Did you see a feline at the beach or in the pool? The majority of people, including myself will probably not say. Have you ever thought about whether there’s any truth to the widely accepted belief that cats are afraid of water?
Water and wild cats’ ideal way to begin the conversation is to gaze at our cats’ natural cousins. In the end, many of the behaviors we see in our pets are a result of their wild ancestral habits. In regards to water, wild cats are divided into two camps, mostly based on the location they reside in.
Cats living in warmer climates like leopards, lions, and tigers jaguars, ocelots, and jaguars prefer water to cool down and are generally excellent swimmers.
Cats living in cooler climates such as bobcats, snow leopards, and lynx, stay clear of the water as being wet could hinder their coats’ capacity to keep them warm.
Water and domestic cats
Domestic cats, although similar to wild cats, aren’t directly related to them. Domestic cats evolved over the course of many centuries, derived from one wild ancestor who remains in the wild present day which is that of the Near Eastern wildcat of the Middle East. Because water is limited within the Middle East, these cats weren’t exposed to it to any degree, and their ancestors didn’t generally like water other than to drink it.
Domestic cats that don’t want to drink water
Nowadays, most domestic cats aren’t keen to take a bath in the water, swim in, or interact with the water. Luckily, they don’t require it. While other species of animal (such as human beings) cleanse their bodies with water, it’s not required for cats to do this. Cats are clean creatures and make use of their tongues, with tiny papillae that resemble hooks to aid in grooming knots and to keep their coats clean, fresh, and in top form. Furthermore that many breeds have coats that hold water, and being wet can make it difficult for them to keep warm in cold temperatures.
Domestic cats who do like water
Of course, there are some exceptions to the general rule:
There is a Turkish Van, a breed of cat that is known to be the “swimming cat,” which loves water. It is also the case with the Turkish Angora which is from the same region. It’s possible that the cats are fond of water because of the place they grew up which is to say, they were swimming in Lake Van to cool down.
Bengal Cats are known for their love of water. This is logical when you consider this: they are Bengal cat is the offspring domestically produced that crossed with Asian Leopard Cats, a wild cat that is known for its swimming.
In the same way, Savannah cats — created through mixing domestic cat breeds with wild servals–retain wild cats’ adoration for water.
Norwegian Forest Cats have been reported to be able to capture fish from streams and lakes in their natural habitat.
Maine Coon Cats, with their thick and water-resistant coats, were the mainstay in New England whalers.
Abyssinians were ship-cats that made the trip to the Indian Ocean coastal homeland to Europe by the sea in the 19th century.
Incredibly, three cats with short tails or no tails also enjoy the water with three cats: the American Bobtail and the Japanese Bobtail, and the Manx. The Manx (from Manx, which is from the Isle of Man) and the Japanese Bobtail were developed on islands, possibly causing their attraction to water and water, the American Bobtail may have just acquired its affinity with an evolutionary change that led to the shorter tail.
Many cats have fun with water
A lot of domestic cats engage with the water, for example, the water that is left in a shower stall, or drips of water from a sink, even with the water that is in your drinking bowl. Some cats will even sit at the edge of the bath to play with bubbly toys, rubber duckies, or even wet kids (like Starlite, my own domestic shorthair cat). The trick to getting cats to love water is to expose them to water as they are young and to do not use water as punishment (that is, no spraying the water with the water).
So what’s the truth about water and cats?
Cats are very unique. Although most domestic cats display a lack of respect or even aversion to drinking water, they do have some exceptions and you can find cats who actually enjoy the water. There are also individuals who are of breeds that exhibit a love for water that is contrary to the conventional and prefer it.
Does your cat like or dislike water? Let us know in the comments below!
