Cats are trending on TikTok again—but not for the reasons you’d hope.
A new wave of videos showing cats being forced into baths has gone viral, and while it might rack up views, not everyone is amused.
One UK vet is speaking out, calling the trend not only unhelpful but straight-up “disappointing.”
TikTok Vet Breaks It Down: “Please Stop Bathing Your Cats”
Dr. Ben, a UK-based veterinarian better known online as @ben.the.vet, took to TikTok—where he has over 210,000 followers—to respond to one of the viral cat-bathing clips.
In his video titled Vet reacts to viral cat bathing video, he watches a visibly panicked cat being dunked into a bathtub and, well, he’s not impressed.
“Oh gosh, what is this obsession with bathing cats?” he says in the clip. “You do not need to bathe your cat.
They’re literally experts at grooming themselves. They spend a good chunk of every day doing just that.”
There Are Exceptions, But They’re Rare
While Dr. Ben makes it clear that most cats never need a bath, he does mention there are a few exceptions.
For instance, Persian cats sometimes need a bit more help due to their flatter faces, which can make grooming tricky.
He also noted situations where a cat might get poop or vomit on them—yeah, fair enough.
“If they get something gross on them, fine. You might need to clean them,” Ben said.
“But even then, don’t make it traumatic.
Use warm soapy water and a cloth.
There’s rarely a reason to soak your whole cat in water like the one in that video.”
Stressing Out a Cat for Views? Just Don’t
What bothered Ben most wasn’t just the unnecessary bathing—it was the clear distress the cats were in.
The cat in the video he reacted to was visibly terrified, and Ben didn’t find it amusing.
“I don’t really think this video is funny,” he added. “But it’s got millions of views, so people clearly do.
That’s what’s disappointing.”
His final plea? “Please don’t bathe your cat routinely. It’s just not necessary.”
Clear Advice for Cat Owners — Especially New Ones
Alongside his video, Ben also included a caption with extra guidance, especially for new cat parents who often ask, “When can I bathe my kitten?” His answer is simple: Never—unless it’s absolutely necessary.
He offered a few tips for those rare occasions when a bath really is unavoidable:
-
Get someone to help you so it goes faster.
-
Only wet the area that’s dirty, not the whole cat.
-
Use distractions like treats to keep the cat calm.
-
Most importantly, don’t film your cat’s distress just to score likes online.
Cat Lovers in the Comments Were 100% With Him
The video quickly sparked a wave of supportive comments.
One viewer wrote, “My cat only gets a bath if he has fleas.
I’m not gonna routinely torture him.
Poor baby.” Another said, “I’ve literally never felt the need to bathe my cats—they do just fine on their own.”
Others chimed in with love for their own clean, fluffy companions:
“Three years, no bath—she smells like sunshine and blueberry muffins.”
One particularly emotional cat owner added, “I can’t even stand seeing my cat distressed.
I’d never put her through a bath just for a video.”
The Bottom Line: Trust Your Cat’s Natural Instincts
Cats are incredible self-groomers. In most cases, they don’t need our help to stay clean—and definitely don’t need to be subjected to a full bath just for internet content.
As Dr. Ben puts it, “Don’t make your cat suffer for social media.”
So, next time you see one of those viral bath videos, maybe think twice before hitting like.
