Brush your cat. Do not skip this step. Brushing the cat will help remove any knots and tangles in the fur, which will be much more difficult and painful to remove once your cat is wet. If your kitty likes getting brushed, then you can use the brush to make the kitty feel more at home in the tub.[2]
Sometimes you can even brush your cat as a way to distract her enough to allow her nails to be trimmed. This is a great way of killing two birds with one stone, but you'll need another person to help you.