Giving a dog a bath is often pretty straightforward — just soap them up and hose them down. But cats are a whole other animal. And while it’s true that felines do a better job of cleaning ...

Let the cat put his paws on the edge of the sink to give him the illusion of control. “Put a leash around his belly or around his neck,” said Velotta, so the cat doesn’t give you the slip.

There are certainly dozens of other chores you'd rather tackle than giving your cat a bath—and without a doubt, your kitty doesn't welcome the idea either! But when you need to provide the best ...

How to Give Your Cat a Bath: In Five Easy Steps Nicola Winstanley, illus. by John Martz. Tundra, $17.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-7352-6354-3.

If you decide to give your cat a bath, use a shampoo that is specifically made for cats — not human shampoo, as this may irritate a cat’s skin. A dog shampoo may not be cat approved, so be ...