Unless you started bathing your cat when he/she was a small kitten and got her adjusted to it slowly, bathing a cat is definitely not going to be your favorite thing to do. Felines hate water and, regardless of how much love they usually show you, when you try to put them in water, the teeth and claws are coming out.
A few of the things you will need are, a couple of towels, some natural cat shampoo (bought or home made), a bowl or pitcher, a sponge and the mindset that you are probably in for a battle. First run a couple of inches of water in the tub and place one of the towels in the bottom where you plan to bath your cat. Then, go and get her, pick her up as if you were just going to pet her or take her for a treat, and head for the bathroom.
Cats are very intelligent animals, so when you enter the bathroom they will probably start struggling because they have already figured out you are up to no good. So, before you put your cat in the tub and begin, be sure and shut the bathroom door. If you have had a cat for long you know if they escape and don't want to be caught, they won't be caught. Not only are they fast, they know the places, like under the bed, where you can't get to them. If you have already gotten her wet down and applied shampoo, should she struggle and get loose you are going to have a mess on your hands if she has the whole house to run through.
Okay, you have your supplies ready, the door is closed and you are ready to begin. The first thing that will probably happen as you try to put the cat in water is she will suddenly become firmly attached to your arm with those very sharp claws. Just bite your lower lip and ease her down in the water while talking in a soft, gentle voice. Hopefully she will calm down after a couple of minutes. Continue talking quietly in a loving, reassuring way and begin to wet her down. After she is wet, take a safe, natural cat shampoo and slowly massage it into her fur. She may even like this part. After you have finished bathing her, gently wash off the shampoo. Be sure and get it all off so there will be nothing left that could possibly irritate her skin. Lastly, dry her down with the towel and put her in her favorite resting place.
Luckily for the owner, cats spend half the day bathing themselves with their tongue, so you only need to wash your cat very few times a year, for instance in flea season. However, try and remember when this task does come to hand, to use natural bath washes when shampooing your feline. Talk to your pet store owner or vet for suggestions. Also, there are many great home made shampoo recipes on the internet you might want give a try. Some of them are even dry shampoos that don't require water. Your cat would probably love you to give that one a try first.
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