Dry Shampoo for Cats

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The best dry shampoo for cats will keep your cat's fur clean and healthy, and is a very good alternative to inconvenient baths!

There is a great range of dry shampoo for cats available on the markets, and we have reviewed the best products in some detail later in this article.

If you are in a hurry, then check out our top choices in this easy to use table.

The Benefits of Using Dry Shampoo for Cats

If you have a cat in the house, then you already know they’re not too keen on bathing. To the point that some would outright kick and scratch to avoid the tub!

It is important to keep your cat's fur clean and healthy, and although cats do a good job of grooming themselves this basic hygiene is not always enough to keep them clean. 

Some cats can have a skin condition which requires extra treatment, while they may also suffer from a few crawlers in their fur. A dry shampoo will also do a more thorough job of cleaning fur, especially if they have just been out playing in the dirt and mud.

Giving your cat a bath is an option for a cleaning routine, but as cat's dislike this so much a dry shampoo provides an easy to use and excellent alternative. 

The Features Required of a Dry Shampoo for Cats

Cats are unique in their looks, attitudes, and also in their specific hygiene requirements. 

You certainly want to make sure your cat gets the right product that will make her happy. So, here are a few pointers on what to look for in a dry shampoo. 

Form of the Dry Shampoo

Dry shampoo comes in several forms, so you can choose the one that your cat likes best. Also, the one you find easier to apply. Here are the main types.

Liquid in a Bottle

This is the regular shampoo form most of us are familiar with. In its dry shampoo form, it’s pretty effective, but you need to massage it a little, and dry it thoroughly with a towel afterwards. You should also be careful not to spill too much from the bottle.   

Mousse and Foam 

Mousse hair grooming products are quite popular with human folk. That’s why applying them on our cats seems easy and natural. 

They do, however, need a bit of massaging into the cat’s hair. Then, once the mousse has done its job, it should be towelled dry. That’s because it leaves your cat’s fur a bit humid.

As you might know, not all cats like that kind of handling, so you could move on to the next options. 

Powder

Powdering is a less touchy-feely form of dry shampoo grooming, you just sprinkle it on your cat’s coat. 

Most products leave the cat’s hair ‘white’. It’s best to brush the powder softly a few minutes after application. This way, you’d get rid of the excess powder, in addition to all the dirt that it cleaned up.   

Spray  

Aerosols and sprays have a variety of formulas, and they’re more common than the precious types. There’s a reason we mentioned it last, though. That’s because cats aren’t too fond of sprayers, and some are outright frightened by them. 

To get the best results, be careful as you spray your cat, and start with its middle part. Go down towards its tail and hind legs, then finally its head. Steer clear from the nose and eyes, especially, if the shampoo is scented.  

Usage

There are several reasons why people resort to using dry shampoo for their cats. Here are a few of them. 

1. The cat really doesn’t like water baths.

2. You have an ageing cat that doesn’t take too well to bathing.

3. Bathing your baby cat with water doesn’t feel right.

4. It’s too cold and bathing your cat doesn’t seem prudent.

5. You’re away from your home on a holiday. 

6. Your cat loves playing in the garden and frequently comes back in need of cleaning.

7. Your cat’s skin is in need of moisturization. 

8. Your cat has an itch or another skin condition. 

9. You noticed a few crawlers in your cat’s fur.

10. Your cat occasionally smells and you’d rather neutralize that.

11. You’re away from the house and your cat vomits or gets some excrement on its fur.

12. You want to spruce up your cat’s fur before going to an event. 

The right shampoo for your pet would be the one that best matches your usage. 

Ingredients 

I prefer going for natural products as much as possible. The main reason is often using pet-safe,  eco-friendly substances, but in this particular case there are a few more perks. 

Natural ingredients like aloe, camomile, lavender, and oats, are quite beneficial to a cat’s skin. Aloe and camomile are known to soothe itchy dry skin, while the mild scent of lavender leaves a kitty relaxed and cheery.

Age appropriateness

Kittens often have very different requirements in their care, nutrition, and comfortable temperature, from adult cats. It’s no wonder then that they’d need grooming products specific to their young age.

