Can You Use Dog Shampoo on Cats & Kittens? and What Happens If You Do?

Hey Pet Parents & Pet Lovers,

As you may already know, I used to work at a pet store and I used to get some really tricky questions I had to answer.

One question that kept coming up was “Can you use Dog Shampoo on Cats?”  My response always started with, “Unfortunately, this can be a tricky question to answer as it highly depends on the ingredients and brands.”

The safest way to answer this question is: read the instructions on the bottle.

There are certain products, like brushes, where dog branded products are exactly the same as cat branded products. Marketing and Packaging Teams will still brand based on species make it easier for pet parents to choose a product to use for their little ones. In essence, it’s a lot less confusing for consumers to buy scissors that are marketed as “for cats” rather than just as scissors “for pets.”

Although this is true, most bottles of shampoo will explicitly state (usually in smaller print) whether or not products can be used on multiple species. It is usually phrased as “for all pet use” or “for cats and dogs” while others will say things like “only for use on dogs” or “for dogs only.”

When feeling unsure, always go for the cat-specific bottles to be extra safe.

If your pet store is completely out of “cat” products or doesn’t provide them for any strange reason, you can usually get away with using “puppy” shampoo as it is a lot milder than “dog” shampoo. I would probably recommend calling the company (or seeing if an employee has previously called the company) to make sure that it is okay!

Most companies have a very open customer service team that is very happy to answer your questions. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve called or e-mailed companies to make sure I understood what was in their products and why they worked (if they worked…)

That being said, always make sure you talk to floor staff in pet stores, especially because most have access to information shared by the supplier as well as information about products that are passed from store to store.

*Photo from What Can I Wash My Cat/Kitten With? Is Dish Soap/Detergent Safe?

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO USE CAT-SPECIFIC SHAMPOO?

Due to the fact that cats are biologically built different than dogs, cats have different sensitivities than dogs. That being said, some dog shampoos will cause irritation rashes or other ailments to your cat’s body.

Sometimes folks will use Dish Detergent to clean their cats. This is a bit of a gray area for me, and while I admit it is effective, you will want to read my more in-depth post about the pros and cons of using dish detergents.

WELL, JOHNNY, WHAT ARE SOME INGREDIENTS TO AVOID?

To be completely honest, I’m not the biggest expert on skin problems, but in my limited knowledge tea tree oil causes the most problems. Tea tree oil is found in a lot of dog shampoos and has proven to be harmful to our smaller furball friends, most commonly causing skin and rash problems.

Other harmful ingredients you’d be surprised to find in dog shampoo are tar and Selenium sulphite, these ingredients commonly lead to dry skin and dandruff.

There are also a number of essential oils that are fine to use on dogs and humans but may cause some problems for your kitties. So that being said, the fewer ingredients you find on the bottle, the higher the chance your cat will be okay with it!

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  Magic Coat Cat Tearless Shampoo, 12-Ounce

  Price: $6.14

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I DON’T GET WHAT THE BIG DEAL IS… ARE THERE ANY OTHER SIDE EFFECTS OF USING DOG SHAMPOO?

Well, actually it doesn’t stop at skin and fur.

Some ingredients are actually toxic to your kitty and since cats are different than dogs in the way that they clean themselves, they are at a higher risk of ingesting the shampoo. If cats are not thoroughly rinsed after they are washed with a toxic shampoo, they may end up getting it in their mouths when they clean themselves. Toxic ingredients found in dog shampoos have been known to cause nausea, diarrhea and vomiting.

Dependant on how much of the shampoo the cat has ingested these three symptoms can be detrimental or fatal as all three lead to dehydration. If your cat shows any of these symptoms after a bath make sure to take them to the vet immediately. Again, dependant on how severe, your vet may recommend IV Fluids as well as a flush of their system.

SO WHAT’S YOUR CONSENSUS?

Well, simply put… be very careful if you’re going to use a product that isn’t branded is “cat.”

There’s never a simple answer to these questions but I always recommend doing some extra research as you already have.

Keep in mind, even if something is branded “cat” it’s in your best interest to take a quick look at the ingredients. The main three ingredients you want to make sure to avoid being tea tree oils, Selenium sulfite or tar.