Giving a cat a bath is the subject of quite a few jokes, both straightforward and ridiculous. Cat owners can worry about this task, and whether it's really worth the trouble they've heard about. I have four cats. Two of them will unhappily endure a bath as long as you have one person holding them down while the other washes. My big orange cat will tear the curtains down and leave water on every surface and bleeding skin on anyone nearby. And the youngest cat has never had a bath.
You don't have to put yourself through that. Veterinarians reassure us that a cat is self-cleaning, which is what cats have been trying to tell us all along. If you're lucky, you may never have to bathe a cat. But there are certain situations in which Fluffy really needs a thorough cleaning, and some of those conditions require a visit to the veterinarian. Read how a cat normally stays clean enough, and when it's time to bite the bullet and give him a bath at Inverse.
(Image credit: Hikaru Kazushime)