Some people have the misconception that cats never have to be bathed.
That somehow they lick themselves clean. Cats, like their nemesis, the dog do get dirty and have a variety of odors from smelling like the outhouse where you camped last year to the same odor as your dog's breath. Now we all know that cats hate water. And we know that giving the cat a sedative to ease this process of a bath is out of the question. So, the best approach is both sneaky and direct.