How to Size a Shower Cap for Your Dog or Cat

Use a soft tape measure to take two measurements:

Head circumference. Run the tape around your dog or cat's head: over the top of the head, down around one ear, under the chin, and back up past the other ear. Keep it snug against the skin, not floating on top of the coat.

Temple to temple. Measure straight across the top of the head, from one temple to the other — the flat span between the ears.

Size chart

Size	Head circumference	Temple to temple	Typically suitable for
XX-Small	Under 7"	Under 3"	Sphynx, kittens, and cats with very small heads
X-Small	6–10"	3–5"	Small and medium cats under 10 lb; dogs under 10 lb
Small	10–17"	Up to 7"	Large cats 10 lb and up; dogs 10–15 lb
Medium	13–18"	Up to 8"	Dogs 13–25 lb
Large	15–20"	Up to 9"	Dogs 25–35 lb

If in between sizes, size up!

You can order any of these sizes from our shower caps for dogs and cats page.

 

What the cap is for

Bath time - Keeps water out of your pet's ears during a bath, which helps prevent the ear infections. Floppy-eared breeds need it most as they are most prone to ear infections.

Keeping ear drops in - Use the cap to keep ear drops in your pet's ears after you've applied them — otherwise one head shake and most of the dose is gone. The cap will likely come off after a shake and need re-wearing, so stay with them for the first few minutes. Ask your vet how long the drops need to sit.

Cats have smaller heads

Cat skulls are narrower front to back and the ears sit higher and more upright. Most cats land in X-Small; larger or long-haired breeds take Small.

Two things worth knowing if you're buying for a cat:

• Measure a long-haired cat against the skin. A Persian or Maine Coon can measure two full inches larger through the coat than through the skull. Size on the skull.
• Hairless breeds measure smaller than you'd expect. A Sphynx has the same skull as a comparable furry cat but no coat, so the circumference reads noticeably lower. Most Sphynx cats take XX-Small.
• A kitten will outgrow XX-Small. Skull growth is mostly done by around a year old. If you're buying for a kitten, expect to move up to X-Small in a few months.

Getting it on without a fight

Sizing is half of it. The other half is the first wearing.

1. Let them see and smell it first, away from the bathroom. Thirty seconds is enough.
2. Put it on dry, in a neutral room, and take it off after a few seconds. Repeat a couple of times over a day or two.
3. Fasten the straps loose, then tighten. Going on tight is what triggers the head-shake.
4. Then use it in the bath. By that point the cap isn't the new thing in the room.

When a cap isn't the right tool

A shower cap keeps water and drops out. It does not treat anything.

If your pet is shaking their head persistently, scratching at an ear, or you notice discharge, odour, redness or any sign of pain around the ear, that needs a vet rather than a cap. Ear infections get worse quickly and they are not a thing to manage at home with equipment.

The same goes for anything after surgery or an injury near the ear — follow what your vet told you, and ask them before putting anything over the area.

Sizes we don't make

Our largest cap fits a head circumference of about 20 inches, which covers dogs up to roughly 35 lb. It does not fit larger breeds like Labradors, Golden Retrievers.

 

You can order our shower caps from our shower caps for dogs and cats page.