I've been very lucky over the years. I've had some great advice from sone long time breeders. So, here's what I've learned, most cats hate baths! Ok, now that we have that established how do we get them to look their best for a show?

First - clip those claws! Next, throw some clean dry towels into the dryer and get it started. Then turn on the water and get it to the correct temperature.

Next FIND the cat, ok, maybe this should be the first steop. Wet cat completely with spray hose, this is not as easy as it sounds when the Russian has that extrordinary thick coat.

Lather completely (while holding wet/slick feline, avoiding claws and listening to those ear shattering screams).

I use Mycodex Pet Shampoo with Carbaryl. Once cat is lathered, wrap in dry towel (don't use the ones out of the dryer just yet) and hold screaming complaining cat for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, rinse completely then dry with warm towels out of the dryer. It will take several. The warm towels keep the minerals in the water from drying on the coat and leaves the coat feeling like silk. The reason for leaving the shampoo on for 5 minutes is to give the conditioner and flea stuff time to work. I don't have fleas but this gives my cats protection from bringing fleas home from shows. I've come home from shows and flea combed the cat before releasing into the house; I've found DEAD fleas but never a live one since I've started bathing the cats this way.

Now for a couple of tricks. If you have a cat that needs to be rinsed quickly, you can run a sink of water add a little white vinegar and stand the cat in the water. The vinegar cuts right through the soap, but it will also dry out the coat if too much is used. If you prefer not to use a flea shampoo use Bio-Groom Texturizing Shampoo (for double coated breeds). I've had really good luck with both shampoos. I think the trick is to keep them wrapped up in warm towels until they are almost completely dry. When I have a cat that tends to have a dry coat, I bath on Wednesday night. If I have one that has an oily coat or a thin coat, I bath on Friday nights and if I have access to a clothes dryer sometimes even again on Saturday nights.