Preach it, kiddo. That flurry of frantic little paws in the second panel looks familiar from the last time I had to bathe a cat. (It's been years. For good reason.)
But...
You'll note that they're wearing long, heavy gloves. And Peej, who does, after all, have super-strength, is the one actually holding the cat.
Palmiotti and Conner must own cats to have thought the scene out that well.