We gave all three cats a bath this weekend. The last time we tried to that with Thing One he flapped his legs so violently that he flew out of the tub without getting wet. Ever since, we've been convinced that he would never have another bath. But I had the brilliant idea of pouring a pitcher of water over him while he was standing on a towel in a dry tub. It worked. Or, rather, it worked for ten seconds, which was long enough for him to get a good soaking. Thing Two presented fewer problems, as we expected. Interestingly, though, it was Smokey who won the prize for best behavior. She must have had several baths prior to moving into our household, because she remained calm throughout the procedure.
Aside from getting them clean, the best thing about giving cats baths is getting to see them slink around the house looking like a lesser species while their fur dries. It's cruel to laugh, but it can't be helped. I will say, though, that all three of our felines returned to a semi-presentable status with remarkable swiftness. Still, their half-dry appearance was odd enough to document. Smokey looked the best, because long, white fur looks better wet than short, dark fur. In this photo, her coat reminds me of the world-weary polar bear at the zoo:
