cat/bathing

Question
how should i bath my cat/and clean his ears

Answer
Hello Ivy,
Well, let's start with the easy question.  Cleaning ears.  This can be done with a cotton ball dipped in a little peroxide, or vinegar and water mixture.  There are commercial ear cleaners out there that do a great job. It would be worth the little investment to get a bottle.    Wipe out well with cotton balls.  Never insert Q tips or the like into the cats ear canal.Only clean the area of the ear you can see.  
Then clip the nails.  I have a detailed description of this procedure in my archives.
The bath can be done a couple different ways.  Start with three buckets of very warm water (cats like warm!). One soapy and two clear water. Scruff the cat by the back of the neck, like his momma carried him when he was a baby.  This actually releases endorphins in many cats, helping them to relax.  Slowly submerge him into the bucket of soapy water, and let him hang onto the side if he wants. With your free hand, (or the helping hands of others!) massage the cat all over in the 'bath' water.  When you think he is sufficiently clean, submerge him into the first clear water bucket, and then the other, just to make sure that the rinsing process is THOROUGH to help prevent itchy, flakey skin from soap residue irritation. Another method is to turn a laundry basket, or like item, upside down, and let the cat hang onto the top of it while you scruff with one hand. Decision time...you can put the shampoo on the cat BEFORE you wet him down. Mix it in a pitcher or plastic glass or something, with very warm water. Massage it in well. Use a hose, or shower sprayer on a LOW pressure, as cats don't like the hissing sound spraying water makes. (Reminds them of a cat hissing.)  Keep the water source close to the skin. And rinse thouroughly. (If he is being cooperative, rinsing becomes fairly easy with just holding him under the tub faucet.) Of course, if he freaks out at this point, and you can't get him rinsed, then you have a problem.  (Go ahead and fill a couple buckets !!) So, you may also choose to wet him down first to make sure he will be at least reasonably receptive to the introduction of water on his body.  Then add shampoo, lather and rinse. If all else fails, call around for references for a good cat groomer to provide the service for you. Many cats are reasonably tolerant of the whole bath issue, then there are the ones that must go to the groomers'!  Good luck, and be sure to have any bites or scratches medicated immediatly!
Thank you for your inquiry.
Tomay