These dry shampoos are often milder and rarely come in heavily scented forms. 

The Top 5 Dry Shampoo for Cats Reviewed

Here are our favourite dry shampoo brands for grooming your cat. We cherry-picked a wide variety of forms, features, and price points to suit most requirements.

Vet's Best Natural Waterless Cat Bath  

This dry shampoo is a general usage, moisturizing formula, that incorporates natural ingredients for cleaning and nourishing your pet’s hair. It’s a light foam that you apply by massaging it on your cat’s hair, and it doesn’t need any subsequent rinsing at all.  

Vet’s Best foam contains oatmeal, vitamin E, chamomile, and aloe vera. This is a wonderful combination to keep your cat’s skin clean, soothed, and healthy. This shows right away in a bit more shine and glam on her fur. 

You can safely use this dry shampoo on cats 12 weeks or older. And if you’re applying a topical treatment for fleas on your cat, it shouldn’t be a problem, as this product isn’t known to react with such medications. 

On top of all that, it comes at a highly affordable price, and that’s always a plus.

Animology Glamour Puss No Rinse Cat Shampoo, Peach  

This dry shampoo takes the form a deodorizing spray that is applied to the cat's fur, removing dirt and grease without the need to rinse.

It includes aloe vera which helps to protect the skin, as well as built in conditioners which will leave your cat's fur in great condition.

The spray includes a mild peach scent for long lasting freshness, and can be applied by spraying directly on to the fur or on to a grooming tool if your cats doesn't like sprayers.

The Animology Glamour Puss shampoo can be used on kittens from 12 weeks old and is SLS, SLES, paraben and alcohol free.

TropiClean Hypoallergenic Waterless Shampoo 

The TropiClean is a lot like the Pet Head dry shampoo, although it offers a pleasant coconut smell rather than peach. 

There’s also the fact that this one is a mousse and the previous one was a spray. So you might want to bear that in mind as well. Cats do have preferences when it comes to liking being sprayed or getting massaged with the shampoo. 

You can use TropiClean for baby cats 12 weeks and up, as its formula is easy on the skin. It’s pH-balanced, and free from aggressive chemicals. 

This shampoo is perfectly fine on its own, so you don’t need prior wetting or subsequent rinsing of your cat’s hair. That makes it a brilliant on-the-go grooming solution. 

Nilaqua Natural Waterless Pet Shampoo

The Nilaqua waterless pet shampoo is more than just a casual spruce up for your cat. It contains some natural oils known for their bug-repellent effect. 

It’s also quite effective in removing dirt, waste, and unpleasant smells from your cat’s fur. It’s not an on-the-go solution, as liquid shampoos do leave a bit wetness after application.

It needs a little massaging on your cat’s skin, and toweling her dry. But then, you’ll end up with an Aristo cat smelling like fresh mulberry.  

This shampoo is mild and balanced, with mostly natural ingredients. So you can use it on kittens, baby cats, older cats, and pretty much any other pet around your house. 

Croci Gill's Dry Powder Shampoo

Cats' hair sometimes feels greasy and sticky, especially after actively playing. They might also get some excitement or urine on themselves on occasion. And the answer can’t always be putting them in the bathtub. 

Applying cleaning powder is a much simpler solution that does the job well. It wouldn’t bother your cat, and it would restore its fur’s splendour in minutes. Croci Gill’s dry powder is quite easy to apply, as you just sprinkle it. 

To get fine results with it, it’s best to give your cat a thorough brushing afterwards. This removes the excess powder, plus the grease and any other dirt clinging on its hair. This grooming product is also easy on the pocket, and that’s always much appreciated.

Summary

A good dry cat shampoo makes a great alternative to water baths, especially as cat's hate water so much.

With so many excellent products on the market, you should be able to find a shampoo that keeps your cat clean and fits in with your budget. You may want to try a few different options such as a spray, a mousse and a powder - just to see which one works best for you and your cat.

If you enjoyed this article, check out our other reviews in the Health and Grooming category including the best flea treatment for cats, the best flea collar, the best wormer and the best cat brush to keep your cat's fur nice and shiny.