cat washing

Has anyone had their kitty for a long time but NEVER given him or her a bath? I've had my cat for almost two years, and I haven't tried to bathe her (because I know she would HATE it and probably never let me come near her again!). My cat's vet, who has 3 kitties herself and has never bathed them, assured me that most cats clean themselves quite well enough. Sometimes, however, I find it hard to believe that my kitty would live for another 10 or more years without a good cleansing! Any comments? Stories? Thanks! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

I have 4 cats that get washed on a regular basis (once every 3 months) because 3 of them are therapy cats that go to visit sick kids at the Children's Hospital, so they need to be clean.
I trim their nails 2 days prior to bathtime. I have one of those anti-slip mats that I put in the bath tub, and I have a hand-held shower attachment in the tub/shower. I just gather them up, one at a time and wash them with the hand-held shower attachment. I use very mild no-tears cat shampoo that even smells wonderful. My cats are very used to being washed, and although they're not crazy about it, they don't fight or scratch when they're being washed.
I towel them dry, and them I keep my house warm, since they do not like the blow dryer.

P.S. to the last post.
We are lucky enough to not have fleas where I live, so I don't have to worry about that! Never a flea in 26 years of pet ownership, I'm very blessed in that way!

We have 4 cats, the oldest being 15, and have never bathed them. They keep themselves immaculately clean probably because they're all indoor cats and have no fleas. If they did get fleas I'd choose a treatment such as Advantage,etc before doing a flea dip, as I've heard that's about the harshest on them.

just back from a trip and weighing in a little late. I've had cats all my life, outdoor and indoor, and never bathed a one unless s/he got into something messy. An occasional swipe on strategic body parts occasionally is all they've ever required.