The main reasons why cats don’t like water. What breeds of domestic cats like to swim. Do big wild cats like water? Do I need to teach the cat to swim.
It is inherent in cats to constantly lick their fur coat, so it would be logical if cats loved to be washed with water, but this is not at all the case.
Several reasons why cats hate water
- the water is absorbed into the wool and it becomes too heavy. Only the upper part of the hairs is somewhat water-repellent, and the moisture-saturated undercoat pulls the cat down and makes it feel uncomfortable and awkward. In addition, the cat is subconsciously afraid of hypothermia.
- Cats are sensitive to odors and do not like the smell of chemicals used to purify tap water.
- Cats really do not like it when water gets on their face, and especially in the ears, as this can potentially cause inflammation.
- cats, by nature, are rather shy animals and some are often very afraid of water because they have never swum in it.
- water washes away the protective oil layer from the animal's fur and skin, which can lead to disease.
- after washing, the cat has to work for several hours, licking itself completely.Some cats love water
Most cats are curious about water – often at home you can see a cat dipping its paw into a bucket of water or touching the water pouring from the tap or drinking from the shower without paying attention to anything. However, cats do not want to get their paws in the water or get completely wet.
There are several breeds that really love, love to swim in the water – a Turkish van (cats of this breed are also called “waterfowl”) and a Bengal cat.
Big cats living in the wild (lions, tigers, jaguars, ocelots) love to swim. At the same time, the hotter the climate, the more the cat loves to swim, which is quite logical from the point of view of evolution, because in cold regions a wet cat can simply overcool and die. In addition, what kind of prey the cat hunts plays a role – if domesticated cats hunt mainly birds and mice, then they simply do not need to go into the water, unlike the same big cats.
Do domestic cats need to be washed?
Cats should not be washed without the need – they usually do an excellent job of cleaning their fur coats on their own. If the cat is elderly and does not pay attention to its cleanliness, then you can wipe it every day with a damp cloth or sponge.
If something stuck on the cat’s hair that can poison it, then in this case you can buy it out. Cats are more patient about trying to wash them if they have been accustomed to water since childhood.