With the addition of Kitten Miri (by the way, the “Kitten” designation will be permanent, so deal) the annual bath ritual at Maru’s house is becoming a major event, lacking only an opening ceremony and a halftime concert to pad it out. This year our first competitor is Hana, who wins the award for Best Meowing, followed by the always stoic and passive Maru.
And finally, Kitten Miri (yes, I said “Kitten” and I meant “Kitten”!) steps up to experience the wonderful world of suds, which she handles like a pro, even adding some paw shakes as a flourish. Finally, the family steps out into the backyard for the closing ceremony, which involves standing around and drying.
Another gold-medal suds-mission from Andrew Y.
Absolutely! I still adress our younger cat as Michaux kitten. He’s eleven years old.
I call all dogs “puppy” so I’m am totally on board with Miri always being Kitten.
I love bath time in Maruland!
The only time Maru’s tail doesn’t move XD <3
KITTEN Miri! YESS! I have been flying that flag all along! Thank you Mike!
As always I am astonished by what Mugumogu gets those cats to put up with. Hanna meowing – I would expect with any other human attempting to shampoo a cat, the meowing would have almost immediately turned into warning yowling and hissing, followed by war. I guess Miri learned from Maru and Hana that the wetting did not mean war?
Yay, always “Kitten” Miri!
I can’t believe Hana – “Best Meowing” 😂 – protested more than Kitten Miri! Only one little cry for help came from our little one. I was expecting a full throttle battle scene aka Steven Spielberg style.
Maru, stoic as always. I love watching him getting de- than re-fluffed again.
Love Maru, Hana and Miri! I have an honest question for everyone. Every time I see the yearly bathing videos I’m confused. Cats clean themselves religiously and indoor cats really don’t get filthy. The concept of a yearly bath doesn’t make sense to me. Either they need a regular bath or they need none. Is there a ritual significance to this that I am unaware of? Because cleanliness-wise I just don’t see the need. Thanks for any insight!
I don’t have any insight, but I have been to Japan a few times. They are VERY into cleanliness. There is no garbage on the street. There is no garbage along railroad tracks. You really don’t see garbage anywhere.
I googled and most of the results seem to say no, cats generally don’t need baths, unless there is a specific reason for it (like they got into something or have a medical reason; or certain breeds – hairless kitties do need baths because without fur the oils accumulate on their skin).
One result says, “The National Cat Groomers of America recommends cats get a bath and blown dry every 4-6 weeks to keep their coats from getting matted or pelted,” but I feel like a group called National Cat Groomers might be a little biased.
If there was a real reason for it, surely it would happen more than once a year (if it really does; maybe she just only films it once a year). But they don’t seem to mind too much…I feel like they’d actually try to get away if they did (despite Hana’s protestations, she does not try to escape).
Maybe mugumogu just likes to play with the bubbles…
Yes I think we’ll have to go with the “likes to play with the bubbles” answer. 🙂
Mugumogu can definitely get them to do things most cats would not allow.
I wondered if it’s their version of spring cleaning.
I found an interview with Maru!
https://www.lovemeow.com/interview-with-maru-the-cat-1608006401.html
(It was from before Hana came along, because he says he doesn’t play with other cats.)
Awwwwwwwww….😻
I love that Miri will always be Kitten Miri!!