Hello,

Just wondering how everyone is washing their dirty/bloody cats prior to fleshing...just soak in warm water or use some type of detergent? Let me know you process...
Thanks

I try to avoid it at all costs but when I do have to wash them. I flesh them first and then wash in COLD water with a little shampoo. Dont use warm water. Also if its just a small area, I use the spray thingy on the sink and just rinse that area and blot dry with a towel.

Ive got a couple that I shot calling that got pretty blood soaked so trying to do something with them.

I use water only from the hose into a mop bucket. Wash with my hands only. The mop bucket has a squeeze piece to get the majority of water out. Then I shake it (grab by tail) to get the rest of the water out. Any remaining water comes off while fleshing.

I wash mine with flea shampoo in an old ringer washer with cold water, and then rinse them about 3 times to make sure I get the shampoo out, and then squeeze them through my hand to get most of the water out, then let the hair air dry for a little bit put them on the strechers and flesh them.I know some people that add fabric sofener to the water to give the hair a fluffy look.

For you guys that wash and then flesh. Why do you do it that way? It always seemed to me that if you fleshed and then wash it gets any grease off the fur edges.

I try to avoid wet washing my cats. I do dry wash every cat that I catch, it sure brightens them up.

Steve Woods BobCATching DVD has some great tips on making your cats look their best.

Core

If they are not dirty it would not matter, but when they are dirty the dirt will stain the pelt rather than be clear. If I was not sending to NAFA I would likely use a bit of soap, but NAFA drums pelts which cleans them and fluffs them out to look good.

I wash every cat, I wash them in a washing machine. and use laundry soap with bleach. it helps cut the grease. one word of advice, NEVER use warm water. always cold. the hair will fall out. the spin cycle on the washer helps to get the water out. I wash all of my fur this way. kit foxes to coyotes.I average 40 skins per year, hasnt failed me yet.

cat trapper, is this a trapping only wash machine or the same one you use to wash clothes? I like the idea, but my wife would never let me use our clothes wash machine.

I found a machine at a second hand store bought it for 40 bucks ran a hose to it, works good.

Is there anything you can rub them down with and blow out, after they are dry to help clean and brighten up the white?

If you want to clean them up and they are not bloody just rub borax in the fur after stretching them and let it sit awhile and then use shop vac or leaf blower on them . this will make them look better then washing and makes the fur fuller looking. It will really make those stomaches white.