Aw shucks, you need to hear Vesta's stories of bathing her Coon Cats (or some such specie). I think her poor hubby became a gallon donor on that one. 
It would seem this thread is useless without pictures. Since it is Dummies it would probably need a 
alert.
Oh Lord, we cannot find a groomer for the bathing and the detangeling of knotted hair on the male. All has to do with the hair make up on cats.
We cannot even begin to groom the male, the female never gets knots, her hair is different.
We have tried everything to groom the male, comes to the point we have to bring him to the vets to be put to sleep and given what is called a lion cut. Damn cat comes home with all hair clipped close to the skin except for head, chest and the big turf left on its end of tail. Cost $100.00 +.
We try to get the clipped cat used to being brushed but this male will have none of that. We fear trying to cut off knots as we could cut into his skin. Hell of a problem for cat and us. Cat is Hubby's cat, sits in his lap until he brings out a comb or brush---Zoom--off to somewhere for a day or so.
Female has hair that does not mat, never got even one in her 2 years with us, do we bath her, Hell no, we learned our lesson, I do wonder if we were to use the detangler spray for little girls on the big boy, 23 pounds at this time.
Seems the detangler works best on wet hair, We are not crazy, a wet cat at that weight is a horror from hell.
Finally I surgested we duct tape the males legs together and the head to the table and use electric clippers on his mats. Save us $100 and free the cat from the annoyance of the mats pulling on his skin.
Hubby now believes I am a monster, one cannot do that to any Animal what will do trauma do to its little brain???
Thank God Hubby never went into any medical field. He has no idea what goes on with humans to torture humans to become whole again.--He never had PT.
So I keep looking at the duct tape and the pet groomer, should I grab the tape and get out the electric clippers when he is not at home???
Having the cat put to sleep twice a year cannot be good for him to get shaved and rid of simple mats. Not the cats fault, it is the kind of hair he was born with.
What to do, defies my husband and go for it myself, The money saved will help the family.
What if Hubby decides to run for the hills do to what he thinks is mistreatment of his cat?????
To shave my ***** or to have it done professionally is the question-------What would you do??????
