A lot of cats hate water because they know that they don't belong in it, and it does not feel right on their skin. Cats don't take baths because they clean themselves with their tongue to get their fur clean. They are scared to death of water, and they don't like to go anywhere near it. They will scratch and bite you until you let them go. They will panic just by the sound of it. If you give them a bath it will be very hard to do because they will try to get out of the water, and they will use your skin as their ladder to get out. They don't mean to hurt you. It's just that they are scared.
They will pace around in the tub and meow at you to let them out of there. When they get out, they will not come near you after you clean them off because they will be very mad at you for what you have done to them. They will lick their fur for an hour to get it the way they want it to be or how they like it. But there are some cats that like the water and like to play in it. These cats will sit in the water and not move until you are done because they like the feel of it. Some cats will try to take a bath or a shower with you. They like to walk around the tub and play in the water because of the bubbles or if there is something in the water.
You have to give them a bath every week to keep the fleas out of their fur and to help them stay clean. If you give a cat a bath at a young age they will learn to love water because they will be used to it. Some cats will even go in the pool with you to go swimming, but it is best to put a life jacket on them so they can float and have fun with you. Sometimes cats will think they are dogs because they like the water and they can swim in it. Watch your cat around you when you take an oil bath because if they get in it or fall in it, their fur will stick straight up, and they will look like a fur ball. The oil that came from the bath will stay in their fur for a while, and it will look funny to see them like that. It will go down in time. It just takes a few days or weeks.