well, I don't think it was meant for cats. Watch this clip and decide.

http://www.evtv1.com/player.aspx?itemnum=6537

[vanilla]

That was horrible.

Maybe because I have a thing about enclosing creatures in air-tight spaces and then adding water. I have to admit that for a second there I thought the poor thing was going to be drowned when they started adding water - apparently, so did the cat.

My cats are getting extra special love tonight - without water added.

[Muncle]

Wow...
PETA should be all over this one.
I was startled just when they closed the door...
I think he thought he was going to die.
I prefer the old-fashioned way to this, it's still more humane to me than that is to him

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to cuddle my cat.

[Gibbie]

The clip appeared on YouTube about two months ago. The description with the video says:

Before you send the hate...read below:

A pet supply store offers a "pet spa". It was a device that will wash and dry your pet (10mins). After fighting with cats in the past. We decided to try it. The pet store told us that cats love it. As you can see he didn't like it. We stopped after 50 seconds. I wouldn't recommend this service.

When I went looking for it again just now, I saw the following was added to the original description:

===Update====
After CNN featured this video on Feb.2nd, they reported that Pet Spa, the makers of the washer, was losing business and blaming our Kitty, Pumpkin, for showing their product in a bad light. They want the video pulled by Youtube so our Kitty Wash video will be gone soon. (I cant see how they could sue me since I could sue them for tramatising my cat. The uncut version has the employee ensuring me that the kitty would be fine.) ... (more) (less)

The machine is made by PetSpa. They really do advertise that it causes less stress for pets and owners. I think they're wrong.

Gibbie

[bobs]

best way to bath a cat is to wrap it in a towel and gently lower it into a sink with a few inches of water, if you keep it calm and wash a bit at a time, its possible to do it with neither party getting hurt.

I have3 cats and 4 small kids. filthy combination.

Originally Posted by Gibbie

The machine is made by PetSpa. They really do advertise that it causes less stress for pets and owners. I think they're wrong.

Gibbie

I think you're right. For the most part. That cat certainly didn't look any kind of relaxed. And judging by the way people here talk about their cats, they would never do anything like that. My wife loves cats, too, and would die if she saw that video. (She accidentally killed a cat in the dryer once).

However, the casual pet owners, you know, the ones who only remember to feed them twice a week, never pay attention to them... They would love something like this. On the other hand, they wouldn't spend the money on it anyway.

[geminilee]

Put a window screen in the tub to bathe cats. It gives them something to hold onto and feel more secure, something that isn't part of your anatomy. Also, if you have a new kitten, wash the heck out of it with very mild soap, like at least once a week. By the time it is big enough to do real damage it will be used to the bath.

[bthyb]

We put a harness on our cats and attach the leash to the sink faucet. Then we pour warm water from a cup onto the cat, lather, rinse.

They don't love it, but they're not traumatised, either.

[black roses19]

Originally Posted by geminilee

Also, if you have a new kitten, wash the heck out of it with very mild soap, like at least once a week. By the time it is big enough to do real damage it will be used to the bath.

Agreed. I got Cap'n Jack at 5 weeks old and have been bathing him at least once a week since then. He yells a little, but that's the extent of his protests. He's just used to it by now.

[Muncle]

Originally Posted by PrometheusX303

However, the casual pet owners, you know, the ones who only remember to feed them twice a week, never pay attention to them... They would love something like this. On the other hand, they wouldn't spend the money on it anyway.

I have another word for them...

[Eddylizard]

Originally Posted by PrometheusX303

).

However, the casual pet owners, you know, the ones who only remember to feed them twice a week, never pay attention to them... They would love something like this. On the other hand, they wouldn't spend the money on it anyway.

I think from this page on their website, the target market is pet grooming parlours, rather than rich lazy pet owners.

After all at six feet long and a quarter of a ton, how many people would want one in their house?

Originally Posted by Eddylizard

I think from this page on their website, the target market is pet grooming parlours, rather than rich lazy pet owners.

After all at six feet long and a quarter of a ton, how many people would want one in their house?

It would be a similar situation, then. What loving pet owner would want to subject their pet to that? Unless, of course, they don't actually see what it does.

My town has a small pet boarding and grooming business. I could watch the owner washing the animals. She was very gentle but also quick and efficient. It was easy to see that she cared for the animals.